Awning Windows

A throwback to the Modern Movement period in architecture that thrived from 1920 to 1965, awning windows are making a comeback. But this isn’t the first time the cantilevered style of window, hinged at the top and latching to the sill at the lower edge, has found a starring role in window design and popularity. Awning “windows” were prominent on buildings before glass was even manufactured more than 4 millennia ago; way back then they took the form of horizontal louvered shutters, usually four or five of these broad panels per window.

With a distinct 1950s sensibility, awning windows have become a practical, not just a design, consideration, and are flexible in their application in new and renovation construction. The people of the Caribbean islands have known why these windows are so useful and functional since they began building homes in places like Jamaica, Barbados and Aruba. Because the windows tilt out from the top, they can be left open even in a rainstorm. They permit the infusion of breezes without the directional flow that side-hinged windows create, and the hardware that operates them is conveniently on the lower edge for easy access.

Awning Windows for Residential and Commercial Buildings

Awning windows are sensible for residential and commercial use. They are opened in a controlled way and even a high-rise building can use them to allow natural airflow without being dangerous; the opening can be sufficiently small to prevent anyone falling out.

Awning windows are esthetically pleasing, unobtrusive when they are open, and modern in their beauty. They’re ideal for sun porches and greenhouses, but provide a slick design element to office buildings and apartments structures that would otherwise look repetitive and plain.

Functional as a single pane of glass or a series of stacked panes, awning windows have proved versatile and are showing staying power in design of new construction and in replacement applications. They are fairly simple to install and reasonably cost-effective.

Features of Modern Awning Windows

Modern awning windows are lightly tinted to reduce UV rays from the sun, have double panes, a variety of grille styles and are equipped with hardware that folds away neatly to prevent being caught or interfering with the operation of blinds or draperies. Used extensively in the tropics, the new version of awning windows is “storm-proofed”, with reinforced frames against powerful winds, impact-resistant glass and treatments that resist the damaging effects of salt water and salty sea air.

Awning windows are multi-purpose in the building trades, with great variety in finishes and sizes, easy to use as old window replacements and come in a selection of types, including aluminum, vinyl and wood. With a deserved return to design favor, awning windows are simply proving that what really worked in the past works even better when updated for the present.

Almost without exception, major reputable awning window manufacturers are making wood awning windows as an interior option only; the exterior portion of the frame is generally vinyl or fiberglass. It is, however, possible to have wood awning windows, with wood on both sides of the frame, custom-built for your structure, but climate may wreak havoc on exterior wood even if it’s stained or painted and then sealed.

When you think of houses erected in the early to middle 1900s, you’ll probably recall the unappealing image of peeling paint on window frames; this is what occurs when water seepage, which is inevitable unless the house is situated in a desert, is a factor. The switch to aluminum window frames in the 1950s and 1960s stopped that and created a rusty image to replace it. Modern technology has solved such issues.

Wood awning windows are designed to match the architectural style and trim detail of buildings, commercial and residential. They are hinged at the top and swing out, creating a distinct design nuance, and practical operation and protection from the elements. In order to maintain the wood appearance on the exterior, vinyl or fiberglass is treated and finished to appear to be wood. The normal wood used for interior purposes is pine, mostly alder, that has some light burling and knots, but is also smooth and fairly easy to manipulate. If clear-stained or left natural, a rustic look is the design element, but it can be stained darker or painted altogether for a customized finish.

Available in a selection of finishes, hardware, grille patterns, and glass types, wood awning windows should, if you buy from a good manufacturer and/or dealer such as Andersen, Marvin, Milgard and Jeld-Wen, come with a long, iron-clad warranty. Like all windows for new or replacement applications, awning windows are not bargain-basement cheap, but they will serve you well in terms of durability, functionality, resale value (for the structure) and protection. Using vinyl or fiberglass for the exterior (if not both sides) of wood awning windows ensures no water penetration, protection from bugs, and no salt infiltration.

Wood awning windows are beautiful, practical and cost-effective, and will add substantially to the value of the building and its overall esthetic.

Awning windows are a brilliant choice for hard-to-reach places in commercial and residential buildings, and motorized awning windows are the ideal solution, enabling the function of the windows to be controlled easily, even if they are beyond reach. Motorized awning windows generally come with one of three modes of operation:

1.  A wall-type switch, much the same as a light dimmer switch that controls the opening and closing of the windows from a point nearby.

