Advice – source of window frame material
Sorry if this is not the right / best forum!
For all intents and purposes another list/group we submitted our plea for info, suggestions, guidance basically said, ‘go away don’t bother us, your inquiry is off topic.’ If you take the time (& trouble) to read this and know of any source of info and/or anyone who may know, please feel free to share or forward this! THANKS
Sorry if this gets technical & long, but we’ve learned insufficient info / details usually ends up being a waste of everyone’s time. A friend worked for a BIG commercial Aluminum & Glass company (does contract work in 6 states). He found us 10 commercial grade large 34″? X 60″? insulated double pane windows (no frames) which we purchased for our stick frame commercial building. That was 12-13 years ago. The windows have given us flawless service and the builder made wood frames which they flashed / covered with aluminum trim (silicone sealed to the glass).
When we discussed remodeling our home he found (told us about) a large number (60+) similar smaller size windows (also no frames). Since they were ‘given to us’ one person on another list inferred they had to be “cheap” windows. I will type out all the info (means little to me) on the label. The label has a double (1 upsidedown) triangle logo with the letters AFGO or AFGD below the triangles.
9:566:11:1 4125831-1ac
21 X 22 3/8
1/4 CLAI
+ 1/2 SV +
1/4 CLAI
Via:059 130 W & F
Due 05/06 [NOTE: we’ve had these for at least 2? years]
Note:10465
1/4 Clear 3.3
Not all ‘free’ things are worth keeping and often ‘free’ things cost more than a commercial window & frame. That said (acknowledged), we’d like to be able to use these windows in our new home (design 89?% complete) for both a south facing window wall (possibly 24 – 32 units at least 4 high and either 6 or 8 rows wide) and if practical for both fixed and openable windows.
The catch, at this point is coming up with a workable framing method and adequate weather tight openable, sliding / tilt frames. We know all aluminum frames conduct too much heat and always the wrong direction. So we either need to find options for aluminum frames with vinyl / other break or vinyl / fiberglass frame material.
While ‘free’ advice / help would be nice, we (naturally) will pay for help / a solution if we must. I’ve spent way too much time Googeling and using ThomasRegister searching for one or more source of frame material without success. <frownS>
If this info helps, we are located in south central KY (close to the TN border) and are considering ICF or stick construction. FWIW, I / we designed and helped, <g> yes LOL, actually did useful work, we even furnished the nail and staple guns the contractor used to build our 24′ X 60′ two story w basement commercial building. NO I (we) don’t know that much about all aspects of construction, therefore our request to this forum.
Thanks for any and ALL replies and if additional info is needed, by all means ask. Be well and be SAFE!
Mrs. Robin A-W
Replies
Welcome
Couldn't your glass buddy make up frames using thermal break commercial aluminum channel sized to fit the glass you have? With the proper hardware, you could have dbl hung, awning or fixed for sure. If he's a commercial fabber should be no problem.
best of luck.
A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Certainly there's nothing to say that the windows aren't fine. Where I work they removed probably 500 perfectly good roughly 4' x 6' double-pane windows and replaced them with tinted glass. Most of the removed stuff they just smashed into a dumpster.
For fixed windows there's noting wrong with using wood frames. Just construct an opening, install one set of stops, slide the glazing in (don't forget to set on pieces of rubber), then install the other set of stops. The challenge is to keep the opening square and flat, so the glass fits properly.
Or regular commercial aluminum framing with a heat break would work, of course.
Commercially, they're often installed with a rubber gasket instead of a frame. You might see if these were installed that way and your buddy saved some gaskets.
Movable frames require more thought.
Be sure to hold back a few pieces as spares. The units don't take kindly to handling and some may develop fogging.
happy?
Try Kentucky & Indian Lumber Co. @ (502) 637-1401 or Boland Maloney Lumber Co at (502) 426-6121. Both have sash and door millwork departments. I have used Boland extensively over the years for custom millwork. Neither will be cheap, but will work with you to make what you want.
Not exactly close to you in Louisville KY, but a phone call and a few hours drive may get-r-done.
Dave
Calvin, Dan, & Dave,THANKS! See I knew I'd forget some seemingly 'minor' detail. grrr The friend no long works there and we called the company offering to hire them to do the ALL the glazing work. There response, "We don't do any residential work now, no we can't refer you to a company that does...." in essence, 'go away, don't bother us'. 70383.4 in reply to 70383.1 >Try Kentucky & Indiana Lumber Co. @ (502) 637-1401 or Boland Maloney >Lumber Co at (502) 426-6121. Both have sash and door millwork >departments. I have used Boland extensively over the years for custom >millwork. Neither will be cheap, but will work with you to make what >you want.
>
>Not exactly close to you in Louisville KY, but a phone call and a few >hours drive may get-r-done.Dave, based on possibly finding a solution to framing windows, sans wood frames which require seemingly annual 'care', the 2 hour 120 mile trip to Louisville is a 'NO BRAINER'! Thanks to all for the instant positive responses complete with suggestions! Others, more info on the window (glass) manufacture, the type ?low E? of glass, gas, if any, etc.Mrs. Robin A-W
Boland Maloney!! My dad used to buy lumber from them when he did woodworking back in the 50s. My sons each have a cherry endtable he made with their lumber. There's also a large drop-leaf cherry dining table in the home where my brother lives now. Unfortunately that will probably end up being sold, since no one has room for it.
If ignorance is bliss why aren't more people
happy?
I've had an account with them for nearly 20 years. The quality of the lumber has diminished over the years, but not the service. An order over $300 gets me free delivery, while the same order a mile down the road at HD gets me a $35 charge for delivery. Boland will pick up culls and overages, no charge, while have to haul the stuff back to HD and go through the return line.
No brainer to me, and the lumber quality off the delivery truck is better than than Lowes or HD, and only pennies difference in price.
Last time I price 4/4 cherry there a few years ago it was over $4.00 a BF. Ouch!
I have had both K&I and Boland build replacement sashes for me. Mostly on homes in the historical preservation category. Both did excellent work. That one off stuff is expensive and the hysterical preservationist are sticklers for the authentic look of replacements.
Dave
There is an AFG glass company.
http://www.afgd.com/
Maybe they can give you the specs.