*
I see a lot of narrow profiled aluminum frame windows that are retrofitted into older brick buildings. They are typically dark bronze/brownish colored frames, many with tinting and bouble paned glass.
I have seen some that are casements, but most of them seem to be double hungs. On higher floors, the windows are restricted to open only partially or not open at all.
At the university in our town, all old single paned steel casements were replaced with windows described above and the buildings are stone veneered.
They obviously are not the Marvins/Pellas/Andersons that are marketed for residential homes.
Could someone please give me some names of manufacturers that specialize in these types of windows ?
Thanks for your help.
Alan
(p.s.; I do not wish to start over the great debate on the choices of sash frame material and energy efficieny, etc.)
Replies
*
Alan
It is not easy to just get replacement windows, especially for stone or brick homes/buildings. Companys that specialize in this have to take very accurate measurements and then special order the replacement windows. This is especially true for older buildings that the measurements can vary from window to window. If they order the wrong size, they cannot just take the window back and get a different size. They have eat the cost of that window. Just had the windows replaced in home I'm working one and the same size windows (measuring the actual window), the actual openings varied from 1/2 inch to more than 2 inches.
This is one job I'd leave to the specialists.
Vince
*Alan, around here I would go to a commercial glass company to find what you describe. You know, the ones that do storefronts. Give them a call.
*We do alumninum framed window replacement all the time here in FL. Many in concrete block and in brick.Usually folks are upgrading to central heat and air and want to keep their costly cool air inside. We'll take out steel casements that seem to have had the building poured in place around them, jalousies that fall out when you look at them and the so-called standard masonry single-hungs that are anything but standard.Vince is right about the measurements, they can be a pain if you are not careful. You would think (ha, ha) that the masons would get it right once in a while so that the standard masonry sized windows would actually fit as they are supposed to fit but that is seldom the case.And, you would think that the wood bucks would be let into the grooves that are there for that purpose but too often no one thought to order the correct block with the groove so the mason just set regular block. Or the brick mason got there after the window was in and decided to overlap the frame just a bit.And then the tile setter came along and put the window sill in, which no longer matches up when you put in the new frame. And then the rock, which also fit the old frame, must be cut back or replaced to allow the new to fit. And then the brick ledge, above the window, has sagged just a tad over the years.The key to window replacement is accurate measurements. I would take at least 3 vertical and three horizontal meaurements as well as check the opening for level, plumb and square.There are any number of sources that will custom make your window. Look under windows in the yellow pages, go to your favorite full service lumber yard - most will have a window and a door division. The one we use ships in from Texas and the price is MUCH better than the local manufacturer. The price is also just as good as off the shelf standard sizes. Or go to the big box and take your chances. Their special order stuff is way too high.You can get frames with thermal breaks and all the glazing options you desire as well as single/double hung, tilt out for cleaning and a choice of latches and of course the great colors (mill, white and bronze). Other colors are also available but then you are talking more $$$$. Have fun.
*Thanks, folks, for the encouraging replies.I posted a related question sometime last year but worded it differently.Last time, I was wanting to install residential windows without the brick mould (sp?) because I wanted the windows to go as wide as possible brick-to-brick in the openings we have. Upgrade and preserve as much of the glass area that the present aluminum frame windows provide. This would also eliminate the storm windows that was robbing quite a bit of the glass area of the main windows.After less then reassuring reponses from many residential window sources I started paying more attention to commercial applications and started noticing very desirable results that would work perfect in our home.And dispite the need to measure more accurately, there seems to be less material used then residential windows.Thanks again,Alan
*AlanI have a brick house with 4" cinder blocks inside and plaster over lath. I took the old single pane double hungs out of 29 windows without a problem. Used Andersen's -- they fit all of my openings perfectly -- they have something like 600+ sizes. Pulled everything out except the interior colonial casing and cut the jamb from the stop to the outside -- built a box that I wrapped in alu and covered the box -- Box with alum was 1 1/4 "thick sides and top -- bottom did not not have the box because you are suposed to leave at least 1/2 in for expansion -- so backed it up and filled the front with caulk.Job turned out beautiful -- looks like the windows were always there -- the box on top and sides gives a little reveal in the palce of the brick mold that is an additional "shadow" Let me know if you want more details.Dudley
*Dudley -Thank-you for the detailed reply.Yes, I am interested in more details.As this will be quite a project with the least payback (in home value), I do want to proceed with extreme caution.Mine is just a brick veneer over woodframe.All brick opening with what appears to be custom made aluminum double hungs from the 1950s. Heavy duty stuff and well made.I can see that they are nailed in through the sides of the window frames, presumably into wood rough opening. But in this case they may be exact openings (so to speak) if the windows were made to drop in with minimal of shimming. Inside they are trimmed around with wood with jambs that are about 3" deep and slightly deeper widnow sills.Anderson...hmmmm....I have been admiring them in a church that was built in 1989. Saw some very nice awning windows which I need to use in some of the window.Alan
*For various reasons I would like to start at the manufacturer's side and work my way toward locating a supplier/installer that may not necessarily be in my area.I've done some search for commercial windows and will continue to do so.In the meantime, if you know of some names of makers I would be grateful.Thanks again for your replies.Alan
*
I see a lot of narrow profiled aluminum frame windows that are retrofitted into older brick buildings. They are typically dark bronze/brownish colored frames, many with tinting and bouble paned glass.
I have seen some that are casements, but most of them seem to be double hungs. On higher floors, the windows are restricted to open only partially or not open at all.
At the university in our town, all old single paned steel casements were replaced with windows described above and the buildings are stone veneered.
They obviously are not the Marvins/Pellas/Andersons that are marketed for residential homes.
Could someone please give me some names of manufacturers that specialize in these types of windows ?
Thanks for your help.
Alan
(p.s.; I do not wish to start over the great debate on the choices of sash frame material and energy efficieny, etc.)