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AAMA – American Architectural Manufacturers Association, a national trade association that establishes voluntary standards for the window, door, and skylight industry.
Active – In a double door assembly, it is the door that is used more frequently. Also, the active door needs to be opened before the passive door can be opened.
Air Infiltration – Amount of air leaking in and out of a window through cracks in the framing or past the weather stripping. It is measured in cubic feet per minute per square foot (cfm/ft²).
Apron– Horizontal interior trim board under a window stool.
Argon Gas– An odorless, colorless, tasteless, nontoxic gas that is six times denser than air. It is used to replace air between the glass panes to reduce temperature transfer.
Astragal – On a double door, the milled component attached to the meeting edge of the less active (passive) panel, allowing the two to lock together.
Awning– A window hinged at the top which allows it to be cranked or pushed outward.
Balance– Device for counterbalancing a sliding sash usually associated with a double hung window, so sash may be held open at any given position. It is usually a system of cords, weights, springs or spiral devices.
Ball-Bearing Hinge – A heavier duty hinge verses the standard pin hinge, with bearings supporting the pivots. Ball-bearing hinges are usually used for heavy doors that will be in commercial or industrial use.
Bay Window– Three or more window units attached together to project outward from a building wall. Bay angles vary; most common are 30°, 45° and 90°.
Bi-Fold– A door that is capable of being folded into two or more parts, as with doors that are hinged together.
BOCA – Building Officials and Code Administrators, one of the three model code groups in the U.S. that has now merged into the International Code Council.
Bottom Rail – On a window sash or door, it is the bottom horizontal component that supports the weight of the glass or the panel.
Bow Window– A combination of four or more window units in a rounded formation that project outward from a building wall.
Box Bay – A combination of window units that projects to the exterior. Usually features a large center unit with two flanking units at 90 degree angles to the wall.
Box-Framed – In door and sidelite assemblies, a term used to differentiate door and sidelight units which are first framed as separate units, with heads and sills separate and non-continuous.
Brickmould (a.k.a. BM)– An exterior trim piece that bridges the gap between the window or door frame and the exterior of the building.
Caming – Metal parts of leaded glass design. Metal options include lead, brass, copper, zinc, or patina.
Capping – A term to describe the covering of exterior trim with roll-form aluminum.
Casement – A window hinged on one side and is typically operated using an interior hand crank.
Casing– Milled wood attached to the interior around a window or door to cover the gap between the frame and the wall.
Caulking – A soft semi-liquid material used to seal cracks around a window or door frame adjacent to the wall opening.
Cladding– Any material locked to the outside faces of doors and windows (exterior skin) to provide a durable, maintenance free exterior surface.
Clear Jambs –Natural wood frames without paint or primer applied which appear to be made of full-length pieces of stock.
Clerestory – A window in the upper part of a high-ceilinged room that admits light to the center of the room.
Composite– A solid material composed of two or more substances.
Compression Jambs – Spring-loaded liners in window jambs that assist in maintaining a weather tight seal between window sash and frame which can be compressed allowing you to tilt the window sash for cleaning.
Condensation –A condition caused by warm moist air coming into contact with a colder object creating moisture on the colder surface. A large difference in the temperature of either side of a window and humid air present on the warmer side will cause condensation to appear.
Continuous Sill – Used for a type of door and sidelite unit in which the unit has full width top and bottom frame parts, and an internal post or posts separating sidelites from the door panel.
Core – The material inside the door to provide either strength or fire rating. Some types are corrugated, honeycomb paper, particleboard, wood stave, mineral fiber, polyurethane, or polystyrene.
Cottage Window– A double hung window with unequal sash. The top sash is shorter than the bottom sash.
Cripples– The short framing members used to frame under the sill or above the header in a rough opening for a window or door.
Cylindrical Lock – Lock hardware which mounts into a door which has been prepared with a bored hole or holes through the door slab and also through the edge.
Deadbolt (a.k.a. DB) – A lock used to secure a door closed, the latch being driven from the door into a receiver in the jamb or frame.
Direct Pressure(a.k.a. DP rating)– The pressure a product is designed to withstand. This value is a measure of a product’s capacity to withstand the forces of wind loading, in both positive and negative directions, while it is closed and locked.
Direct-Set– The window’s glass is secured directly into the window frame without the stiles and rails of a sash.
