Last week Michelle inspired us with 11 Facades with Factory Windows. The aesthetic harkens back to the greenhouses, factories, and warehouses of the 19th century. And their elegant, narrow sight lines offer unobstructed views, blurring the lines between indoors and out. What’s not to like? They’re expensive, for starters. Read on for everything you need to know about steel factory windows: Above: Photograph by Hufton & Crow courtesy of Gundry & Ducker. For more of this project, see Steal This Look: A House with Slate Shingle Siding. Above: The framing around industrial style steel doors can be pencil thin (unlike wood, which requires a large beam to support a door). London portrait photographer Abi Campbell’s kitchen renovation included new steel frame doors and windows with large openings to bring in as much light as possible to the north-facing room. Photograph by Matt Clayton. To learn more about the project, see Reader Rehab: A Photographer’s Kitchen in London.
Above: Requiring minimal framework, steel windows are a great solution for open corner windows, such as this steel entry door and surround. Photograph via Portella Iron Doors. Above: In a Brooklyn renovation, Elizabeth Roberts Design/Ensemble Architecture opened up the back of the house with a double-height wall of windows that includes an indoor/outdoor dining room with the open feel of a greenhouse. The entire window slides open to create a double-wide opening to the garden. The windows are custom powder-coated steel from Optimum Window in Ellenville, NY. Photograph by Dustin Aksland. For a full tour, see Indoor/Outdoor Living, Brooklyn Style. Bottom line is that metal is a poor insulator, and the thin steel and single sheet steel factory windows of the past did little to keep out the cold. The good news is that 21st century technology has caught up, and you can get the same historic looks with better materials and thermal efficiency. Steel windows are available with insulated glazing panels;
two or more pieces of glass are spaced apart and sealed, leaving an insulating air space. Another new technology called thermal breaks (whereby a material is placed between the inside and outside window frames to prevent thermal energy loss), common in aluminum windows, is available in steel windows. Steel fabricators will point out that steel itself has good insulating properties as compared to aluminum and thermal breaks may not be necessary. In fact, there are steel frame windows that meet LEED standards. Refer to fabricators’ websites for details. Another consideration is that many fabricators roll their steel windows from 100 percent recycled steel. And, the new product can also be recycled at the end of its long life. Above: Like any window, the glass in steel framed windows can be UV-coated to protect indoor furnishings and art from sun exposure. Steel framed windows and doors lead to an outdoor dining pavilion in a Shelter Island project by Remodelista Architect and Designer Directory member Schappacher White.
Steel windows are available in a range of looks from factory-style with a floor to ceiling collection of panes, to Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired style (his Falling Water House famously used steel windows), to a modern minimalist look with large panes of glass supported by pencil-thin sleek steel frames. Steel windows are available in a multitude of operable variations including: casement, in-swing, out-swing, awning, horizontal pivoting, vertical pivoting, folding, and hopper. Above: Photograph courtesy of Design Hotels. Steel-frame French doors connect a terrace to a hotel dining room at La Granja Ibiza. For more of this project, see Hotel with a History: A Landscape of Sun and Stone at La Granja Ibiza. Steel frame windows are expensive. Like many aspects of a home remodeling, steel window pricing is very site specific. Is it a single window replacement? Custom or standard sizing? The best way to estimate cost is to get a quote from your contractor or window supplier.
In general, expect prices to be at least double that of wood, more than aluminum, but less than bronze. Remember to balance the cost with the longevity (we just had to replace a full wall of 15-year-old weather-worn wood windows) and other attributes. Beware of cheap imitators. Suppliers of fabricated windows and doors that come highly recommended by several architects and builders include: Above: Shown here are custom steel frame doors from the Atelier Domingue Architectural Metalcrafts line.Reclaimed steel factory windows can be found at architectural and design salvage yards. Keep in mind that the price of fabulous vintage looks may include needed repairs and re-coating. Reclaimed steel factory windows found architectural supply yards, such as Recycling the Past, cannot, obviously, be customized to your setting; rather, your setting may need to be customized to fit them. Above: Photograph courtesy of Scott Lewis Landscape Architecture. A renovated San Francisco garden by Scott Lewis Landscape Architecture viewed through ceiling-height steel sash windows.
“We wanted a garden form that would be harmonious with the contemporary style of the windows,” says Lewis. For a better look at the garden, see Scott Lewis Turns a Small SF Backyard into an Urban Oasis. For more window and door inspiration, see The Ins and Outs of French Doors. , , , , These new doors let you enter the outdoors without leaving your living room.Installing folding patio doors is a modern way to save space and enhance views from your house while being energy efficient. But like all things, there are benefits and drawbacks of installing folding patio doors.First, folding doors, or bi-fold doors, often line entire walls not only providing unobstructed views of the outdoors, they open completely, eliminating the barrier between indoor space and the refreshing outdoors. They allow for combinations of access, from daily activity through one door, to full party mode with an entire wall open.Bi-fold doors also come in a variety of styles from plain to French Door styles, using materials like vinyl, wood, aluminum or fiberglass.
Most also are built to code to withstand hurricane conditions and incorporate the most modern security measures.However, these modern doors are somewhat cost-prohibitive as a general improvement project, as they cost about twice the amount of other exterior patio door systems.They are also difficult to retrofit certain styles of homes without considerable reconstruction, require custom sizing and ordering, while instillation requires the expertise of door and window professionals.The casters and tracks also get some unusual stresses from the opening and closing processes of the door. When people pull the knobs of a door outward, this brings upon stress to the cracks. Also, a lot of pushing or pulling can force the tracks to bend or the casters to fall out.Folding patio doors break the barrier between indoors and outside and come in a variety of sizes, styles and construction materials. For the highest quality products, consult companies like Lanai Doors, Nana Wall, Grand Opening Doors and Jeld Wen.