Clawson Windows | Glossary | Montana Made Wood, Clad, Vinyl Windows and Doors

AIRSPACE

The space in the cavity between two panes of glass in an insulating glass unit.

ARCH TOP

A window that incorporates curves, usually half or quarter circle.

ARGON GAS

An inert, nontoxic gas used to fill the airspace between insulating panes of glass to improve energy efficiency.

ASTRAGAL

The center member of a double door which is attached to the fixed or inactive door panel.

AWNING WINDOW

A window unit, similar to a casement, where the bottom of the sash swings outward.

BALANCE

A mechanical device used in single and double hung windows to offset the weight of the sash during opening and closing.

BAY WINDOW

An arrangement of three windows, usually made up of a large center unit and two flanking units at 30 or 45 degree angles to the wall.

BOW WINDOW

A combination of four or more window units in a radial or bow formation.

BLIND STOP

The frame member on a double hung located between the jamb and the brickmold.

BOTTOM RAIL

The bottom horizontal member of a window sash.

BRICKMOLD

An external trim piece that frames windows and doors.

CASEMENT

A window with a side hinged sash that opens outward, to the left or right.

CASING

Molding or framing applied to the framework of doors and windows.

CHECK RAIL

The bottom rail of of the top sash and top rail of the bottom sash on a double hung. Also referred to as a meeting rail.

CLADDING

A material, such as aluminum or vinyl, covering the exterior of a door or window, increasing durability with less maintenance.

COLONIAL GRILLE

A Clawson grille pattern of rectangular intersection in even spacing applied to a window. Photo

CONDENSATION

The deposit of water droplets on the inside surface of the window caused by a cold surface temperature and high indoor humidity.

CONDUCTION

Heat transfer through a solid material, such as glass, through direct contact. Heat flows from the area of higher temperature to one of lower temperature.

CONVECTION

The flow of heat that occurs in a fluid such as air as warm air rises and cool air sinks.

DIRECT SET

A stationary window with no sash, where the glass is set directly into the frame.

DIVIDED LITE

A window with a number of small glass panes held in place by muntins.

DOUBLE HUNG

A window with two operable sashes which move vertically in the frame.

DRIP CAP

A molding place on the top of the head brickmold or casing of a window frame to assist with water drainage.

EGRESS WINDOW

A window large enough to allow for an emergency exit. Most building codes require a minimum opening of 5.7 square feet when the sash is open, but egress requirements are mandated by local building codes.

EXTENSION JAMB

Wood pieces attached and extending from a window or door frame to accommodate different wall thickness.

EXTRUSION

A form produced by forcing heated material through a die. Clawson offers windows with an extruded aluminum frame cladding.

FENESTRATION

A window and its associated interior or exterior elements.

FLANKER

A window joined to the side of another window or door.

FRAME

The area in which the window sash or door panels are mounted. Frame components include the head jamb, sill, side jambs and blind stop.

FRENCH DOOR

A frame with two operating door panels hinged on the side and swinging open from the center of the unit. An astragal holds one door panel stationary while the other panel operates.

GAS FILLING

An insulating gas, usually argon, placed between window panes to reduce the U-factor by suppressing conduction and convection.

GLAZING

Glass in a window or door, or the process of its installation.

GLAZING STOP

The part of the sash holding the glass in place.

GRILLE

A grid installed on or between the glass lites that visually divides a window into panes.

HEAD BOARD

A board applied to the top of a bay or bow window.

HEAD JAMB

The horizontal top portion of the main frame.

INSULATED GLASS UNIT (IG)

Two pieces of glass separated by a spacer and hermetically sealed to form a single glazed unit.

LITE

A pane of glass within a window or, in some cases, an entire glass unit.

LOW E GLASS

A special glass type with a microscopically thin, metallic silver oxide bonded to one side of the glass that reduces heat transference, lowering home heating and cooling costs.

MASONRY OPENING

The space left open in a masonry wall for a window or door.

