Heavy commercial architectural windows can be found on a variety of both low- and high-rise buildings. When the correct style and materials are used, Malibu architects windows can add interest and strength to the façade of any commercial building while keeping functionality.
Appearance
Architectural windows are popular throughout the country due to their ability to accommodate a number of different building styles while providing a sensible and functional addition to the structure. When selecting heavy commercial windows, builders have the ability to customize the color, size, shape, material and hardware. This allows owners to easily preserve the historic look and feel of their building or modernize and update its style. The ability to customize the design to match local architectural characteristics, combined with the ease of cutting-edge production capabilities, makes architectural windows an effective tool for builders and business owners.
Materials
Aluminum is the most common material used in the production of heavy commercial architectural windows. Fiberglass and vinyl, two of the more popular residential window materials, are not used due to their lower strength and inability to stand up to the stresses of the building.
Aluminum
Aluminum windows are the most popular heavy commercial window and for good reason. This material is strong, durable and can handle the stresses that commercial windows often face. Additionally they can have a painted, unpainted, or anodized finish for many aesthetic changes.
Wood
Wood windows can be installed in low-rise commercial buildings but aren’t used often. Because of the appeal of aluminum, wood windows are used only under special circumstances. For buildings that require a natural, traditional appearance wood is a good option because of its variety of grain, color, and durability. Unlike other materials, wood windows require a lot of maintenance.
Window Categories
There are two common categories of heavy commercial architectural windows: sliding and projected. A third category, fixed frame windows, can also be found on commercial and industrial buildings. The category of sliding windows is compromised of sliders, single hung, and double hung.
Sliding Windows
Sliders are typically thought of as windows that move horizontally. They are an excellent choice for commercial grade window systems because they come in a variety of styles and allow for many optional features to be added on. For example, most glass companies will allow a builder to integrate internal blinds into sliding windows.
A single hung window has two sashes, one on the top of the window and one on the lower section. The top sash does not allow movement while the lower section, or sash, of the window is movable. This means the bottom of the window is able to slide in a vertical upward direction while the top of the window remains stationary. These are typically better sealed than double hung windows. Contrary to single hung windows, the double hung style allows both the lower and upper sashes to slide up and down vertically allowing a user to also open the top half of the window.
