Rero fit Double glazing in door

[Archie]

I installed an Alicante style hardwood front door which I got when they were solid wood- not the chipboard cored type currently available. It is single glazed and now that the nights are getting colder, condensation is becoming an issue with senior management. It seems to have got worse since we had cavity wall insulation fitted a year or two back.

I am investigating the feasibility of installing DG units and wondered if anyone has attempted it. I see that current Alicante doors are available with DG units so it should be possible. The existing rebate is 18mm and the DG units available are 14mm thick which only leaves 4mm for putty and beading which is not enough. I have a router and I thought about making a deeper rebate but there is only 12mm to play with and could deepen it by

6mm. The top of the top row of glass fit into a channel rather than a rebate which will require more care with the router but it should be possible.

I like my door and don't want to mess it up so any advice will be welcome. Senior management is looking for an excuse to get a new DG (plastic) door.

Archie

[stuart noble]

A "stepped" DG unit is the normal solution, but probably would have to be made to measure

[Archie]

Wouldn't they look rather odd since the spacer would encroach into the window opening and there are nine small panes in the door?

[Andrew Gabriel]

14mm (4/6/4) is the thinnest available.

Another issue is that you should allow for the spacer bar encroaching up to 12mm from the edge of the unit, and that is likely to mean it will show around the edge if the frames weren't designed with a suitable recess to hide it.

[D.M.Chapman]

Pilkington Spacia:

to think how much it costs (but would be really interested :-) ) No idea if it's available in small single panes. Let us know if you find it :)

Darren

[polygonum]

> Dread to think how much it costs (but would be really interested :-) )

1. What will it cost?

The price (£) is on application with a minimum area charge 0.3m² per pane. For orders above 4m², and as an approximate guide the cost will fall between £200 -£350m² depending upon volume, sizes and quantities.

Note - the smaller the order the more expensive the glass per m², as small orders attract a disproportionate level of transport costs.

[Dave Liquorice]

Make the sealed unit the size of the complete opening. Have grid spacer bars fitted inside and glazing bars on the outside of the unit. Though I expect you'd have fun getting/making the new glazing bars match the door. I guess if you carefully removed the old ones cut them down and stuck them (some how...) onto the sealed unit that would work.

Have you considered secondary glazing on the inside?

[Archie]

> Dread to think how much it costs (but would be really interested :-) )

Interesting product. The smallest size they do is 200x300mm so it is no good for me - even if I could afford it.

Archie

[meow2222]

Maybe get 2 sheets of 3mm and epoxy some microspacers between them. Not vacuum or sealed, but affordable. But you can't really use that in an opening sash, going from 3mm to 6mm is too heavy.

If you've got the space you could take it a step further and use 3mm, 1mm, 3mm sheets for TG.

NT

[Peter Johnson]

These supply d/g units:

[Archie]

I hadn't considered secondary glazing. I am not sure how it could be made to look OK on a hardwood door. A roll of plastic with double sided tape or something more substantial. I wonder.

Archie