MORTISE-AND-TENON

A wood joint made by the fitting of two boards together, one with a rectangular cavity (mortise) and the other with a matching projection (tenon).

MULL CASING

A casing covering the joint between two windows mulled together.

MULLED

Joining two windows or doors together, side by side.

MULLION

A wood or metal piece used to structurally join together two or more windows.

MUNTIN

The bar, vertical or horizontal, used to create the grille patterns in or on the glass. Also referred to as grids or grilles.

NAILING FIN

A strip of material used to attach windows to a house.

NFRC

National Fenestration Rating Council

OBSCURE GLASS

A translucent but not transparent glass also known as frosted or privacy glass.

PANE

See LITE

PANEL

A component of a sliding glass door, consisting of glass in a frame installed within the outer frame of the door.

PERIMETER GRILLE

See Queen Anne Style Grille

PICTURE WINDOW

A window with no operating hardware.

POWDER COATING

A special method of applying a color finish to the cladding used in a window frame.

QUEEN ANNE STYLE GRILLE

A Clawson grille pattern of rectangular perimeter intersection aligned 4 inches from the edge of the glass. Photo

R-VALUE

A measure of the resistance to heat flow. A high R-value indicates a window has a greater resistance to heat flow and a higher insulating value. The reciprocal of U-VALUE.

RAIL

The top and bottom horizontal pieces of a window sash.

ROUGH OPENING (RO)

The framed opening in a wall that will house the windows. Usually a half inch in both directions, or 1/4" all the way around, is allowed for insulating and squaring the unit.

SASH

The frame composed of stiles and rails that surrounds and holds the glass.

SEAT BOARD

A board attached to the bottom of a bay or bow window, providing support and a flat surface.

SEGMENTED

A series of straight pieces joined together to create the appearance of a radius.

SIDE JAMB

The vertical pieces of a window or door frame.

SIDELITE

A fixed unit installed on one or both sides of a doorframe, for decoration and light.

SILL

The bottom, horizontal section of the window frame.

SIMULATED DIVIDED LITE (SDL)

A method of attaching muntin between or on the glass surface to simulate smaller individual glass panes.

SINGLE HUNG

Similar to a double hung, except that the top sash is fixed and inoperable.

SLIDER

A window where the sashes move horizontally in grooves created by frame members.

SPACER

Material placed between the two pieces of glass in an IG. Clawson uses Swiggle Seal, a warm edge spacer that increases efficiency and reduces condensation.

STATIONARY

A door or window panel that does not open or move.

STILE

The vertical side pieces of a sash.

STOP

The molding applied to the window frame that holds, positions, or separates window parts.

SURROUND

A frame of wood enclosing the perimeter of a removable grille.

SWIGGLE SEAL

Warm edge technology spacer used by Clawson in its windows to increase efficiency and reduce condensation.

TEMPERED GLASS

Glass that has been through a special heat-treated tempering process that increases its strength. When shattered, the glass breaks into small pieces to reduce injury.

THERMAL PERFORMANCE

The ability of a window to act as a barrier to the transfer of heat.

TRANSOM

A small window above a door or another window.

TRUE DIVIDED LITE (TDL)

A window in which individual panes of glass are placed into a sash, each pane separated using muntins.

U-VALUE

A measure of heat transmission through a window. A lower value indicates less heat transference and better energy efficiency. The reciprocal of R-VALUE.

ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT

Invisible rays produced by the sun that can cause fading of furniture fabrics, carpets and paint finishes.

UNIT DIMENSION

A dimension that is equal to the frame size. The unit dimension is measured from the outermost edges of the window's main frame.

VINYL

Polyvinyl chloride material, either rigid or flexible, used for window frames. Clawson vinyl windows are produced from pure, recyclable, lead-free high quality vinyl extrusions.

WARM EDGE TECHNOLOGY

Low conductance spacers that reduce heat transfer near the edge of insulated glass units.

WEATHERSTRIPPING

A material that creates a tight seal between a sash and frame to prevent water and air infiltration.