It is rare that you spend time looking at windows, because most people look right through them. However, windows are a curious thing because they seem simple, a glass rectangle in the wall. However, the process of making windows is more complicated because windows have to insulate your home as well as be stormproof. Here is a short 4-step guide into the complexities of creating windows.
- The Frame: Naturally, the first place to start with a window is a frame to put the glass in. This is often done by creating a long line of frame, cutting it at a 45-degree angle, and putting 4 pieces into the correct sized window.
- Glass: This is the exciting part. Usually glass is made into very large panels, and then shapes are cut out of it. The glass should also have any special coatings applied to it to improve insulation.
- Silicon and Sealing: A strip of silicon is added to the edge of the glass to improve the seal. If the glass has multiple panes then they should be sandwiched together and squashed to make a tight seal, with a gas such as argon in between them. This glass is now ready to be placed in the frame.
- Assembly: The glass can now be put into the frame and sealed to it. Now would also be the time to add any decorations such as muntin bars to the window. Now the window is complete, and ready to be sent off.
While making windows may be fairly simple and expected, there is some complexity to it. And while the average person will never make windows, it is always good to know how your home came to be.