Door Lite – An assembly of frame and glass panel, which when fitted to a door in a formed or cut-out hole, creates a door with a glass opening.
Door Slab – A door only, no frame included.
Dormer– A space which protrudes from the roof, usually including one or more windows.
Double Glazing – The use of two panes of glass sealed together in a product to increase energy efficiency.
Double Hung – A window with an upper sash and a lower sash, both of which slide up and down in the window opening. Single hung windows operate the same as double hung windows, but the upper sash is fixed in place.
Drip Cap – An exterior moulding placed on top of the head brickmould or casing of a window or door frame.
Drywall Opening – A rectangular opening in a wall, usually an interior wall, prepared to the size necessary to receive a pre-hung assembly.
Dummy Cylinder – A lock without a latch, typically used for the passive door panel of a double door unit, so that the hardware appears equal to that used on the active door panel.
Edge Bore – The hole bored through the edge of a door to allow for the latch to be installed.
Egress Code– Code that requires a minimum opening of a window for persons to exit or firefighters to enter a building.
Elliptical– Window that is elongated and radius at the top.
Energy Star – A program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy that established minimum performance standards for windows to be recognized as energy efficient.
Escutcheon – A stamped decorative plate, to trim the shaft of a door knob or deadbolt latch, to trim the opening where the shaft or latch adjoins the face of a door.
Etched Glass – Glass in which a decorative pattern is engraved by means of chemical action or mechanical sand-blasting.
Extension jamb – A milled piece used to increase the depth of the jambs of a window frame to fit a wall of any given thickness.
Extrusion– The process of forcing heated materials such as aluminum or vinyl through a die to produce specified shapes.
Faceplate – The plated or solid metal trim piece, usually about 1 x 2-1/4 inches, housed flush into the edge of a door, through which projects the latch of a lock or deadbolt.
Fenestration – Originally, an architectural term for the arrangement of windows, doors, and other glazed areas in a wall. Has evolved to become a standard industry term for windows, doors, skylights, and other glazed building openings.
Finger Joint (a.k.a. FJP) – A way of joining short sections of boards together by cutting a set of complementary rectangular cuts in 2 pieces of wood which are then glued end to end to make a longer board.
Fire Door – Fire doors are designed to meet standards for fire ratings of 20, 30, 45, 60, or 90 minutes. The specific rating is achieved through the application of special door cores and framing materials.
Fixed – Windows that are not operable.
Flanker– A term used to describe the side parts of a multiple combination opening.
Flashing – A strip of material that diverts water away from a window, door, or skylight.
Flush-Glazed – A type of glazed door which has its glass perimeter moldings flush with or set down from the face of the surrounding door.
Fogging – A film left on an interior surface of a sealed insulating glass unit due to extreme weather conditions or seal failure.
Foot Bolt – A steel pin housed in a door bottom edge or astragal, with a latch mechanism, which can be driven down to project into a receiver socket or hole in the floor or threshold, to better secure the door when closed.
Frame– In window and door assemblies, they are the perimeter members which the sash or door is hinged and latched to.
French Hinged Door – Hinged door(s) which have wider stiles and rails around the glass.
French Sliding Door – A sliding door which has wider stiles and rails around the glass, giving the appearance of French hinged door.
Full-Frame Replacement – A replacement method where the entire old window is removed along with the interior and exterior casing around the window exposing the rough opening of the building.
Fusion-Weld– A term used for a type of corner construction, used with vinyl and other types of windows and doors, in which a small amount of material on the ends of two pieces are melted or softened, then pushed together to form a single piece. This also is referred to simply as a welded corner.
Galvanized – An adjective used to describe steel which has been zinc-coated. Galvanized steel is resistant to corrosion.
Gasket – A strip of flexible material that prevents air and water from penetrating or passing through joints between parts.
Glazing – Glass in a window or door.
Glazing Bead– Is a molding that overlaps the gap between the glass and sash which holds the glass in place.
Glider (a.k.a. Horizontal Slider) – A window with a moveable sash that slides horizontally.
Grille (a.k.a. muntins, grids) – Decorative window dividers that is available in many shapes, sizes and patterns. They are available permanent, removable, or between the glass.
Grilles Between the Glass (a.k.a. GBG) – Grilles inserted between two pieces of glass, making the window pane easier to clean.
