The D&G Window Solutions Fenestration Knowledge Series
Windows sit at the meeting point of architecture, engineering, craft and conservation. This recurring series shares practical, technically grounded insight on glass, custom steel windows and metal windows, aluminium windows and doors, and the careful refurbishment of heritage fenestration.
Latest in the series
Article 10
Planning a Heritage Window Refurbishment: A Practical Guide
Plan a repair-first refurbishment by assessing the frame, glass, hardware, access, finish and the building around the opening.
Article 09
Repair or Replace? The True Cost of Heritage Steel Windows
Compare corrosion, glass, draughts, making good, long-term maintenance and heritage character before changing an original opening.
Article 08
Condensation, Draughts and Thermal Performance in Steel Windows
Understand how glass, seals, drainage, repair and secondary glazing work together to improve comfort while respecting steel-window character.
Article 07
How to Choose the Right Glass for Steel Windows
Learn how to balance safety, weight, comfort, acoustics, heritage character and frame condition when specifying glass for steel windows.
Earlier in the series
Article 06
Secondary Glazing for Heritage Steel Windows
Learn how a carefully designed inner pane can improve comfort and acoustic performance while keeping an original steel window in place.
Article 05
How Modern Safety Glass Actually Works
Understand the difference between toughened and laminated glass, how each behaves after breakage, and why the frame, hardware and risk assessment matter.
Article 04
Why Heritage Steel Windows Should Be Repaired Before They Are Replaced
Learn why surface rust, failed putty and stiff hardware do not automatically mean an original steel window must be replaced—and how a repair-first assessment works.
Article 03
Follow steel windows from Victorian industry and Modernist architecture to today’s made-to-measure steel windows, doors and shopfronts in Cape Town.
Article 02
Why Old Glass Looks Wavy—and Why It Matters
Discover why historic window glass has waves, bubbles and uneven reflections, why it has not flowed over time, and when original panes should be retained.
Article 01
The History of Glass: How One Material Changed the Way We Build
From ancient glassmaking and Roman windows to crown glass, float glass and modern high-performance glazing—and why that history still matters when assessing heritage steel windows.
Ten articles are now live
Part 10 is now published, and new chapters will continue every Saturday. The series connects the history of the window with the decisions owners, architects and contractors face today.
Next series: The History of Aluminium
After the remaining steel-window chapters, the series will follow aluminium from rare metal to modern window system, with practical context for South African homes and projects.
Knowledge for better window decisions
D&G Window Solutions works with the whole opening: frame, glass, hardware, installation and the fabric of the building around it. That perspective helps us decide what should be retained, what can be repaired and what should be replaced for safety, performance or long-term value.