Avatar Walts

As cute as they are, I'd want an honest-to-goodness door. Unless someone is inside and not planning on going outside, who's doing the passing?

We considered this and did a door instead. Are there standard security features for a window operable from the outside?

You need a thermal break. Or you just introduced the outside straight into your inside, with all of the negative energy and insect implications that you can think of.

What about a window that is a pocket sliding window?

Interesting thought. I wonder if I have the space, and I can't check 'til I get home -- I don't have my house plan on this computer.

Avatar Walts

Oh, yeah ... didn't we all drool over that lovely kitchen! I think that pass-through is a bit more open than my plan will allow -- but it's such a lovely example.

As cute as they are, I'd want an honest-to-goodness door. Unless someone is inside and not planning on going outside, who's doing the passing?

No, I'm not with you here. We grill out CONSTANTLY ... well, in good weather. We are creatures of comfort. One of my husband's retirement goals is to get into competative BBQing.

We have a door around the corner /from the dining area ... but we're interested in a window, which would allow us to pass plates straight from the kitchen to the grilling area without carrying them to the door. If I were in the kitchen marinating the steaks, I could pass them through the window to him at the grill. Or if he's grilled a big turkey or is handling a hot plate, it would be convenient to pass it through the window /straight to the counter rather than walk the item through the door /into the kitchen.

Here's a mock-up of our kitchen /dining layout ... my quick drawing isn't well-proportioned, but it'll give you a rough idea:

We considered this and did a door instead. Are there standard security features for a window operable from the outside?

I'm thinking it'd lock from the inside, and someone inside would have to lock it before it would be usable.

You
need a thermal break. Or you just introduced the outside straight into
your inside, with all of the negative energy and insect implications
that you can think o

How's this different from any other door or window? I mean, they all open to the exterior -- do unique rules apply?

Thanks, All, for you thoughts and ideas.

I don't think you'd need to spring for the $$ for a special window, you could pass through a regular casement, sliding or hung window. Maybe a push-out casement? You might think about a retractable or swing screen if you wanted to use a regular window though.

Personally I have a thing about doors. I don't like corners in the kitchen so at your arrow I might very well add a door -- fully glazed? maybe a dutch door if you're not concerned with air sealing? But, that's why custom homes are nice, right, because we don't all like the same things ;-)

I don't know anything about outdoor kitchens or competitive BBQ, but if your husband is serious about grilling wouldn't it make sense to create a full outdoor kitchen for him? It seems inefficient to be passing stuff in and out of your kitchen if you could just add a prep sink and an undercounter fridge out there for him.

Just thinking outside the box a bit... does it have to be a window? If its not for a serving or seatimg area, could it just be a small opening big enough for a turkey that maybe has a roll up door that would be easy to operate from either inside or outside?

I
don't think you'd need to spring for the $$ for a special window,

No, I don't think a special window is necessary -- I'm just wondering what type is best. I'm kind of split between a sliding window and a casement window. I'm thinking no screen in this window.

Yes, it needs to be sealed against the outside air like any other window.

I don't want a door in this location.

I
don't know anything about outdoor kitchens or competitive BBQ, but if
your husband is serious about grilling wouldn't it make sense to create a
full outdoor kitchen for him? It seems inefficient to be passing stuff
in and out of your kitchen if you could just add a prep sink and an
undercounter fridge out there for him.

We have plans for a small outdoor kitchen, but it won't include a sink or a fridge -- and I don't plan to store anything outside. Regardless, things have to be moved between the two spaces.

Just
thinking outside the box a bit... does it have to be a window? If its
not for a serving or seatimg area, could it just be a small opening big
enough for a turkey that maybe has a roll up door that would be easy to
operate from either inside or outside?

No, I guess it doesn't have to be a window ... but it's going to be right next to a bank of windows, and it does need to look good next to them. I'm not sure about a roll-up door because I don't think it'd look good "rolled up" into the kitchen. But a lift-up type door -- I'm thinking of our SUV trunk's back gate that "lift" -- could work. I'm open to other types of windows, but I don't know what exists.

Thanks for the ideas.

Recommend a retractable screen you can retrofit later if you don't want to pay for an integrated unit. Maybe ask on Windows too. Good luck!

