TRADITIONAL CHURCH WINDOW GUARDS

Since 1860 Aiano’s has been the leading maker of traditional church window guards in the country. We have been hand-crafting window guards for churches, cathedrals and heritage buildings for more than 150 years.

A large number of churches and cathedrals around the country protect their treasured stained glass and leaded light windows using Aiano’s custom-made hand-crafted traditional church window guards. The best guards are the ones that are barely visible from a few feet away whilst blending in with the character of the church building. We go above and beyond to ensure that the guards we design and create fit well into the surroundings.

Aiano’s is the leading expert in the country in the design and manufacture of church window guards, with more than 150 years’ experience of helping churches protect their precious stained glass. AIANO church window guards are specified and recommended by many diocesan architects.

We are one of the few firms capable of hand weaving our mesh for an aesthetically pleasing finish.  From a distance of a few feet the guards are barely visible; while close-up their hand-crafted finish blends with the character of church and heritage buildings.

We have expertise in measuring, producing and fitting complex-shaped church window guards that has been built up over several generations. We offer a full service including initial site survey, making and installing the window guards.

We are particularly well known for our method of invisible fixing, a highly skilled way of installing the church window guards, which means the fixings are practically invisible. Unsightly or oversized fixings draw the eye and spoil the appearance of the church window. Aiano’s always strives to make our beautiful church window guards as unobtrusive as possible.

Some recent church window guard projects

You can find the stories of many our traditional church window guard projects in our blog, Aiano Newswire.

Church window guards for Highgate Chapel

Church window guards for Holy Innocents

Church window guards for Highgate Cemetery

Handcrafting Church Window Guards

The process of making traditional church window guards is a complex and highly skilled craft, that has been handed down from generation to generation of wireworkers since 1860.

Taking the templates

The first step in making church window guards is to take accurate templates to ensure the guard fits neatly within the reveal, and follows the contours of stone and glass. An accurately fitting church window guard will be be more aesthetically pleasing and less noticeable.

Choosing the right design

Ideally, as recommended by English Heritage, each window light and tracery should have its own guard.  In practice,  Aiano’s selects the best design for each church and window, taking into account architectural, structural, aesthetic and financial factors.

Weaving the mesh

Aiano church window guards are usually made from hand-woven mesh, hand-crafted by AIANO wireworkers using methods handed down from generation to generation. Sometimes we use prefabricated welded mesh, perhaps to match existing guards.

Installing church window guards

When Aiano engineers fit the church window guards, we use our own method of invisible fixings that cannot be seen except on close examination. We use only non-ferrous fixings to ensure that beautiful stonework will not become marred and discolour.

AIANO CHURCH WINDOW GUARDS TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Aiano window guards are widely regarded as the best on the market. Aiano has unparalleled expertise developed over 150 years in designing and making church window guards. We employ highly skilled and experienced craftsmen – welders and wire workers – and we have particular expertise in designing guards to suit complex windows and situations, for example large windows with many traceries.

AIANO are particularly well known for our traditional hand woven mesh window guards. To our knowledge we are the only company in the country making window guards using these traditional methods. Churches and historic buildings have widely varying window designs and shapes and our window guards are custom made for each individual window. We produce separate guards for each window light and tracery.

Stainless steel woven mesh

The guards will be made from 4” x ½” (102mm x 12mm) hand woven mesh made from (13swg 2.337mm) stainless steel wire on ¼” (6.35mm) stainless steel round bar frame.

Stainless steel weld mesh

The guards will be made from 3” x ½” (76mm x 12mm) weld mesh made from 12swg (2.64mm) stainless steel wire on 5swg (5mm) stainless steel round bar frame.

Materials

AIANO use high quality 304 or 316 grade stainless steel wire manufactured specially to our specification in France. AIANO uses high quality 304 and 216 grade round bar manufactured in France and Italy.

Finish

The guards will be coated in polyester BLACK. (Polyester powder coating is recommended for general exterior situations, where good weathering resistance is required).  Find more information about Aiano materials and coatings radiator wire mesh guards.