A challenge of biblical proportions

Unlike other typical construction jobs, this refurbishment was unique. When we make a frame it is to a hole size, then we cut the glass to suit the finished frame size. This job caused a few “scratched heads and sleepless nights” why? Because, our frames had to fit the precises sizes of each existing leadlight panel. Our tasks were to create 2 frames, one which would sit external and be glazed in a Low E (energy efficient glass) to protect the precious leadlight. The second frame sitting internally was to be built to house the leadlight panels. Might sound easy, but then factor in we were working 8 metres in the air.

If you want to talk about glass and frames with people who won’t walk away from a challenge—even one of biblical proportions—give us a call.

How do you replace the rotting timber frame around half a tonne of leadlight window?

“We don’t know” was the answer builder Paul Rolfe got from the first few framing companies he tried. Then he came to us.

The first thing we said was “very carefully”. By this stage, there was nothing more than paint holding the nails in place. The whole piece could be lost at any time if we didn’t do this right.

The glass — 8.5 metres high by 7.8 metres wide — was insured for $250,000 but you can’t put a dollar value on something this special. The Southport Uniting Church is across the road from the local RSL, and there is detail in this moving glasswork that celebrates the sacrifices of Australian service personnel. We weren’t dealing with just any window here.

This was a high-stakes job that it would have been easy to walk away from. But saying no isn’t what we do.

Typically glass is cut to fit a frame. That couldn’t be done in this case because the glass was too precious. We had to work backwards, fitting the frame to the glass. That meant getting the measurements correct to the millimetre. The frame had to fit the glass exactly, and the new frame had to go back into the holes the rotten frame had been eased out of. Massive calculations were involved.

We also wanted to take the opportunity to protect the glasswork, which meant building not one but two frames. The outer frame houses Low-E glass, which protects the leadlight from the sun. The inner frame holds the leadlight.

“This was a pretty complicated job,” says Paul Rolfe, the church’s builder and master of understatement. “In some places, the mullions had dropped as much as 35mm. We had to work slowly and carefully.”

The church community is delighted with result — the same beautiful window back where it should be but in no danger of crashing to the ground and preserved from the Queensland sun for future generations.

“Dealing with Central Glass and Aluminium was great,” Paul says. “With other companies, the buck gets passed again and again. I was waiting six weeks for people to get back to me. From CGA coming and having a look to giving me a quote took a week. They were spot on, and I’ll definitely be working with them again.”

 Paul Rolfe – Builder