Grooved Glass – Glass which has been decorated with abrasively-routed recesses. Grooving can give a single piece of glass a multi-paned look.
Handing – A window or door is either left or right handed determined by what side of the unit the hinges are on.
Header– A horizontal framing member installed above a door or window to transfer the building's load from above the opening to the supporting wall structure on either side of the opening. A properly sized header keeps the structure from sagging or worse yet, collapsing at the window or the door opening. Header sizes are based on opening size and building codes.
Head Bolt – A steel pin housed in a door top edge or astragal, with a latch mechanism, which can be driven up to project into a receiver socket or hole in the head jamb, to better secure the door when closed.
Head Jamb – The horizontal top frame member of a window or door assembly.
Heat Gain – Heat transfer from the outside to the inside of a structure by means of conduction, convection, and radiation through all surfaces of a house.
Heat Loss – Heat transfer from the inside to the outside of a structure by means of conduction, convection, and radiation through all surfaces of a house.
High-Performance™ Low-E4® Sun Glass – Andersen Corporation's brand name for a slightly gray-tinted low emissivity glazing system designed for southern climates or windows in rooms where heat buildup (solar heat gain) is a factor.
Hinge – A moveable joint enabling a window or door to swing.
Hinge Stile – The full-length vertical edge of a door which holds the hinges.
Hopper – Window with sash that swings inward from the top, usually located in basements.
Inactive – A term for a door panel fixed in its frame. Inactive door panels are not hinged and are not operable.
Insert Replacement (a.k.a. Pocket Window) – Replacing windows where the old window frame, interior casing, and exterior casing are reused.
Inside Stop– On a wood window, a piece of wood trim attached to each side jamb that defines the inner edge for the lower sash channel.
Insulating Glass (a.k.a. IG)– Two pieces of glass, with a spacer around the perimeter which keeps them separate, that is hermetically sealed to provide insulating characteristics. The sealed space may contain air or be filled with an inert gas, such as argon.
Inswing (a.k.a. IS) – A term used to describe an exterior entry door unit for which, when the hinged door panel is opened, the panel swings into the building.
J-Channel – Installed around or built-in to the side of a window or door, this channel is designed to accommodate the ends of siding pieces to provide a finished appearance.
Jamb– A vertical or horizontal frame member at the side or top of a window or door.
Jamb Depth– Width of a window or door from the interior to the exterior of the frame to meet construction wall thickness.
Jamb Liner– The plastic or metal tracks installed in the jambs of a double hung window in which the window sash slide.
Jamb Stop –In exterior door frames, the molded-in rabbeted surface of a frame member against which the door panel would close and seal.
Kerf – The groove in a jamb or frame where the weather stripping is inserted into.
Kickplate– This is a protective plate applied to the lower rail of a door to prevent damage from daily wear.
Knocked Down (a.k.a. K.D.)– Unassembled, as contrasted to assembled or built-up.
Laminated Glass (a.k.a. Lami)– Two or more sheets of glass with an inner layer of transparent plastic to which the glass adheres if broken. Used for enhanced safety and security, as well as sound reduction.
Lintel– Horizontal member (wood, steel, or stone) over a window or door opening to support the weight of the wall above.
Lite – An assembly of glass and a surrounding frame, which is assembled to a door, or is integrally built into the door at the factory.
Lock Bore – For cylindrical locksets, the large through hole, usually 2-1/8-inches in diameter, bored near the door panel's lock edge, into which the lock mechanism is placed and installed.
Low-Emissivity Glass (a.k.a. low e) – Glass which has been factory coated with a thin layer of material, nearly clear, which acts to absorb and reflect heat and light energy.
Masonry Opening (a.k.a. MO)– Area in a masonry wall left open for a window or door.
Medium-Density Fiberboard (a.k.a. MDF) – A wood-fiber composite used in a variety of window, door, and millwork applications.
Meeting Rail (a.k.a. check rail)– The two horizontal members of a double-hung sash that meet and are locked together when the window is closed.
Meeting Stile– Either vertical member in a pair of gliding window sashes or door panels that meets and locks when the sash or panel is closed, comparable to the meeting rail on a double-hung window.
Miter – An angled cut across the end of a lineal part, usually done to join with a similarly cut part at a corner.
