Glossary of Terms

  Accent Line - (aka V-Joint or Highlighted Seam)

A joint formed by two adjacent pieces of wood in the same plane which have faces with beveled edges.

AF/FA Operation - (Active-Fixed/Fixed-Active Operation)

Two side-by-side door panels of which the first (left) panel may be active and the second stationary (fixed), or the first panel may be fixed and the second active.

Air Infiltration

The amount of air that passes between a door panel or window sash and frame, measured in cubic feet per minute per square foot of frame area.

Aluminum Cladding - See Cladding

Argon Gas

A colorless, odorless, inert gas used to fill the airspace between insulating panes of LoE glass. Argon increases a window's energy efficiency by limiting the radiant heat or cold transfer. (Argon gas may not be included in windows being installed in or shipping through high altitude areas.)

Art Glass - See Decorative Glass

Astragal

A vertical member attached to the meeting edge of one door panel of a pair, bridging the opening and holding one door panel inactive, while the other panel is active. The inactive panel can be unlatched and made operable after the active panel has been opened.

Awning Window

A window which swings open from the bottom.

 Backband

The millwork around the outside edge of the window casing, usually used when the casing consists of flat boards.

Bay Window

Usually a picture window with a flanker on either side, joined with definite angles.

Blind Stop

The frame member on a Double Hung located between the jamb and the brickmould, the blind stop forms a ridge that supports either a storm sash or screen.

Block-and-Tackle Balances

The mechanical balance system within Double Hang jambliners that make operation smooth and nearly effortless.

Bow Window

A combination of windows joined together in a smooth curve according to a preset radius.

 Box Size - (aka Frame Size)

Dimensional measurement from outside of frame to outside of frame, excluding the exterior trim.

Brickmould

Moulding around window and door frames that serves as a finishing boundary.

Bronze-lite

Glass with a transparent, bronze tint.

Butt Hinge

A pin (either removable or fixed) which is inserted into the round, central (barrel) part of a hinge. Swinging doors normally have butt hinges.

 Casement Window

A window which swings open from the side.

Check Rail - (aka Meeting Rail)

The bottom rail of the top sash and the top rail of the bottom sash of a Double Hung window which meet horizontally in the center of the unit.

Check Stiles - (aka Meeting Stiles)

The two vertical members of a Slider window which meet in the center.

 Cladding

Material that covers the exterior of a window or door frame and/or sash, offering increased durability with less maintenance than other exterior finishes. (Kolbe & Kolbe window and door units use a heavy gauge, prefinished aluminum cladding in white, beige, sand, rustic or hartford green.)

Clad Profile

A window or door with an exterior profile that matches that of a clad unit, but is not covered with aluminum cladding on the exterior.

Clear Wood

A single piece of wood; the wood is not a veneer, laminate or several pieces joined in any way. Clear wood is free from knots, stains and pitch pockets.

Cottage-Style

A Double Hung window with a bottom sash that is taller in height than the top sash.

 Cutlite - (aka True Divided Lite)

Individual glass units, whether single panes or insulating glass units, separated by permanent, stationary wood bars to create one larger window. Cutlite is the traditional means of creating multi-lite windows for greater aesthetic appeal.

 Daylight Opening - (D.L.O.)

The visible area of glass.

Decorative Glass - (aka Art Glass)

The industry term for etched, beveled, leaded or glass otherwise enhanced for visual appeal.

Decorative Series

A special series of windows designed by Kolbe & Kolbe for optimum aesthetic appeal. Shapes include octagon, full-circle, oval, gothic, round-top, square and square-out, segment-in. Glass options include decorative glass or snap-in grilles.

Direct Set

A window with no sash. The glass is set directly into the frame and, therefore, the window is stationary.

Double Hung Window

A window consisting of a top sash and a bottom sash. Both slide vertically for ventilation.

Dowels

Wooden pegs used to join the stiles and rails of doors.

 Egress Window

A window large enough for a person to climb out in case of emergency. There are national egress requirements dictated by local building codes.

Elliptical Radius

An elongated, semi-circular Radius window.

Extension Jambs

Lumber extending from a window or door frame to accommodate different wall thickness'.

 Finger Plough

A groove routed into Double Hung and Slider window sash and used as a handhold for easy operation.

Flanker

A window or door joined to the side of another window or door. Flankers are the windows on either end of a bay unit, for example.

Flat Casing

Exterior casing with a flat surface.

Folding Handle

A roto-style operating handle that folds down and away from window treatments.

Frame

The stationary part of a window or door system which encloses the sash or the glass (in the case of a direct set). A frame consists of a head jamb, sill, side jambs, extension jambs and blind stop.

Frame Size - See Box Size

French Door

A frame with two operating door panels, both hinged off the side and swinging open from the center of the unit. An astragal holds one door panel inactive, while the other panel is active.

French Window

A frame with two operating window sash, both swinging open from the side. A roller latching system replaces the center post normally between the two sash, anchoring the sash to each other and each sash to the window frame. French windows allow a greater viewing area.

