Clement Steel Windows in Barn Conversion Project Featured in Listed Heritage and Conservation & Heritage Journal

When new Clement steel windows and doors were selected for this beautiful Grade II listed barn conversion located in the West Sussex countryside, we knew the project was perfect for inclusion in recent articles in Listed Heritage magazine and Conservation & Heritage Journal.

The barn has been sensitively restored by its owners with a particular focus on sustainability and energy efficiency.  New Clement SMW steel windows and W20 steel doors were chosen because they are similar in style to the original metal windows but provide better thermal efficiency to the originals and also let in more light.

Our SMW range is a stylish single glazed framing solution for sensitive replacement work in buildings of historic note where double glazing is not an option.  The steel frames are silicone fronted for an authentic appearance and come with all the benefits of new windows by Clement, including being manufactured from 98% recycled steel source material.

Steel doors and screens made from Clement W20 steel sections provide strong and durable frames with a number of options when it comes to glazing, locking and colour.

Conservation & Heritage Journal aims to promote conservation, heritage, restoration and regeneration.  The barn conversion appeared in Issue 36 of the Journal and you can  view Clement Windows’ profile on the Conservation & Heritage Journal website.

Listed Heritage is a bi-monthly magazine published by The Listed Property Owner’s Club (LPOC) for members, covering the whole spectrum of heritage conservation issues.  The article featured in the January/February 2023 issue of the magazine and is reproduced below with the kind permission of the LPOC.

Steel Windows in a Grade II Listed Barn Conversion

Tucked away in the West Sussex countryside is this beautiful Grade II listed barn, which has recently been refurbished into a superb family home and separate cottage. The oldest part of the building dates back to the fourteenth century. The cottage and barn were joined together in the seventeenth century, and a major refurbishment of the property took place for the first time during the nineteenth century.

Having purchased the property in February 2021, the current owners managed to secure listed building consent to start the restoration works that June. This meant stripping back the entire building to the historic timber frame, as much of the historical fabric had been replaced with modern, inappropriate materials and was close to failure. Due to years of the building not being breathable the wonderful timber frame had become damaged, and the inappropriate cement render was falling off.

The homeowners wanted to focus on sustainability and energy usage as part of their refurbishment plans, and after much research it was decided to replace the wall panels with hempcrete, a carbon negative, thermally efficient and breathable material. This was rendered with an insulated lime plaster to restore the property’s original rustic 94 appearance whilst allowing the building to breathe properly. As far as possible traditional, locally sourced products were used, such as heritage tiles, lime plaster, oakum, natural clay-based paints and steel windows.

The first steel windows were installed as part of the nineteenth century refurbishment and had to be retained as they are important features. The remaining windows were an assortment of timber and metal frames in all shapes and sizes which were failing and needed to be replaced or refurbished. The homeowners wanted the new windows to be of a similar aesthetic to the original steel windows in order to give the house a more consistent design language. The objective was also to enlarge some of the windows to bring in more light, whilst retaining as much of the original charm and character as possible.

Following discussions with a heritage consultant, new steel windows from the Clement SMW steel window range were selected and Clement W20 steel sections were chosen for the new French doors.

SMW steel windows are the perfect choice for heritage projects such as this. Developed primarily for bespoke replacement work in listed buildings and conservation areas, these windows are silicone fronted and use single point locking, an external hinge for an authentic appearance and simple weather-stripping detail. Each frame is also made from recycled steel to add a further eco-friendly credential.

The single glazed leaded glass was supplied locally by Silver Stained Glass, but where double glazing was required, Clement provided krypton filled glass units with 12mm leads. Beautiful pear drop hinges were crafted to look just like the originals and painted to match the windows and doors in RAL 9005 Jet Black (semi-gloss) polyester powder paint.

The client said,  “We love how the Clement windows have helped bring our old barn back to life! They look so in keeping with the historic building but are contemporary enough to allow modern living.”

Clement SMW steel windows included in a barn conversion in West Sussex. Photography: courtesy of the Homeowner.

You can also read our full case study of the barn conversion project.

For more information or to discuss your steel windows project, please contact us.