Mortise Lock – A lock fitting a rectangular shaped cavity in the edge of a door.
Mulled – When 2 or more windows are attached together to create a combination.
Mullion – A vertical or horizontal connecting piece between two or more windows or doors and sidelites.
Multi-Point Lock – A locking system, operated with one handle, that secures a window or door at two or more locking points.
Nailing Fin – An accessory component or integral extension of a window or patio door frame that generally overlaps the conventional stud construction and through which nails are driven to secure the frame in place.
National Fenestration Ratings Council (a.k.a. NFRC)– An industry association which sets standards for testing, rating, and labeling doors and windows with heat transmission and energy information.
Night Latch – A lever or knob-actuated bolt for fastening a window more securely at night which is generally offered on vinyl windows.
Non-Removable Pin Hinge (a.k.a. NRP) – A hinge with a non-removable pivot pin. NRP hinges are used when exterior doors swing out, as a security feature. The fixed pins make it impossible to remove a door by driving out pivot pins.
NWWDA – National Wood Window and Door Association. Trade organization that has established many standards related to wood window and door products. It is now the Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA).
Obscure Glass– Glass that has been made translucent instead of transparent. Commonly used in bathrooms.
Operator– A device for opening and closing windows. Usually refers to a crank-operated mechanism found on casement and awning windows.
Outswing (a.k.a. OS) – A term used to describe an exterior entry door unit for which, when the hinged door panel is opened, the panel swings out of the building. Commonly used in garage utility doors.
Palladian – A large, arch-top window flanked by smaller windows on each side.
Pane – A framed sheet of glass within a window or door.
Panel – Component, usually wood, mounted within stile and rail members of doors. It is also used to refer to the entire door.
Panning – In replacement window work, the outside aluminum trim that can extend around the perimeter of the window opening; which is done to cover up the old window material.
Parting Stop– A narrow strip that separates and secures two sash in a window frame of a double hung creating a channel in which the sash can move.
Passage Lock – A lockset which will retain a door closed, but which cannot be locked.
Passive – In a double door assembly, the door which remains closed and locked by bolts at top and bottom, and is used less frequent. To open the passive door, one would first have to open the active door.
Picture Window – Large, non-operating window.
Plumb – Vertically straight. As an installation term, it refers to the importance of making sure that the window sides are perfectly perpendicular to the earth.
Polygon – A term used to describe window shapes without curves as in rectangles, triangles, trapezoids, pentagons, hexagons and octagons.
Polyvinyl Chloride (a.k.a. PVC) – Aplastic material used to make molded or extruded parts.
Radius Window – This type of window features curved components. It may include full round, half-round, quarter-round, arch top, elliptical, and springline windows.
Rail– Horizontal member of a window sash or door panel. There are four rails on a double-hung window: the bottom rail, two meeting rails or check rails, and the top rail.
Reveal – That part of the edge of a door or window jamb not covered by the casing.
Reverse Cottage Window – A double hung window with unequal sash. The bottom sash is shorter than the top sash.
Riser –A term which describes the part of an adjustable sill which can be moved up or down by turning adjusting screws to meet the bottom of the door for an optimal seal.
Roll-form Cladding– Cladding that is not extruded aluminum. It is cut from a larger sheet of aluminum and is formed through a series of rollers.
Rough Opening (a.k.a. RO)– The opening in a wall where a window or door will be installed.
Round Top– A semicircle window. Round tops can be used separately or combined with other units to create an endless selection of options.
R-Value –Marks a window's resistance to heat loss or gain. The higher the R-value, the better the window reduces heating and cooling bills.
Safety Glass (a.k.a. Tempered) –Glass which when broken, shatters into small pieces without sharp edges to reduce hazard.
Sash– A single assembly of stiles and rails made into a frame for holding glass.
Sash Cord – Rope or chain in double hung windows that attaches the sash to the counter balance.
Sash Lift – Protruding or recessed handle on the inside bottom rail of the lower sash on a double- or single-hung window.
Sash Lock– A locking device at the check rails of a double hung unit.
Sash Weights – Concealed cast-iron weights used to counter balance the sash of older double hung windows.
Seal Failure– When the vacuum seal between 2 panes of glass in a window is lost and air gets into the cavity. Seal failed glass tends to have a “milky” appearance.
Shim –A thin piece of tapered material used to fill gaps, make something level, or adjust something to fit properly.