 Geometric Window

A window with a specific geometric shape, usually ordered as a custom window.

Glass Size

The measurement of the actual glass, not just the visible glass.

Glass Stop - See Glazing Bead

Glazing

Glass used for windows or the act of installing glass into a window.

 Glazing Bead - (aka Glass Stop)

A moulded piece used to secure glass to the sash or frame of a window.

Gray-lite

Glass with a transparent, gray tint.

Grille

A grid that visually divides a window into panes.

Grilles in the Airspace

A grid held between two insulating panes of glass, visually dividing the window unit into "separate" panes. Eliminates the need to remove grilles for cleaning.

Guide Bar - See Operator

 H+K Glass

The glass used in most windows as standard, this LoE insulating glass with argon fill is produced with an advanced coating technology that has both a low "shading coefficient" and a high "visual transmittance." That means no dark, detracting color, reflections or loss of energy efficiency, winter or summer. (NOTE: Argon gas may not be included in units to be installed in or shipping through high altitude areas.) See Reflections on Glass for more details.

Half-Circle Top

Windows or doors which form a half circle at the top.

Hand Knob

A circular operating handle.

Head Board

The board applied to the top of a Bow or Bay window.

Head Jamb

The top, horizontal piece of a frame.

Hinging - (aka Hinging or OX, XO)

Hinge placement on a window or door. Windows and sliding patio doors are always viewed from the exterior when specifying hinging. Swinging doors are specified by the swing; i.e., outswings are viewed from the exterior and inswings from the interior.

 Insulating Glass

Glazing comprised of two or more glass panes separated by a hermetically sealed airspace.

 Jamb

The top and side components of a window or door frame.

Jambliner

A long component which holds a Double Hung window into the frame.

 Kickplate

A thin, polished metal plate applied to the bottom rail of a door to prevent denting and soiling of the wood surface. Kickplates may be applied to one or both sides of a door.

 LVL - (Laminated Veneer Lumber)

Plies of lumber, all oriented in the same direction and laminated together with adhesive to provide additional strength. LVL lumber is less prone to warping than clear wood.

Laminated Glass

Two or more layers of glass bonded together using heat and pressure, with inner layers of transparent plastic. Laminated glass offers one of the best levels of ultraviolet ray blockage over the entire ultraviolet spectrum.

Leaded Glass

Small, usually irregular panes of glass which may be multicolored, joined by lead or zinc. Primarily used for decorative purposes.

Lite

Refers to a single pane of glass or, in some cases, and entire glass unit.

Low Emissivity (LoE) Glass

LoE glass allows nearly all visible sunlight in to brighten any room, while reducing radiant heat or cold transfer through the glass. The lower the emissivity, the lower the amount of radiated heat and the higher the reflectivity of infrared radiation. LoE glass has a microscopically thin, transparent multi-layer of silver between various metals and metal oxide. These coatings filter the sun in summer, reflecting the infrared and ultraviolet rays back to the outside which would otherwise increase cooling costs and fade interior furnishings. In winter, LoE glass offers greater comfort and reduced heating costs by deflecting room-side heat back into the room.

LoE Sun-145

LoE glass that is tinted a grayish-blue for maximum solar control, while maintaining the same visible light reflectance as clear glass. It is less expensive than bronze or gray-lite, yet achieves solar control over a wider range of the ultraviolet spectrum than other types of glass.

 Margin

The space between a door panel or window sash and the adjacent frame member.

 Marginal Cutlite - (aka Queen Anne or Prairie Style)

Decorative bars near the glass margins, or edges, of a window. As the horizontal and vertical bars meet, a square is formed in the corner. marginal cutlite dates to the 1870's.

Masonry Opening

The opening formed in brick, block or stone which receives a unit.

Mull Casing

A casing that covers the joint between two windows or doors when they are mulled side by side or one atop the other.

Mulled

Joining two window or doors together, side by side, or one atop the other.

Mullion

The separating, stationary frame piece that separates mulled door or window units. Being joined by mullions make multiple door or window units appear to be one.

Muntin Bar

A short, lightweight bar that visually divides a window into "separate" panes.

 NWWDA - (National Wood Window & Door Association)

A nationwide association which set standards and guidelines for wood windows and doors. Name changed in 1999 to Window and Door Manufacturers' Association (WDMA). Focus changed accordingly.

Nailing Fin

A strip of material installed in a groove around a window or door frame. It makes installation of window and doors, especially clad units, much easier.

Nominal

A nominal measurement is an approximate measurement; the actual measurement may vary slightly.

  Obscure Glass - (aka Pattern Glass)

Glass with one rough surface to make it translucent, but not transparent ó offering privacy.

One-Lite

A continuous lite of glass, either one single pane or one insulating unit.

Operating Panel

A door panel that opens and closes.

 Operator - (aka Guide Bar)

A jointed, metal arm that opens and closes a Casement or Awning window.

O.S.M.

Outside measurement or overall measurement.

