Reference

Glossary.

Definitions for the fenestration, certification, and building vocabulary used across the Crateworks catalogue.

Window types

Casement window
A side-hinged window whose sash cranks outward from the frame. Opens fully for top-to-bottom ventilation and sits flush when closed. Thermally-broken aluminum casements carry slim sightlines and large panes.
Tilt-and-turn window
A European-style window with one handle that does two things: tilt the top inward for trickle ventilation, or swing the whole sash inward like a door for full opening and easy cleaning of the outside glass from indoors.
Fixed window (picture window)
A non-opening window built around a single large glass pane. Carries the largest glass area and narrowest sightline of the range because no opening hardware is required.
Awning window
A top-hinged window whose sash cranks outward from the bottom, opening like an awning over the sill. The geometry sheds rain off the glass so the window can stay open during weather. Common high on a wall or above a fixed picture window.
Arc-top window
A window whose top course curves into a radius instead of meeting in a square corner. Variants include half-round, segmental arch, eyebrow, and full-arch.
Double-hung window
A window with two sashes that slide vertically so either top, bottom, or both can be opened. The classic replacement profile in US construction.
Single-hung window
A double-hung variant where only the bottom sash slides. Used widely in US single-family construction; cheaper than double-hung at similar performance.
Bay window
An assembly of three or more windows joined at angles, projecting out from the wall to gather light from multiple directions.
Transom window
A window set above a door or another window to add height and daylight.
Pass-through window
A folding window over a counter that opens a serving hatch between an indoor kitchen and an outdoor bar or patio.

Door types

Sliding glass door
Door panels that slide along a track to open a wall to the outside. Narrow sightlines and low threshold are the spec drivers.
Bifold door
Door panels that fold back on themselves to clear an entire opening. Turns a wall of glass into a clear span to a deck or garden.
Lift-slide door
A heavy sliding door system where the panel lifts a few millimeters off the track to slide effortlessly across very wide openings, then drops to seal weather-tight. Used on multi-meter panoramic openings.
Pivot door
An oversized door that turns on a floor pivot rather than side hinges. Used as an entry statement; can carry larger panel widths than a conventional swing door.
French door
A hinged pair that opens from the center, framing a wide symmetrical opening. The classic divided-light French configuration carries muntins across the glass.

Certifications + standards

NFRC
National Fenestration Rating Council. Operates the only US energy-performance rating program for windows, doors, and skylights. NFRC ratings cover U-factor, solar heat gain, visible transmittance, air leakage, and condensation resistance.
NAFS CW-PG50
North American Fenestration Standard, Class CW (Commercial Window), Performance Grade 50. A NAFS rating expresses a window or door's air-water-structural performance grade. PG50 is a commercial-grade performance level.
AAMA 2605
American Architectural Manufacturers Association voluntary specification for high-performance organic coatings on architectural aluminum extrusions. The two-stage PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) finish on AAMA 2605 carries a 20-year coating warranty.
CSA A440-22
The Canadian Standards Association harmonized standard for windows and doors. Covers U-factor, air-water-structural performance, and cold-climate suitability.
Miami-Dade NOA
Notice of Acceptance issued by the Miami-Dade County Building Code Compliance Office. Required for products installed in Florida High Velocity Hurricane Zones (HVHZ). Tests for Large Missile and Small Missile impact.
HVHZ
High Velocity Hurricane Zone. Designated Florida coastal counties (notably Miami-Dade and Broward) where fenestration must carry impact-rated certification and pass tests for missile impact and cyclic pressure.
Energy Star (fenestration)
US Environmental Protection Agency program for energy-efficient products. The fenestration arm requires NFRC certification at climate-zone-specific U-factor and SHGC thresholds.
STC (Sound Transmission Class)
Single-number rating for a partition's airborne sound attenuation. STC 56 is a high-performance acoustic glazing build for fenestration; measured per ASTM E90.