Sidelite (a.k.a. SL) –A fixed narrow panel installed next to a door panel, for decorative purposes. They almost always contain glass.
Sill – The main horizontal member forming the bottom of the frame of a window or door.
Simulated Divided Lite (a.k.a. SDL) –Grilles attached to the interior and/or exterior of a window, with or without a spacer bar between the glass, to give the appearance of true divided lites.
Single Hung– A double hung type of window in which the top sash is fixed or inoperable.
Slide Bolt–The part of an astragal assembly which, by means of moving latches at tops and bottoms of astragals, places bolts into frame heads and sills, for fixing passive door panels closed.
Sliding Patio Door– A door fitted with two or more panels containing glass that move horizontally on a track.
Solar Gain– The process of providing a net heat gain within a structure, over and above the normal heat loss, by passive collection of the sun's heat through windows and other glazed areas.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (a.k.a. SHGC) – A rating that measures a window’s ability to transmit solar heat. It measures both the solar radiation which is directly transmitted, as well as the solar radiation absorbed by the glass and subsequently transmitted. The lower a unit’s SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits, and the greater its’ shading ability.
Sound Transmission Class (a.k.a. STC) – A rating measuring a window’s acoustic properties or its ability to reduce sound transmission. An STC rating is determined by measuring the sound transmission over a selected range of sound frequencies. The higher the number, the less sound transmitted.
Sputter-Coating – A secondary manufacturing process in which a thin layer of materials, usually designed to offer low-emissivity or solar-control benefits, is applied to glass.
Stile– Vertical member of a window sash or door panel.
Stool– An interior horizontal trim piece on a window which extends the sill and acts as a narrow shelf. Sometimes it is mistakenly referred to as a window sill.
Stop– A molding used to hold, position or separate window parts.
Storm – A window or door that is hung to cover and protect, and sometimes insulate an exterior window or door. Typically containing glass and sometimes with a screen.
Strike Plate– A metal plate attached to the door jamb, which receives the latch.
Subfloor–The concrete or wood floor surface lying under the finished floor.
Surround– On a grille, it is an attractive, protective trim which is secured to the perimeter to give stability. On a screen, it is the framework which holds the mesh and is usually made of aluminum.
Tempered Glass– Glass that is heat treated to help withstand greater than normal force on its’ surface. When broken, it shatters into small pieces without sharp edges to reduce hazard.
Tenon – A rectangular projection cut out of a piece of wood for insertion into a mortise.
Thermal Break – Part of a window or door that reduces transfer of cold or heat from one surface to another.
Threshold – The piece (wood, stone or other material) placed beneath a door to trim off the inside of the door sill.
Tilt Window – A single or double hung window whose operable sash can be tilted into a room to allow cleaning of the exterior surface from the inside of the building.
Transom– A small window that fits over the top of a door or window, primarily for additional light and sometimes aesthetic value.
TruScene® Insect Screen– A nearly invisible micro-fine stainless steel mesh insect screen that is one-third the diameter of a standard screen wire and allows over 50% more clarity than an Andersen conventional insect screen.
Ultraviolet Light (a.k.a. UV) – Electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than x-rays and is so named because the spectrum consists of electromagnetic waves with frequencies higher than those that humans identify as the color violet. It is the invisible solar radiation that can cause heat buildup and fading of wood, fabrics and other surfaces. (Low-E coatings are added to window glazing to moderate or eliminate harmful undesired UV wavelengths of light.)
Ultrex®– A pultruded composite material made of polyester resin and glass fibers. This superior material is now being used in many Marvin products.
U-Value – The measurement of the amount of heat entering or escaping through a window. The lower the U-value is, the better the insulation value. The mathematical reciprocal of the same component of window R-Value
Veneer – A thin sheath of wood usually applied over a stronger material creating a beautiful finish. Today, veneers are used over many types of materials including fiberglass, vinyl, and aluminum.
Venting Unit– Window or door unit that opens or operates.
Vinyl-Clad Window– A window with exterior wood parts covered with extruded vinyl.
Weather Stripping– A strip of resilient material designed to seal the sash and frame members in order to reduce air and water infiltration.
Weep Hole – A small opening in a window or sill member through which water may drain to the building exterior.
Wind Load – Force exerted on a surface by moving air.