Sliding window

+easier for short person to open and close reaching over counter, ok for opening from exterior

- narrower potential opening, generally poorer air sealing

Crank casement

+easy for short person to open and close reaching over counter, good air sealing, wider potential opening

-hard to open from outside, possible concern about someone walking into an open sash

Push-out casement

+ok for opening from exterior, good air sealing, wider potential opening

-harder for short person to close reaching over counter, possible concern about someone walking into an open sash

Awning window (+/- similar to casements)

Tilt-turn window

+easy to open and close from inside, good air sealing

-expensive, when open can take up room in the kitchen

(didn't include hung window due to height)

We have a simple push out casement that I did not intentionally make to be a pass through, although we do often use it as such.
My BBQ deck is a couple steps down from the kitchen, but the open window is still within reach to pass food and plates through.

That is a Dutch door to the left that enters the kitchen. There is also another Dutch door to the right of the gas grill that enters the family room, which is the deck level.

I made a 7" wide window stool on the interior, which makes a nice shelf to place plates and such on.

We have double hung windows with half screens on our sitting bay. We chose the half screens for the view, but found that when the screen and lower half window is pushed up, we can use it as a pass through (with a bench to receive the food on the outside). The nice part is that with the screens down, the plates left on the sitting bay inside the screens is protected from the bugs.

My KD suggested a serving window to us but we decided against it because our door is just a few steps away. She described it as sliding like an accordion with a serving counter outside.

Like cookncarpenter, we didn't intend the kitchen window to be a pass through, but that's how it turned out. It's very convenient for dining outside and grilling. We have a push out casement with integrated retractable screen, and it works well. We don't have a shelf, so DH and I pass to each other. I'm thinking of making a narrow rolling cart so it doesn't have to be a two person operation. Or maybe I'm unnecessarily complicating things, and I should just add a shelf. :)

Ohhhh like cookncarpenters ideas...

This is common in southern Florida. Use granite, sintered, or solid surface for tops with exterior grade underlayment for a permanent installation.

Recommend a retractable screen you can retrofit later if you don't
want to pay for an integrated unit.

I really think I can do without a screen here. I've never opened my kitchen windows to bring in a breeze.

+easier for short person to open and close reaching over counter, ok for opening from exterior

Okay, this is a big concern. I'm not quite 5' tall, so whatever I do has to be easy for me to reach. I hadn't considered that, but it is an issue. I'm definitely leaning towards a sliding window now.

CookNCarpenter -- nice! Very much like what I'm thinking of. I see that you've brought in a little table ... I was thinking of installing a shelf on the side of the house, but a table would do.
This is common in southern Florida. Use granite, sintered, or solid
surface for tops with exterior grade underlayment for a permanent
installation.

It's not common here, but I can see why Floridians would use it. Materials ... noted.

Thanks, all.

Sliding isn't that much easier. I'm 5'5" and my slide open window over sink is a pain

Ohhh...very useful discussion (thanks MrsPete!). I'm in San Diego and want a pass-through window of some sort for year round outdoor dining - I've been stuck on how to implement. I know I want the window down to the counter (thermal break concept noted). I plan to use a white quartzite inside and would prefer to use the same material outside as this ledge will be under an upper deck (I've heard that some white quartzite might discolor over time in strong sunlight?).

The planned window, on the west wall, would be adjacent to an outdoor dining area in our side yard. Beyond that is the pool area (our house is sort of in the NE quadrant of the property with most space in the S-facing back and W-facing side). We most definitely want a window rather than a door (there are also doors on both walls, outside of kitchen area) because I want to be able to quickly hand out marinated meat for grill, finished kitchen items for outdoor table, or snacks to wet swimmers without actually having to walk outside. Speedier distribution means that something warm is likely to stay warm and the workload is properly distributed so that the cook only cooks and others set/clean up.

Nano windows are too expensive. Sliding windows are a contender but I'd prefer to have the entire width open. We are all tall (mom is 6' and I'm likely to be the shortest in 4-5 years), so double hung windows might have us all bending down awkwardly to the openings. I'd like to find a casement-style window that can open all the way back to lay flat against the outside wall. Most casement seem to open only about 90 degrees (if that), which would put glass right out into a walkway. I'm not so concerned about the screen as the breeze comes in another direction so I'd usually have this window open solely for distribution.

I do plan to blatantly steal Scrappy25's sitting bay with double hung windows/ledge for the south wall of the kitchen. It will be primarily for sitting and views outside (no cabinets on that wall), but will serve a quick pass-through if something is needed in the back yard... oh how I love Gardenweb and all you wonderfully creative people! Can't wait to hear what else comes of this discussion...