Arbourthorne · S2
Sash window glazing in Arbourthorne, Sheffield
If your Arbourthorne property has two vertically sliding sashes running in a boxed frame, usually with a horn detail on the upper sash, this page is the specification we would quote. The local brief in S2 is usually condensation in bedrooms and cold single-glazed stairwells, and the draught through the weight pockets is sealed and the original sash keeps operating normally. Arbourthorne is not a conservation area, so the decision is purely technical rather than a consent question. Many of these calls come shortly after purchase, when the first winter has made the window problem obvious. We cover S2 continuously — Arbourthorne sits within reach of the Ring Road (A61), which is also the reason a lot of these calls are about noise.
Aluminium systems are powder-coated to any RAL colour at no extra lead time.
Listed-building drawings and specifications are prepared free with the quote where consent is needed.
We survey with a sound level meter where noise is the driver, so the target is a number rather than an impression.
Measured performance figures come from our own post-install testing, not manufacturer maximums.
The technical answer
| Window type | two vertically sliding sashes running in a boxed frame, usually with a horn detail on the upper sash (Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian, roughly 1750–1910) |
|---|---|
| Underlying problem | the sash box is hollow and the counterweight pockets leak air, so the loss is around the window as much as through it |
| System we fit | vertical sliding secondary units that mirror the original movement |
| Glass specification | 4 mm Low-E for thermal-led jobs, 6.4 mm laminated where noise is the driver |
| Measurement | we measure the reveal at three heights because sash openings are rarely square after a century of settlement |
| Heritage position | nothing is fixed into the sash box itself — the frame is fixed to the reveal lining, so historic joinery is untouched and the work is reversible |
Survey notes from the area
A sash box is a ventilated void by design; most of the perceived draught comes through the pulley stiles rather than through the glass.
Matching the secondary unit's movement to the original means the window still behaves like a sash from inside the room, which matters in a period interior.
Arbourthorne stock is 1930s council semis and the prevailing glazing is steel casements, many replaced, which is why sash window glazing comes up here so often.
We measure the reveal at three heights because sash openings are rarely square after a century of settlement.
Arbourthorne carries no conservation designation, so the specification is decided on performance alone.
Recent installs nearby
Nether Edge Grade II sash retrofit
Six original box sashes fitted with balanced vertical secondary sliders — full listed-building consent secured in six weeks.
Ecclesall Road bay-window sound retrofit
Three-panel horizontal sliders across a 3.2 m Edwardian bay — Rw measured at 47 dB post-install.
Kelham Island loft conversion
Four large steel-frame factory openings sealed with slim satin-anodised horizontal sliders. Post-install U-value 1.87 W/m²K.
Local reference points
- Area
- Arbourthorne (S2)
- Town
- Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Housing era
- 1930s council semis
- Typical windows
- steel casements, many replaced
- Landmark
- Arbourthorne Fields
- Conservation area
- No
- Window style
- Sash Windows
- Period
- Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian, roughly 1750–1910
Common questions
Will secondary glazing stop my sash windows rattling?
Yes, and it does it without touching the sash. The rattle is wind pressure moving a loose sash in its box, and a sealed room-side pane removes the pressure differential driving it.
Can I still open the sash behind it?
Yes. Vertical sliding secondary units move on the same axis, so both sashes stay operable.
Does it damage original joinery?
No. The fixing is into the reveal lining, not the sash box, and the whole system can be removed later without trace.
Which windows should we do first?
Whichever room you sleep or work in that faces the noise or the prevailing weather. We will say so honestly at survey rather than quoting the whole house by default.
Is it worth it if we might replace the windows later?
If replacement is likely within two years, usually not — we will tell you. If the frames are staying, secondary glazing is the cheaper route to the same comfort.
From enquiry to install
- Step 1
Send a photo of the window — with two vertically sliding sashes running in a boxed frame we can usually tell you the likely system before we visit.
- Step 2
Survey in Arbourthorne: we measure the reveal at three heights because sash openings are rarely square after a century of settlement.
- Step 3
Manufacture to the templated sizes with your chosen finish.
- Step 4
Room-side install with no external access and no alteration to the original frame.
Sash window glazing in nearby areas
Sash window glazing in Arbourthorne — the short version
The sash box is hollow and the counterweight pockets leak air, so the loss is around the window as much as through it. We fit vertical sliding secondary units that mirror the original movement with 4 mm Low-E for thermal-led jobs, 6.4 mm laminated where noise is the driver, templated to your opening. The draught through the weight pockets is sealed and the original sash keeps operating normally.
Just moved in?
We will tell you which windows are worth treating first and which can wait — no pressure to do the lot. Send a photo of the sash window glazing — with two vertically sliding sashes running in a boxed frame in a 1930s council semis Arbourthorne property we can usually spec it before we visit.