Materials + build

Thermal break
An insulating barrier set inside an aluminum frame that separates the outside metal from the inside metal. Slows heat transfer through the frame; required to make aluminum a viable thermal performer.
PA66 polyamide
The most common thermal-break material in modern aluminum fenestration. A polyamide strip mechanically rolled into the extrusion at the factory.
6063-T5 aluminum
The standard aluminum alloy for architectural extrusions. T5 is the heat-treatment temper; combines strength, corrosion resistance, and excellent surface finish.
LowE glazing
Low-emissivity glass coating that reflects long-wave infrared back into the building (in winter) or out of the building (in summer). Cuts heat transfer through the pane without darkening the glass.
Argon-filled IGU
An insulated glazing unit filled with argon gas between the panes instead of air. Argon's lower thermal conductivity reduces U-factor.
Triple-pane glazing
An IGU with three panes of glass instead of two, separated by warm-edge spacers. Adds insulation and acoustic attenuation; increases sightline by roughly 18mm versus double-pane.
RAL color
European color matching standard. RAL numbers specify exact frame finish colors; architects spec frame color by RAL number on drawings.
Muntin (grille)
A bar that divides a window pane into smaller lights. True-divided-light muntins separate individual panes of glass; simulated-divided-light muntins are applied to the glass surface.
Mullion
A vertical structural member that divides a window or door into separate units. Mullions carry structural loads between panels.
U-factor
The rate of heat transfer through a window or door assembly. Lower U-factor = better insulation. Whole-unit U-factor is reported by NFRC.
SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient)
The fraction of solar radiation admitted through a window. Lower SHGC = less heat gain. Reported by NFRC alongside U-factor.

Glass + glazing

IGU (Insulated Glass Unit)
A sealed assembly of two or more glass panes separated by a spacer with gas or air between them. The unit is what a window holds; the frame holds the IGU.
Double-pane (DGU)
An IGU with two panes of glass and one cavity between them. Standard residential glazing in temperate climates.
Laminated glass
Two panes of glass bonded with a polymer interlayer (typically PVB) that holds the glass together if broken. Required for safety glazing in many code applications and for impact-rated assemblies.
Tempered glass
Glass heat-treated to four times the strength of standard glass; breaks into small granular pieces instead of sharp shards. Required by code in doors, sidelights, and large low-set glazing.
Warm-edge spacer
A non-metallic or low-conductivity spacer between IGU panes that reduces heat loss at the glass edge. Modern replacement for aluminum spacers in high-performance IGUs.
Visible Light Transmission (VT)
The fraction of visible light that passes through the glazing. Reported by NFRC alongside U-factor and SHGC. Higher VT = brighter room.
Obscure / frosted glass
Glass with a surface treatment that diffuses light and blocks vision. Used in bathrooms, entry sidelights, and any opening where privacy matters more than view.
Reflective coating
A metallic coating on the outer surface of an IGU that reflects solar heat. Used in commercial curtain wall and hot-climate residential to reduce cooling load.

Hardware + mechanisms

Multi-point lock
A locking system that engages at multiple points around the frame perimeter from a single handle operation. Standard on European tilt-turn and bifold systems; common on premium aluminum exterior doors.
Espagnolette
A multi-point locking mechanism with a vertical rod that engages locking points at the head, sill, and side of the frame. Standard tilt-turn window hardware.
Friction stay
A side hinge for casement and awning windows that holds the sash open at any angle without a separate stay or arm. Allows easy-clean configurations on outward-opening windows.
Concealed hinge
A hinge fully hidden in the frame and sash when the window or door is closed. Standard on European-spec windows; preserves the slim sightline.
Sash lift
A handle or recessed grip used to raise the bottom sash of a double-hung or single-hung window.
Pivot hinge
A floor-and-head pivot mechanism that allows a door panel to rotate on a vertical axis instead of swinging on side hinges. Required for oversized pivot doors.
Hook stile
The vertical rail at the leading edge of a sliding panel that hooks into the matching profile of the fixed panel or jamb to form a weather seal. Specified by depth in mm.
Tandem rollers
Paired wheels on a sliding door bottom rail that distribute panel weight across two contact points instead of one. Allows heavier panels and smoother operation.

Performance + acoustic

STC (Sound Transmission Class)
A single-number rating of how well a window or door blocks airborne sound transmission. Higher = quieter. Measured per ASTM E90. STC 28-32 is single-pane baseline; STC 40-45 is double-pane; STC 48+ is acoustic-spec laminated.
OITC (Outdoor-Indoor Transmission Class)
An alternative to STC that weights low-frequency sound more heavily. Better predictor of real-world traffic and aircraft noise attenuation than STC. Often reported alongside STC on acoustic-spec windows.
Air leakage (AL)
Cubic feet per minute of air leakage per square foot of window area at a standard test pressure. Lower = tighter window. NFRC reports AL alongside U-factor and SHGC.
Water penetration rating
The maximum water pressure (in pascals or psf) at which the window remains watertight under spray testing. Specified in NAFS performance class (PG rating).
Design pressure (DP)
The wind pressure (in psf) the window assembly is rated to withstand without permanent deformation. DP 50 is typical residential; DP 70 to 100 is hurricane-impact or high-rise.
Condensation Resistance (CR)
A 0-100 NFRC rating of how well a window resists interior condensation. Higher = less condensation under cold-weather indoor humidity.

