Help choosing window materials and brand for NW contemporary
mbishop22
9 years ago
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kayakboy
9 years agomillworkman
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Counter Height Garden Window - Help Choosing Brand
Comments (6)Garden windows are a big hole in your home's thermal envelope. In your location, R-21 is recommended with high density cavity insulation and external foam sheathing. Even with insulated glass, you can barely get R-5 in a garden window. Because of the temperature differential between your home's walls and the window, you will get condensation on the window. Condensation with a wood window is a problem that is waiting to happen. In very cold weather, it can freeze against the glass and loosen the glazing leading to more compromise in the home's envelope. They are notoriously leaky, both from exterior water penetration due to improper flashing and the already mentioned interior condensate issue. If you do choose to add one of these to your home, choose fiberglass, as previously recommended. Fully understand your home's exterior drainage plane and how proper flashing of the window is to occur. That is your line in the sand when it comes to water entering your home. Keep condensation mopped up as much as you can. Plan now for how to accomplish that, because these windows are difficult to reach and maintain from the interior. If you want to grow outdoor plants in them like herbs, plan on adding supplemental full spectrum lighting for the window now. Grow lights aren't the prettiest things, but without them, outdoor plants get leggy and sickly. Spider mites are a given, even with proper lighting, but a spritz of horticultural oil will take care of them. If you will be watering the plants in place rather than placing them in your sink to water, be sure to use saucers. You want to keep the water runoff minimized. The use of saucers can lead to fungus gnats if you don't empty those saucers and allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Growing outdoor plants indoors can be rewarding, but it's also a lot more work and the plants aren't nearly as happy even with that work....See MorePlease help with choosing window treatment in new kitchen!
Comments (21)Thanks so much for all the comments, suggestions and photos. I agree with most that I could use some color/fabric in here. I decided abruptly the other day to just go order those 2" fabric blinds from Lowes. There's something about them I like, and the price was so low, (compared to a roman shade, esp. one from Smith & Noble) I figure they will be OK for a while and will solve the immediate problem of the glaring sun. If I don't love them (likely), Ill start saving up for a custom fabric shade which I do think Id like the most. I'm just in that too tired to think anymore spot & wanted to get something up. Also I didn't expect this but the woman at Lowes told me I can even return them if I hate them so theres no risk! I didn't think you could return a custom size blind...that's a perk of shopping the big box stores I guess. The pictures were very helpful as I realized maybe I could try a runner or 2 on the floors in the kitchen to add some color? I notice a lot of the kitchens posted above have nice runners. Mommyto4boys - Thanks so much for the compliments, seriously it makes me feel so good. Especially in regard to my dining room/fireplace. I had originally wanted to do built-ins flanking the fireplace (went back and forth on if I'd do white or dark stain). Our budget ran out though, and so I'm living with the 2 pieces of furniture we already had. The china cabinet on the left is black, the other cabinet is a liquor/bar cabinet from Ikea and its a dark brown. The fireplace was red brick with a oak mantle shelf, brass screen and dark gray slate hearth. I whitewashed the brick, changed the screen and painted the mantle White dove. I think your dark built ins will look great! What does your fireplace look like?...See MoreNeed help choosing modern minimalist windows
Comments (16)Not a pro ... but Loathe "fixed" windows ... but I live in a rural area, have plenty of shade around my home, wider than average roof overhang on all but one (site of a future porch, hopefully, and I choose to leave my windows open from early spring thru late fall. To me, side/slide windows (without the internal cross pieces intended to make them look as if they have six or more small window panes), especially window and door frames with narrower frames (especially metal) and dark (black) color, have a much more modern look than any lift/raise window made of any material. Don't sacrafice the practical for a look you currently like -- tastes change. Do choose double window panes rated (heat/cold) for your area....See MoreWe need help in choosing Windows in new construction
Comments (53)So, your double pane U-Factor appears to be a 0.27. Good, but what about that "will add thermal performance that far exceeds the vinyl options". I am quoting you directly from above about 6 posts ago. There are more than a handful of vinyl windows that will best that thermal performance in the case of double pane and more than a handful that equal or best the thermal performance numbers that you show in triple pane. To be certain, 0.15 is a good U-Factor, but it is only equivalent in this case to just the handful of vinyl windows that I know of personally not to mention the more exotics that are designed solely around performance. I do love nice wood windows, but to claim they are more efficient because of the wood is sketchy science to put it mildly....See Moreamberm145_gw
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8 years ago
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