European windows and doors, for US projects
Specify them like you have done it before.
Tilt-and-turn windows, lift-and-slide doors, thermal-break aluminum and clad wood: what they are, how they are rated in US terms, and what to put on a specification.
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Essential reading
- Tilt and Turn Windows: How They Work, Where They Fit, What to Specify
A tilt and turn window is an inward-opening window with one handle and two modes: tilt for ventilation, turn for a full swing. Hardware, limits and US fit.
- Lift and Slide Doors: How the Mechanism Works, Sizes and Limits
A lift and slide door raises a heavy sash off its seals, rolls it on carriages and lowers it back. How it works, weight and size limits, thresholds.
- U-Factor for Windows: What Is Good and How Europeans Report Uw
U-factor is whole-window heat flow in Btu/h-ft2-F, lower is better. 1 Btu/h-ft2-F equals 5.678 W/m2K. See ENERGY STAR and IECC limits by zone.
- Do European Windows Meet US Building Code?
A window meets US code through documents, not origin: NFRC energy rating, tested design pressure, egress size, safety glazing. CE marking is not US approval.
- Window Frame Materials Compared: Aluminum, Wood, Clad, uPVC, Steel
Aluminum, wood, aluminum-clad wood, uPVC and vinyl, fiberglass and real steel frames compared on insulation, maintenance, sightlines, spans and finish.
- How to Specify Windows for a Custom Home: A Drawing-to-Order Checklist
A drawing-to-order checklist for specifying custom-home windows and doors: operation, material, glass, climate-zone targets, hardware and code items.
Who writes this
Kai Adamek writes SeeWindow. He has spent years in the construction industry and specializes in windows and doors. A frequent traveler, he has visited the United States many times and writes about how European products are specified, rated and ordered for American homes. Every number, code section and rating on this site links to the source it came from. See the editorial policy.