Project + install

Rough opening (RO)
The framed opening in the wall before the window or door is installed, measured to the inside face of the framing. Usually 1/2 inch larger than the window in each dimension to allow for shimming and squaring.
Brick mould
An exterior trim profile applied around a window or door frame that covers the joint between frame and exterior cladding. Standard in US residential construction.
Nailing fin
An integral flange on the exterior of a window frame, used to attach the window to the rough opening framing through the wall sheathing. Standard in US new-construction installations.
Block-frame install
Window installation method where the frame attaches into the rough opening with no nailing fin. Used for replacement projects where the existing trim and cladding stay in place.
Sill pan
A waterproof tray at the sill of a window or door rough opening that catches and drains any water that gets past the perimeter seal. Required for code-compliant installations in most climates.
Flashing tape
Self-adhering waterproof membrane applied around the rough opening before the window is installed. Bonds the window perimeter to the building's water-resistive barrier.
Backer rod
A closed-cell foam rope inserted into the perimeter joint between window frame and rough opening before sealant is applied. Controls sealant depth and prevents three-sided adhesion.
Shim
A thin tapered wedge of plastic or hardwood inserted between the window frame and the rough opening framing to plumb and square the window during installation.
Lead time
Time between order placement and product delivery. Made-to-order aluminum windows typically run 10 to 16 weeks lead time from factory to door.
FOB (Free On Board)
Shipping term meaning the seller delivers the goods to a named port or location and the buyer takes responsibility from that point. FOB factory price excludes freight to destination.

Region + code

HVHZ (High Velocity Hurricane Zone)
Florida building code designation for Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Requires Miami-Dade NOA or Florida product approval and impact-rated assemblies on all fenestration. Separate from NFRC energy code.
Miami-Dade NOA
Miami-Dade County Notice of Acceptance. Product certification required to sell fenestration in HVHZ jurisdictions. Tested for large missile impact, cyclic pressure, and water penetration.
IECC (International Energy Conservation Code)
Model energy code adopted by most US states with local amendments. Sets minimum U-factor and SHGC requirements by climate zone for new construction and major renovation.
IECC climate zone
One of seven US climate zones (1 hot through 7 very cold, plus 8 subarctic) used by the IECC to set energy code requirements. Zone determines maximum U-factor and SHGC for compliant fenestration.
Title 24
California energy code. Stricter than the IECC baseline; requires NFRC-rated fenestration with project-specific U-factor and SHGC compliance calculation. Also covers acoustical standards in mixed-use occupancy.
CSA A440-22
Canadian Standards Association standard for windows and doors. Required for fenestration in Canadian residential construction. Tests air, water, and structural performance.
NBC (National Building Code of Canada)
Canadian model building code. Adopted with provincial amendments by every Canadian jurisdiction. Section 9 covers small residential and references CSA A440-22 for fenestration.
Energy Star
US EPA voluntary certification program for energy-efficient products. Energy Star windows must meet climate-zone-specific U-factor and SHGC requirements stricter than IECC code minimum.
Egress window
A window that meets minimum opening size, sill height, and clear opening dimensions required by code for emergency escape. Required in every bedroom and habitable basement space in most US jurisdictions.

Certification + standards

NFRC
National Fenestration Rating Council. US third-party rating organization for fenestration energy performance. Publishes whole-product U-factor, SHGC, VT, AL, and CR ratings. Required for IECC compliance and Energy Star.
NAFS
North American Fenestration Standard. Joint US/Canadian/Mexican standard (AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440) that establishes structural performance grades and water/air infiltration ratings.
AAMA 2605
American Architectural Manufacturers Association specification for high-performance organic coatings on architectural aluminum. The premium tier; 20-year salt-spray and weathering performance. Standard for coastal and high-UV projects.
AAMA 2604
AAMA specification for medium-performance organic coatings on architectural aluminum. 10-year weathering. Standard for most residential and inland commercial applications.
AAMA 2603
AAMA specification for basic powder coat finish on architectural aluminum. 5-year weathering. Standard for interior and protected exterior applications.
CPD
Certified Product Directory. NFRC's public database of certified fenestration products with their rated values. Lookup by CPD number to verify any cert claim.
ASTM E90
ASTM test method for sound transmission loss through partitions. Used to determine STC rating for windows and doors.
ASTM E283
ASTM test method for air leakage rate through windows, doors, and curtain walls. Underlies the NFRC AL rating.
ASTM E331
ASTM test method for water penetration of windows and doors by uniform static air pressure difference. Underlies the NAFS water rating.