Window Terms

A colourless, odourless gas used to fill the airspace between insulating glass. The addition of Argon greatly increases the insulating performance of the LoE.

A moulding attached to the non-primary side of double doors. Locks into place at the top and bottom using flush bolt locks to prevent the door from opening when you open the primary door.

In reference to our 2600 series window, the exterior of the windows all look the same (balanced) regardless of their operation. The 2900 series is an example of an unbalanced look. You can see the difference of the window operation, by the exterior look.

A window built to project outward from an outside wall, formed by 3 windows either separate or coupled together.

Bow windows are window combinations that curve gradually and gracefully outside a home, usually 5 or more windows which form a bowed look.

A composite exterior trim surrounding your windows and doors which adds a final design element. Centra can also offer an attached vinyl brickmould to any style of window or vinyl door which is integrated into the frame.

A casement window is a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges. Casement windows are hinged at the side, and are opened with a crank or cam handle.

L shaped handle used on windows that push out.

A covering or coating on a structure of material

The amount of visible glass (no obstructions) on a window

Glass which is directly put into the frame of a door. Typically used for a door sidelite, which will provide a wider viewing area.

A window that’s inserted into an exterior door

The building envelope is all of the elements of the outer shell that maintain a dry, heated or cooled indoor environment and facilitate its climate control. Building envelope design is a specialized area of architectural and engineering practice that draws from all areas of building science and indoor climate control.

A window that is large enough for someone to exit out of in the case of an emergency. These are required in all bedrooms.

Found on the astragal of a door. These are what lock the non primary door in place, or will unlock the door so that it can be opened

A window that projects slightly from the wall to allow for more sunlight—similar to a greenhouse glass design

Panes or sheets of glass set or made to be set in frames, as in windows, doors, or mirrors.

A vinyl strip that hold the glass in place.

The actual size of the window

The most popular brand of siding; Providing strength, beauty and durability. HardiPlank enhances and protects homes in all sorts of climates. Perfect for all weather conditions!

Is a type of safety glass that holds together when shattered. In the event of breaking, it is held in place by an interlayer of plastic between its two or more layers of glass.

LoE stands for low emissivity. LoE glass is coated with a thin microscopic, invisible, metal or metallic oxide layer. The primary function is to reduce the U-value by suppressing radiative heat flow. Secondary feature is to block radiation to impede heat gain. There are two types of loE; a hard coat and a soft coat.

A vertical or horizontal piece of vinyl that separates two pieces of glass in a framed window.

Locks in multiple spots to enhance security and durability

The part of a window that gets nailed to the studs of a home

A window with uneven sides

Also known as a “retro-fit”. Is a 2” flange that is attached to the frame of a window, which usually is installed to lay on top of your existing siding.

The framed opening without any casing or finishing. Where the window or door is to be installed. Openings are larger than the size of the unit to allow shimming and insulating.

A gear driven device.

The portion of the window that slides

A window that’s beside an exterior door and is built in the same frame

A Mixture of internal and external grids to give the look of separate pieces of glass in a window.

Refers to the material forming a ceiling from the top of an exterior house wall to the outer edge of the roof, i.e., bridging the gap between a home's siding and the roofline, otherwise known as the eaves. When so constructed, the soffit material is typically screwed or nailed to rafters known as lookout rafters or lookouts for short.

The spacer bar is bonded to the glass panes via a primary and secondary seal, creating an airtight cavity which is filled with air or gas.

A window that is mounted outside or inside of the main glass windows of a house.

One of the locking mechanisms on our casement windows

Float glass heated and cooled rapidly in a controlled environment. This makes the glass several times stronger. When it is broken it yields small pebble-like fragments.

Used to separate doors and sidelights.

One of the locking mechanisms on our casement windows