2.  A remote control that runs off batteries just like a television remote control.

3.  A manual crank system that involves a chain and pulley, similar to many styles of window blinds. This is technically not “motorized”, per se, but passes as a remote manner of operation.

When an electronic version is installed (these can be done at the time the windows are installed as part of a complete package, or as an after-market product) it is normally a small box that sits on the sill or otherwise very near the window frame; either way, they are unobtrusive and do not detract from the design of the window. And yes, it can also control the locking mechanism of the awning window, not just the operation of the window itself.

The best types of motorized awning windows boast safety features like an automatic reverse drive that triggers the moment something obstructs the movement of the window. This means that things like a child’s fingers will never be trapped in the window as it closes. In addition, the electronically operated motorized awning windows are set up to be used on an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system in case of electrical power failure.

Most motorized awning windows can be operated from a remote control individually on in groups of as many as three windows. A very slick feature is a rain sensor program; this kicks in when the unit detects a certain level of moisture in the air and closes automatically in a coming rain shower.

Motorized awning windows use very little power to operate, are convenient, safe and make intelligent, practical use of technology. Awning windows are attractive, highly functional, smart windows and motorized awning windows just add that touch of extra to the package.

When contemplating the purchase of new or replacement awning windows, consumers should not let price sway them too much and they should stick with a trusted manufacturer such as Andersen awning windows. Windows, if they are going to last and work properly, are not a low-budget item, and firms like Andersen are committed to making quality products that last, come with a powerful warranty and perform as expected. No reputable manufacturer of awning windows is going to sell them “cheap”, and if you find such a thing, don’t trust it; Andersen and its competitors are makers of excellent awning windows, as well as other types of windows and doors, and their market position is never compromised.

Andersen Windows and Doors has been in business since 1903, established by Hans Andersen, a Danish immigrant. Over the last century, the company has grown and thrived, and is now headquartered in Bayport, Minnesota, with plants and offices in various parts of North America. It produces 6,000,000 wood windows and doors every year, so as a buyer of windows, you can rest assured that experience is in every product. The company makes standard and custom doors and windows for virtually every construction application, and stands behind everything it makes.

Andersen manufactures products for the construction trades and for those who love the satisfaction of doing it yourself. Their warranty is equally strong if you purchase through a builder or go to your local building supply store and order your custom windows there. Installation is clearly directed and the company is there to help with a toll-free number, providing information and answers to questions.

In the last 100+ years, Andersen has learned to appreciate the natural resource they use in the manufacture of their products, and good stewardship has lead to an active program of reducing the amount of wood the company uses, and reusing and recycling where possible. The firm is committed to reducing pollution at source and by making products that last a very long time ensures the longevity of its awning windows, other windows and doors.

Among other things, Andersen is involved with Habitat for Humanity, a natural fit, and thereby gives back to the community. Andersen awning windows will answer to your new construction or replacement windows needs, with an excellent warranty and fine reputation.

Marvin awning windows are made in an environment of positive ethics, optimum concern for employee safety, innovation and cooperation. The firm, established in 1912 and still family-owned and operated, runs a unique facility open to the public in its home base of Warroad, Minnesota. The Wm. S. Marvin Training and Visitor Center offers a museum and showroom, depicting the past of the company and the windows and doors industry, and a glimpse into the future, demonstrating windows available today and ahead.

With a focus on sustainability, Marvin awning windows are made in a plant that is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, and producing goods in an enlightened sensibility. Thanks to its innovative approach Marvin is the holder of several patents and is still generating effective ideas to make windows and doors better and better.

The company makes more than just Marvin awning windows, of course, and is regarded as having the largest range of styles, shapes, sizes and custom options in the industry. Marvin’s slogan “built around you” is a double-entendre, indicating the nature of their custom-built products, and that they work to make things function in synchronization with their customers’ needs, be they commercial, residential or replacement applications, professional dealers or contractors, or homeowners just like you. Interaction is what Marvin prides itself upon.

