Accoya is the perfect Hardwood for Roof Lanterns that last

Roof Lantern

The Dilemma

John Thornley O.B.E. wanted a replacement Accoya roof lantern for his house. The current lantern was letting water into the roof space, the double glazed units had broken down, the wood was rotten and the overall look of the lantern did not match the beauty of the rest of the property.

“It was very important to me that the new lantern would offer the longest service life possible with the least possible maintenance. I contacted a number of PVC and aluminium companies, but each had their problems. Their units were too bulky and they didn’t match the overall aesthetic of the house. They also couldn’t match my desired colour.”

It was at this stage that John talked to David Brown, Director at Gowercroft Joinery. “David clearly explained the benefits and drawbacks of the different timbers and paints that could be used for the job, including an introduction to the less well known Accoya timber.”

Accoya Timber

Accoya is a high performance timber. Made from sustainably-sourced softwood that undergoes an acetylation process; permanently modifying the wood through to the core. The result is an environmentally-friendly, solid timber with durability, dimensional stability and beauty that matches or exceeds even the best tropical hardwood.

This wood has been shown to last a minimum of 50 years in joinery applications, and this figure is greatly increased through the usage of our factory applied triple-coat, water-based paint system. This coating is maintained every ten years.

John chose Accoya and the project began in earnest. Gowercroft Joinery built the framework of the lantern by mitring together eight separate window casements and securing with D4 glue and stainless steel screws. Each of the eight window casements had been constructed using comb jointing and more D4 glue. These units were individually finished using our triple-coat, water-based paint system, prior to being assembled. Finally the lantern was glazed over a pre-prepared drained and vented system, to reduce the chance of glazing unit breakdown.

Removal of the Old Lantern

The day of fitting arrived and we went about preparing for the removal of the old lantern. Access was clearly an issue and we enlisted the help of a local farmer with a large teleporter. The old lantern was de-glazed, cut, and lifted away from the roof. Once the lantern was on solid ground, care was taken to remove the lead roof and capping. It was then installed on top of the new Accoya roof lantern. As you can see from the image to the right, the new Accoya roof lantern sits proudly above the house and will stay there for decades to come.

“I can’t thank Gowercroft Joinery, and particularly David, enough for their work on this project. The individual care and attention is something that I haven’t experienced before, and David’s breadth of knowledge is incredible. He took a new and innovative material, combined it with traditional craftsmanship and techniques, and created something that matches my exact needs.” John Thornley O.B.E.

Accoya Roof Lantern for Exposed Location