Case Study: Stanbrook & Nicholson

Background

Established in 2006, Stanbrook & Nicholson is a specialist manufacturer and installer of bespoke timber windows and doors, serving both residential and commercial projects across the South East of England.

Operating from a modern 20,000 sq. ft. facility in West Molesey, the company has built a strong reputation for craftsmanship, precision, and high-quality finishes.

Sustainability is a core part of the business. By sourcing timber from renewable, responsibly managed forests, Stanbrook & Nicholson ensures its products not only perform to a high standard but also contribute to long-term environmental responsibility.

However, like many joineries committed to quality, maintaining consistency, reducing waste, and ensuring long-term durability in smaller timber components—such as glazing beads—remains a key challenge.

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“Easy to work with, easy to use.”

Solution

To support both performance and sustainability goals, Stanbrook & Nicholson partnered with Qwood, integrating its composite beading profiles into their manufacturing process.

Qwood glazing beads, bars, and staff and parting beads provide a direct replacement for timber, working seamlessly with standard machinery and tooling. With no knots, no grain variation, and no risk of rot, Qwood delivers a level of consistency that traditional timber cannot match.

The material is fully compatible with standard paint systems and finishing processes, ensuring it aligns perfectly with existing workshop practices.

Results

By incorporating Qwood into production, Stanbrook & Nicholson has enhanced both efficiency and product quality—without compromising on sustainability.

Key benefits include:

Consistently straight, defect-free profiles
Zero rot and reduced maintenance requirements post-installation
Improved material yield with significantly less waste
Faster processing and finishing times
Reliable, repeatable quality across all projects

The result is a more efficient manufacturing process, improved environmental performance, and a higher-value end product for customers.

Testimonial

“Our partnership with Qwood has helped us improve both the quality and efficiency of our production. It gives us a consistent, reliable material that fits seamlessly into our processes, while supporting our sustainability goals. It’s added real value to both our products and our business—without compromise.”

— Ben Stanbrook & Simon Nicholson

Qwood Bead Innovation

Qwood is a timber composite which reflects the natural look and feel of timber. It can be machined just like traditional bars and beads, but it has no knots, defects, or imperfections. It is resistant to temperature and environmental changes, and will far outlast its timber alternatives.

A major advantage which Qwood has over traditional timber beads is the labour time saved in the manufacturing process. Every profile can be used straight out of the box, with no prep work. There is no need for de-nibbing, sanding, or other time-consuming tasks, and only a top coat of paint is required. The bars and beads can simply be cut to size with traditional joinery methods, and they are ready to paint and fit.

Qwood also has the benefit of superior longevity. It will not warp, rot, or swell over time, meaning that remedial work is greatly reduced. It is extremely stable, and its durability ensures excellent long-term performance. Plus, all of the timber which goes into the wood fibres used to manufacture Qwood is sourced from sustainably managed forests in Germany with full Chain of Custody certification available.

The products which Qwood manufactures includes various glazing bars and beads for casement windows, staff and parting beads for sliding sash windows, and a range of profiles for doors. As all Qwood profiles come ready-made, there is no need to select suitable timber pieces, or run them through a spindle moulder. Simply remove the profiles from the box, and use every piece, every time.