Marvin awning windows are available through a network of independent dealers, or through the company’s website (they will direct you to the right place to purchase their products), and offer pride of craftsmanship, value and energy-efficiency. For the benefit of your home or commercial building, Marvin awning windows are an investment in quality that will last the functional life of the structure and enhance its worth.

Awning Windows Sizes

There are two distinct variations or configurations when using awning windows sizes in new construction or renovations in resident or commercial applications: standard pre-set sizes made by the manufacturers, and custom sizes to fit virtually any design imaginable. Awning windows come is a range of shapes and sizes, but are not always suitable to half-moon or round windows; an odd shape such as an octagon works best because it has one straight side and that can be utilized at the upper hinged edge.

If you are considering replacement awning windows, whether you plan to install them yourself or hire a contractor, you can purchase awning windows as long as you have the necessary measurements; the manufacturing companies will know right away if the size is a custom one, and if it is, how long it will take to make. Pre-made awning windows are available through most major building supply retail stores and outlets.

Correct, precise measurements are important. If a custom-made window is done to your specifications and then proven incorrect, the manufacturer cannot be held liable. In some cases, where there is a very slight inaccuracy (erring to the side of caution, or a smaller size than was necessary), shimming and other construction techniques may be used to compensate. But the plan should always be to get a perfectly exact measurement, or have a contractor do it on your behalf. How do you measure for awning windows sizes?

For new construction, you’ll be working with an existing “rough opening”; for a renovation, you’ll need to remove the trim and casing around the existing window (leave the window in place!) in order to access the walls and studs, and other support framing, so you can get the right measurement. Now follow these steps:

Calculating the Awning Windows Sizes

1.  Once the space is free to measure, take the width first and record it. Measure side to side, using a metal tape measure, first at the top of the window and then at the bottom; if it’s a very long window, also take a measurement somewhere near the middle. This measurement is taken from stud to stud on either side of the window. The measurement you need to record is the largest, should the three be different (and they should only vary very slightly, if at all).

2.  Now measure top to bottom. Measure from the top of the horizontal header (it looks like a piece of raw wood just above where the window rests) down to the top of the rough sill, just below the lower edge of the window, again a raw piece of framing-quality spruce, about 1” x 3” in size, plus the width of the window; this is also a horizontal bar. This will be your height, and record that next.

3.  Repeat this process for each window you plan to replace with a new awning window. Take the measurements, together with the number of windows in each size you have recorded, to your retailer or window dealer.

Finding the Correct Awning Windows Sizes

Window manufacturers, some of which have dedicated retail outlets, create and warehouse windows of common sizes, thus eliminating the need for custom manufacturing where possible. Most standard sizes that are in stock are based on preferred standard windows sizes from the last 20 years, but this is not always the case. Casement windows are more commonly found in vertical rectangles where awning windows are more likely to be in horizontal rectangles. Never assume you’ll find the exact size you need until you do your measuring and then your research.

Most pre-set window sizes are proportional and no two manufacturers will necessarily stock the same standard sizes. This is cause enough to shop around because one manufacturer might have your awning windows sizes in stock at a good price, where another may have to make a custom window to your specifications at a significantly higher cost.

Replacement Awning Windows

Whether you had awning or cantilever windows installed originally or are planning to switch over from casement windows, window retrofits deserve to consider replacement awning windows as a viable option. There are a litany of features that make awning windows an increasing choice of builders, renovators, homeowners and property managers.

Replacement Awning Windows Design Features

Designed in accordance with the 1950’s architecture vernacular, replacement awning windows are hinged at the top and swing out and up, creating a natural canopy that allows free air circulation, but largely keeps rain from penetrating the window space. Modern awning windows are constructed with double panes, tinted to keep harmful sun’s rays out and sealed to keep energy costs in check; they boast the option of a window grille in place or not, which changes the look from minimalist modern to detailed classical. They enable the user to leave a window fully or party open during rainy weather.

Because replacement awning windows are lean and simple in their design, and can have details added if required, they are a practical choice, and reasonably cost-effective. No longer are the solely evocative of the middle of the last century, but fit into almost any design application thanks to their subtlety; they do not stand out in esthetic terms, but are hugely functional, simple and easily integrated.

