CLEM LABINE’S PERIOD HOMES JULY 2007|87

BBUUYYIINNGG GGUUIIDDEE FFEEAATTUURREE WOOD WINDOWS

Windows Your Way

While the experts do not see eye to eye onthe level of quality of available windows,they do agree that some manufacturers

offer respectable stock and stock-manufactured win-dows. It’s a matter of finding the right combination offirst-rate mechanicals and pleasing aesthetics.

Stock versus CustomOwner and principal of Berwyn, PA-based PeterZimmerman Architects, Peter H. Zimmerman, AIA,NCARB, uses both custom and stock-manufacturedwood windows. For a quarter of his projects, whichrange from new designs to restorations and additions,Zimmerman specifies stock-manufactured windows.He uses windows from high-end manufacturersapproximately 20 percent of the time, while customwindows from local mill shops make up about 40 per-cent of his wood-window selection.

The choice between stock-manufactured and cus-tom wood windows, Zimmerman says, “really boilsdown to a balance between, on the one hand, ease,convenience, cost and energy efficiency and, on theother, purity of aesthetics and authenticity. It differsfrom client to client and for every project and situa-tion, but we’ve been using custom more and moreoften, because, while we’d like to marry all of theseelements, we’re interested in more historicallyauthentic windows than stock-manufactured offers.”

Partners Anne Fairfax and Richard Sammons ofFairfax & Sammons Architects in New York City useonly custom windows in their firm’s projects for thatvery reason. “Historical accuracy is not often the topconcern of window manufacturers these days,” saysSammons. “Unfortunately, production now dictatesaesthetics, so we specify only custom windows for ourclients’ homes.”

Fairfax and Sammons feel that the benefit of stockor stock-manufactured windows is limited to theircost savings. But that is not a reason to use them,warns Fairfax. “Stock is less expensive, but we’relooking for a higher-end product,” she says. “Plus, itmay only be a cost savings upfront, because stock win-dows won’t last nearly as long as well-designed cus-tom windows and the price may even out.”

For architects working at larger scales and morerestrictive budgets, stock or stock-manufactured woodwindows are the best option. City, town and neighbor-hood designer Urban Design Associates (UDA) ofPittsburgh, PA, uses only stock-manufactured windows.“We specify stock-manufactured windows,” says DonKaliszewski, principal at UDA, “because we’re oftendesigning for production builders or on mid-market

homes where budgets are constrained. Also, it’s easierfor builders to order stock when you need windows foran entire neighborhood.”

RecommendationsZimmerman reminds the architectural trade thatthere are different levels of stock-manufactured win-dows, from the highest end – which, for him, includesdistributors and suppliers such as Tischler Und Sohn

of Stamford, CT; Zeluck, Inc., of Brooklyn, NY; andLittle Harbor Window Co. of Berwick, ME – to thehigh end, which includes Loewen of Steinbach, MB,Canada; Marvin Windows & Doors of Warroad, MN;Pella Corporation of Pella, IA; and Kolbe & KolbeMillwork Co. of Wausau,WI.

Kaliszewski recommends stock-manufactured win-dows from Kolbe & Kolbe, Marvin, Pella and Medford,WI-based Weather Shield Mfg. Co. Sammons ac-knowledges thatWeather Shield might be a good stock-manufactured choice.“Some companies,Weather Shieldincluded, are trying to re-engage architectural concernsand merge functionality with aesthetics,” he says.

For their own house in New York City, Fairfax andSammons used single-pane, true-divided-lite 1950s-style windows from Brosco of Andover, MA.“Although we don’t use stock windows on our clients’homes – because we feel restricted by the limitedselections – for our own house we were very pleasedwith Brosco windows,” says Sammons.

“For one of the most expensive components of ahouse – whether we’re talking about stock or custom –windows from Brosco are very reasonably priced,”says Fairfax.

Zimmerman finds that the price of custom win-dows falls somewhere in between that of the stock-manufactured and stock windows. “Custom windowsfrom local mill shops are more expensive than thestock products,” he says, “but less expensive than man-ufacturers like Tischler and Zeluck.”

