When you’re replacing windows, it’s nice to know all the different parts of the window and window frame.
That’s here these 2 diagrams come into play. The first illustrates the anatomy of a window and frame. The second showcases the anatomy of a cross-section of a three-pane window.
Diagram: Parts of a Window
Interior Casing: The finished trim or holdings around the window frames. They help prevent cold air from entering as well as add a finishing touch and enhance the overall look of the window.
Head: The horizontal part of the window frame.
Muntin: A bar or strip of wood or metal between adjacent panes of glass that create a grid or latticework appearance.
Sash Lock: The locking mechanism attached to a single-hung or double-hung window.
Upper Sash (Upper Panel): The upper part of the fixed or movable framework holding the pane of a window.
Side Jamb: The vertical parts that form the sides of a window frame.
Stile: Vertical members of the window frame.
Window Pane: A plate of glass within a window frame.
Lower Sash (Lower Panel): The lower part of the fixed or movable framework holding the pane of a window.
Channel: A groove around windows.
Exterior Sill: The external horizontal bottom part of the frame that protects from water intrusion and can be used as a decorative element.
Apron: The decorative raised section below the window sill.
Stool: The bottom horizontal shelf of the window attached to the window sill where the sash descends and where plants may be placed.
Bottom Rail: The lowest horizontal part of the window frame that connects its vertical parts.
Top Rail: The top horizontal part of the window frame.
Head Jamb: The vertical side on the the very top of a window frame where the window sash sits on.
Cross-Section Illustration of a Window
Air Latch: Makes it possible to keep the window open regardless of the position you set it.
Aluminum Bracket: Brackets made of aluminium and part of a window bracket system that offsets the window from the wall by a few inches.
Glass Sealant: A silicone-based product that can take on the form of a liquid, gel or foam and applied to glass surfaces as a protective coating and to preserve its clean and dry exterior.
Hollow Glass: Window panes made of hollow glass.
Pane: A sheet of glass in a window.
Spacer: An insulating glass unit typically made of aluminium that’s sealed between two glass layers and keep glass panes apart.
Meeting Rail: The horizontal rail of a sash that meets the rail of the other sash when the window is closed.
Pulley: A simple machine with a wheel and a rope or chain used to lift heavy objects.
Sloped Sill: The exterior part of the window sill that is designed to be sloped downward to enable water to run off.
Drain Hole: A short channel where fluids can flow.
Lift Rail: A handle used to open and close a window that goes all the way across the sash.
Lower Sash: The lower part of the fixed or movable framework holding the pane of a window.
Glass Sealant: A silicone-based product that can take on the form of a liquid, gel or foam and applied to glass surfaces as a protective coating and to preserve its clean and dry exterior.
Bottom Rail: The lowest horizontal part of the window frame that connects its vertical parts.
Frame: The framework that makes up the window’s perimeter and supports the entire window system.
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