Storm-Proof Replacement Awning Windows

Replacement awning widows have been increasingly used on the east coast, Caribbean and southwestern seaboard of the United States because they have an upgrade that makes them virtually storm-proof, a bonus in such hurricane-prone areas. Reinforced frames, impact-resistant glass and a finish that resists salt damage help replacement awning windows be the contractors’ choice in storm-risk locations.

The ideal time to consider replacement awning windows is when a retrofit and/or renovation are being contemplated. Not only will they fit the security, energy-efficiency and budgetary requirement, they can create a new, upgraded esthetic for the building’s design, bringing it to modern, even if the look needs to remain antique.

Custom sizes are readily available, but may take a slightly longer time to manufacture. Still, they are designed and made for any renovation that commands quality, integrity and beauty. Color choices are vast, be they replacement awning windows in wood, aluminum or vinyl, and right down to the hardware, design choices are excellent.

Vinyl Awning Windows

Vinyl is one of the most practical materials that man has created, and its use in retro-looking vinyl awning windows is a smart alternative to some construction materials that don’t last as well or may fade with time. Hinged at the top, awning windows are an attractive, sensible design solution for new construction or renovation. Vinyl awning windows go one step further, with a range of colors and ease of cleaning that homeowners and building managers will appreciate. They’re a sound investment among window choices.

Cantilever Vinyl Awning Windows

Also known as cantilever windows, awning windows swing out at the top and therefore have their operating hardware at the bottom, making it easy to reach; with the new types of latches and cranks, even elderly hands find operation easy. As an added security feature, vinyl awning windows are lockable, by using an interior latch or an actual keyed lock.

Color Choices for Vinyl Awning Windows

The color choice is almost limitless and given that vinyl awning windows can be two different colors, one on the exterior and another on the interior, design options are for the asking. They can be made to match existing color palettes, or used as the base for a brand new range of shades. Even the hardware (largely, the handles) that put the windows into motion can be had in different finished, from a bright yellow brass, to a polished nickel to a dark distressed metal; if you prefer something more dramatic, black or white is available. The window hardware comes in several styles to suit the décor, such as traditional, contemporary or decorative.

Homeowners or building managers will find safety options such as storm-resistant glass and frames to easy-cleaning glass that does not permit water-spotting. This all comes with a reasonable price tag; for example, the price for a 4’ x 4’ vinyl awning window is roughly $400.

Tinted glass helps block the damage that the sun can cause, and keeps energy bills in check, so that vinyl awning windows pay for themselves in fairly short order. The fine-grain interior screens keep even the smallest insects at bay and barely block the view. Vinyl awning windows may hearken back to the 1950s in their design nuance, but they are among the most technologically advanced, practical windows that dress modern and renovated buildings today.

Aluminum Awning Windows

Aluminum awning windows are becoming more favored for their classic features that made them functional and practical during their last major phase of popularity in the 1950s. The new versions are technologically and environmentally advanced, and the aluminum awning windows serve many design and construction purposes, not the least of which involves keeping them in the design focus of their previous era.

Features of Aluminum Awning Windows

Today’s aluminum awning windows have features that were only dreamed about in the 1950s. For starters, aluminum is not what it used to be. It doesn’t salt-stain or pit like it once did, and with the use of advanced coatings, it comes in a palette of colors far beyond the standard grey/silver that aluminum used to offer as its limited choice. It is light weight, and yet remains strong, and with the new coatings, its even more durable.

Aluminum awning windows came in a range of colors that are suitable for new construction and a unique color palette, or that suit a retrofit in keeping with the 1950s era, or a futuristic image. Manufacturers are even able to color the exterior of the window’s casing in a different color to the interior, so it matches any design application.

Aluminum Awning Windows Sizes

Lockable, secure, flexible and practical, aluminum awning windows come in standard and custom sizes, offer a range of style and colors in their decorative operating hardware, and come with interior screens designed to be nearly invisible and to keep the tiniest of insects out. They are virtually maintenance free, provide excellent ventilation and wind control, and are ideal for spots where windows are hard to reach and operate (because the controls are at the bottom, not the top or sides). For example, they are ideal over a kitchen sink where the control is within hand reach of the operator, even if he or she must lean over a counter top or sink.

Specially treated glass that makes rainwater bead up and wipe clean with ease helps aluminum awning windows stay clear and clean, and a pleasure to look through to a beautiful view.