For all of the companies, there is a hierarchy ofproducts. “Some of the companies’ collections or linesare better than others,” says Zimmerman. “Of thestock-manufactured lines, we use Pella’s ArchitectSeries or Marvin’s Ultimate. Both lines have a widerselection in the ability to do customization in lite con-figurations and the size and proportions of the mul-lions are good.” The Architect Series from Pella is alsoa favorite of Kaliszewski; it offers a selection of tradi-tional grille patterns, other design options and “thewindows are well constructed,” he says. Sammonsrecently advised Weather Shield on its Collectionsline, which is developed for distinctive architecturalstyles instead of a “one-product-meets-all-needs” win-dow. It also has a line specifically for restoration proj-ects with historically accurate 1¾-in.-thick sash,51/8-in. jambs and other selections.

OptionsThere are many options available when choosing win-dows. “Even when you choose a stock-manufacturedwindow,” says Sammons, “you get to pick the size andshape and some other details.” Both Kaliszewski andZimmerman have found the shapes and sizes that theyneed among stock-manufactured options. “They areadequate for about 25 percent of my firm’s projects,”says Zimmerman. “One can usually get the desirableframe, jamb and mullion depths and dimensions.Thereare also many shapes available.” Kaliszewski says thatthe variety of sizes offered has improved over the lastten years or so.

Zeluck, for example, offers a wide variety of sizesand shapes from rectangular to circular to eyebrow.Pella offers numerous standard sizes and, for an addi-tional fee, custom sizes as well.Weather Shield’s oper-able windows come in standard sizes but the size of itsfixed windows is limited by the allowable dimensionsof glass, which is about 50 sq.ft.

In terms of materials, all three architects prefermahogany over other wood species, and there areplenty of companies that offer this tropical hardwood.“We use painted mahogany windows,” says Fairfax,“also known as 100-year windows, because mahoganyis a rot-resistant, high-grade species.”

Mahogany is available from Pella and Kolbe &Kolbe, which also offer pine, alder, Douglas fir andother species; Marvin, though it specializes in pon-derosa pine; and Weather Shield, which countsmahogany among its eight different wood species.

Custom wood windows can be manufactured in unlimited styles, shapes and species, but when it comes to stock and stock-manufacturedwindows, what are the constraints? Four prominent architects offer their views. By Hadiya Strasberg

Above: Stock-manufactured mahogany window units fromMarvin Windows & Doors were integrated into this house,designed by Peter Zimmerman Architects, in Paoli, PA.Photo: courtesy of Peter Zimmerman Architects

Right: This custom painted Spanish cedar casement win-dow was designed by Peter Zimmerman Architects andmilled by Ralston Shop, Inc., of Avondale, PA. Cedar waschosen because it is rot resistant, straight-grained andeasier to mill. Photo: courtesy of Peter Zimmerman Architects

For their house, a former stables/sculpture studio in NewYork City’s Greenwich Village, Anne Fairfax and RichardSammons specified single-pane, true-divided-lite windowsfrom Brosco. Photo: Matthew Hranek

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88|MAY 2007 CLEM LABINE’S PERIOD HOMES

Left: Urban DesignAssociates designedthis house, which iscurrently under con-struction in Virginia.It is outfitted withaluminum-clad woodwindows from Kolbe& Kolbe Millwork Co.Photo: courtesy of UrbanDesign Associates

Below: Pella’sArchitect Series case-ments and custompatio doors add anelegant touch to thiscovered patio. Grilleswith Integral LightTechnology are permanently bondedto the interior andexterior surfaces ofinsulating glass foradded dimension.Photo: courtesy of Pella®

Corporation

This casement window from Weather Shield has a simulated-divided-lite grille and featureswhite-finished hardware. Photo: courtesy of Weather Shield® Mfg. Inc.

Many hardwoods and exotic species are availablefrom Zeluck, which specializes in solid Hondurasmahogany. Douglas fir is Loewen’s specialty.

Glazing is yet another selection to be made andmost companies offer a variety of options. Fairfaxuses restoration glass that is either light or heavy,which refers to the level of waviness. “Wavy glass is abeautiful product,” she says, “because it gives yourwindow and your house life. It casts varied shadowson both the interior and exterior of the house, whichadds a lot of interest.” Other glass options includelow-E, laminated, insulated, tinted, energy-efficientglass and even glass that blocks UV rays.