Ovolo

A wood glazing bead that curves outward from the glass and acts as a decorative accent.

 Pattern Glass - See Obscure Glass

Prairie Style - See Marginal Cutlite

 Queen Anne Style - See Marginal Cutlite

R-Value

Resistance to heat flow, a high R-value indicates that a window has good heat-insulating properties, whereas a low R-value indicates that a window has less heat-insulating value.

 Radius

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

Rails

The top and bottom horizontal pieces of a door panel or window sash.

Replacement Sash Kit

A kit that allows existing Double Hung window sash to be replaced with Kolbe & Kolbe Double Hung window sash, complete with compression-foam jambliners and mechanical balances. The updated Double Hung windows offer greater energy efficiency, along with the modern convenience of tilt-in, removable sash.

Reverse Cottage-Style

A Double Hung window with a top sash that is taller in height than the bottom sash.

Roller Adjuster

Hardware on the bottom and top rails of sliding patio doors that allows the door panel to be adjusted slightly up or down for ease of movement.

Roto-Style Handle

A handle which operates a window by turning in a circular motion.

Rough Opening (R.O)

The size of the wall opening into which a window or door is to be installed.

 Sash

A portion of a window or door which is separate from the frame and may be either stationary or operating. The sash consists of stiles, rails and check rails.

Sash Opening

The frame area which accepts a sash.

Sash Set

A window with the glass set into a sash, then the sash set into a frame. A sash set window may be stationary or venting in most cases.

Seat Board

A board applied to the bottom of a Bow or Bay window, providing support as well as a flat, finished surface.

Secondary Security Lock

A lock that may be ordered for sliding patio doors which secures the operating door sash to the sill in a partially open or a closed position. A "winged" lock works best with the Garden-Aire. A "wingless" lock is recommended for the Viewport.

Segment Head

A window or door panel with an arc at the top.

Side Jamb

The vertical members of a frame.

Sidelite - (aka Sidelight)

A wood or glass panel installed on one or both sides of a door frame.

Sill

The bottom threshold of a window or door frame.

Sill Horn

The portion of sill nosing which extends past the side jamb.

Sill Nose Trim

Exterior portion of a sill on a window unit.

Simulite

Method of providing the look of authentic cutlite, while offering the energy efficiency of one lite of insulating glass. One insulating glass unit is installed in a window, then aluminum bars are adhered to the unit exterior and wood bars to the unit interior. Anodized aluminum spacer bars between the panes simulate the look of true divided panes, while allowing airflow throughout the single insulating glass unit.

Single-Glazing

One thickness of glass, with no airspace.

Slider - (aka Slide-By)

A window that vents by sliding horizontally.

Specifications

Architectural details of a window or door.

Spider Web

A divided lite pattern for Radius windows.

Square-Out Segment-In

A window or door on which the outside of the sash and frame are square, and the top of the daylight opening on the sash is curved.

Stacked

Windows that are joined in a vertical plane, one above the other.

Stainless Steel Hinges

Hinges that are corrosion resistant and do well in sea coast applications.

Starburst

A divided lite pattern for Radius windows.

Stationary

A door panel or window that does not open.

Sticking

The raised, profiled portion of stiles and rails which create the glass shelf.

Stiles

The vertical pieces of a window or door sash.

Strike Plate

The piece of locking hardware on a window or door which receives the latch or dead bolt.

Sunburst

A divided lite pattern for Radius windows.

Surround

A frame of wood that encloses the perimeter of a snap-in grille unit, providing greater stability, ease of removal and a professional, finished appearance.

 T-Handle

A handle which operates a window by grasping a "fin" and turning it in a circular motion.

Tempered Glass

Glass heated to increase its strength; designed to meet federal safety regulations. When broken, it shatters in tiny fragments, reducing the possibility of injury.

Template

A pattern used to provide window dimensions for Radius top or special units.

Thermo-Edge Spacer

Stainless steel spacer bars which run around the perimeter of the insulating panes of many Kolbe & Kolbe insulating glass units. The result is an increased edge temperature which reduces the potential for condensation on the glass.

Threshold - (aka Saddle)

A wood piece that is beveled on each side and used with door frames. Thresholds are classified as either internal or external.

Transom

A frame of glass immediately above a door or window.

True Divided Lite - See Cutlite

 U-Factor (or U-Value)

Heat transference through a door or window. A high U-factor indicates greater radiant heat or cold transference through a window or door, a low U-factor indicates less heat transference. Lower U-factors are desirable for energy efficiency in windows or doors.

Unit Dimension

On clad and clad profile units, the unit dimension is equal to the frame size. On wood units, the unit dimension is measured from the outermost edges of the exterior casing.

 V-joint - Accent Line

Veneer

A thin sheath of wood applied, usually over a stronger type of wood.

 Weatherstripping

A material which creates a weather-tight seal between a window or door sash and frame.

WDMA - (Window & Door Manufacturers' Association, formerly the NWWDA-National Wood Window & Doors Association)

A nationwide association which sets standards and guidelines for the window and door industry.