What is a meeting stile bead (stolpnaald)?
A meeting stile bead is a hardwood strip with a half-round profile fixed to one leaf of a pair of casements or doors that close without a central mullion. It covers the joint where the two leaves meet and keeps out driving rain and draughts. In Dutch joinery it is called a stolpnaald, and a window of this kind a stolpraam.
With an ordinary pair of casements, both leaves close against a fixed mullion in the frame. A stolp window has no mullion: one leaf closes against the other. The benefit is a completely clear opening, useful for ventilation or for moving large items through. The drawback is that the leaves cannot be used independently: the leaf carrying the bead must open first and close last. Such pairs are often locked with an espagnolette bolt engaging the head and sill of the frame.
Recognising it
Look at the centre joint with the window closed. If there is no fixed mullion but a rounded strip running over the joint, it is a meeting stile bead. The other leaf has a matching rebate.
Application
- Respect the sequence. Open the leaf with the bead first. Do not force the other leaf, or the bead will split off.
- Strip excess paint. If the pair binds, there is often too much paint in the joint. Sand back the paint layers rather than planing away timber.
- Seal draughts properly. Self-adhesive strip on the curved face soon comes loose. A narrow routed groove with a pressed-in rubber seal lasts longer.
- Replace in hardwood. A rotten bead can be renewed on its own. Use a durable hardwood and have the old profile copied.
Common mistake: painting the bead thickly without sanding off old coats. The leaves no longer close, the espagnolette becomes stiff, and a gap opens up instead.
Related terms
- Espagnolette
- Casement window
- Outer casement
- French-door mullion
- Rebate
- Door stop
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