Fairfax and Sammons recommend single- versusdouble-glazed windows, because the former will out-last the latter. “Standard windows are double glazed,”says Sammons, “because companies recently becameinterested in energy conservation.This is a noble aim,but these windows have a poor life expectancy. Forsuperior performance, a single-glazed window withan energy panel that fits into the sash is the optimalchoice.” Fairfax adds that this combination offers “noopportunity for air infiltration. And they are also aes-thetically more pleasing.” Marvin is one manufacturerthat offers this arrangement.

As for finishes, a number are usually available,though a few companies don’t pre-finish the interior.Primed interior versions and high-performance paint-ed exteriors are another option.Though Zimmermandoes not use them in his projects, he finds thecladding and finishes of stock windows more durablethan those of custom windows, which are painted onsite, but Sammons says that if the painters do a goodjob there shouldn’t be any issue.

Brosco is one company that does not supply paintedwood windows, so Fairfax warns that its products mayrequire more upkeep over the years. “But that’s not a

bad thing,” says Sammons. “Anything that is consideredno-maintenance means that it cannot be maintained.”

When it comes to the details, all three architectsprefer wood jambs, which all of the aforementionedcompanies provide. “A lot of the real stock compa-nies, though, use vinyl or neoprene liners that areexposed on the exterior,” says Kaliszewski, “so youneed to be careful. Kolbe & Kolbe is one companythat has a nice detail that hides the jamb liner.”

With each stock or stock-manufactured windowcomes a range of hardwareand hardware finish options.“The hardware selection isan individual preference,”says Zimmerman. “I per-sonally like to use un-lac-quered brass or bronzehardware, which takes ona weathered patina, butfew companies offer these.”But there is a wide array ofhardware options, includingstainless-steel hardware fromTischler and European-style

Zeluck crafted both the large and small painted mahogany windows installed on thisstone house. All of the windows have authentic-divided lites. Photo: courtesy of Zeluck, Inc.

solid-brass hardware from Zeluck. Pella provides win-dow hardware from Rocky Mountain Hardware, ahighly regarded company, says Zimmerman. Rustic-looking hardware from Stone River Bronze, anotherreputable hardware company, is available from Marvinand Weather Shield.

The mechanics of a wood window, such as the lock-ing mechanisms and spring-loaded balances or weightsand chains, are one way to ascertain a window’s per-formance abilities, so the architects are naturally con-cerned about the quality of these details. “Weights andchains perform better than pressure balances,” saysFairfax, “which aren’t 100-year products. But pressurebalances seem to be the standard.”

“Chains and other assembly pieces can’t be easilyor inexpensively changed, so many companies sellspring-loaded balances, because most people wantthe low-maintenance choice,” says Zimmerman.“Custom may be a better option if one is looking forweight-and-chain mechanisms.”

ImprovementsKaliszewski says that the variety of muntin profiles isone aspect of the stock and stock-manufactured win-dow market that has gotten better over the years.“Muntin profiles have improved,” says Kaliszewski,“especially for simulated-divided lites, which UDAoften uses.” Some manufacturers, like Tischler andZeluck, now offer two to three profiles of both thinand thick muntins, which are specified according tothe style of the house.

Zimmerman also sees steady improvement in thismarket. “Many manufacturers are asking for architects’input and have actually taken their comments and crit-icism into account in their new designs,” he says. “Ithink the stock-manufactured wood windows are moreaesthetically pleasing than they were a decade or moreago.” But Sammons is less optimistic.“The mass-producedhistorically styled window market is still limited,” hesays. “It’s the non-architectural-grade wood windowsthat are continuously produced.”

Though there is little consensus about finishes,hardware options and other details, it is agreed thatstock-manufactured wood windows can still be ofrespectable quality. Kaliszewski, Zimmerman, Fairfaxand Sammons advise fellow architects that it is impor-tant to research the products in detail, down to visit-ing a number of distributors and handling the productoptions; to continually evaluate new products on themarket; to visit local dealers; to try to be green; andto hold the client’s hand through what can be anextremely confusing process. ■

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