Knox Church features steel-framed seismic windows and doors

Restoration projects invariably require custom solutions and products, and many of these can be "firsts" for the companies involved.

For Southern Steel Windows, the need to supply seismic-engineered steel-framed windows and doors to the Knox Church project resulted in a first.

Contracts manager Chris McGregor says the windows needed to be able to move separately to the building in the event of an earthquake so they don't shatter. This meant the doors and windows required a U-channel fixing system.

"Such seismic systems have been engineered for aluminium windows, but this was the first time we had been requested to make such a system for steel-framed windows," he says. "The U-channel is screwed to the building and the window frame slips into the channel. This design allows the window to move independently during a quake."

McGregor says Southern Steel Windows manufactured and installed all the steel joinery, co-ordinating the entire project from its Invercargill base. The joinery is double glazed and features varying types of glass, including backpainted glass and frit-patterned glass. Fire-rated glass was also specified. Imported from Germany, this glass has a frit pattern to match the rest of the panels.

The steel frames were galvanised with a zinc wire spray, then painted with a 2-pot epoxy paint system that comes with a 10-year warranty.

For more details, contact Southern Steel Windows, PO Box 659, Invercargill 9810, phone (03) 218 9278. Alternatively, visit the website: www.southernsteelwindows.co.nz

Story by: Trendsideas