Guide to European Windows and Doors
European windows and doors offer unique functionalities and product options. In this product guide, we’ll take you through the portfolio of available products, as well as the most relevant product characteristics and configuration options.
Learn about everything, from the difference between an assembly and a curtain wall, to the frame materials and their advantages to your glazing options and available accessories.
Tilt & Turn is the signature European windows functionality
About European Windows
The signature European window product is the Tilt and Turn window. It was designed with ease-of-use and performance in mind. If you turn its handle by 90 degrees, it opens like a normal door to the interior of the room. If you turn the handle by another 90 degrees, it opens like a Hopper window to allow for easy ventilation. (Check out this blog post for more details and a video).
Tilt and turn windows can be combined with fixed window elements to create more interesting window layouts in one assembly.
Nearly all European tilt and turn windows come with multi-point locking and multi-layered seals as standard, contributing to their high level of security and excellent thermal, water and sound performance. Additional locking points and seals can be incorporated as further upgrades to the functioning elements.
Some European window systems also allow for outward opening awning configurations, and most can be equipped with triple-pane glazing. Check with us in case you’re not sure if these options are available for your preferred product line.
About European Doors
European window and door systems offer various configuration options that differ in terms of functionality and appearance. Here are the most important ones:
Entrance Doors
European Entrance Doors are designed to impress in large openings.
Their sturdier profiles maximize sizes and feel substantial and secure while operating smoothly. They’re available in fully glazed configurations that offer various degrees of privacy by using obscured glazing panes, or they can be delivered with a variety of panels using the same surface finishes as the frames to match more-color driven designs.
How to use European door products in your designs
Use glazed Entrance Doors as the impressive gate into a modern home
Fully align window and door openings visually by using Patio Doors
Use Lift and Slide Doors to span large horizontal openings while maintaining ease of use
Minimize the sightlines in less frequented openings with sliding doors
Merge indoor and outdoor spaces with Folding Doors
They are available in both inward and outward-opening configurations, and come with a wide selection of handles and locking mechanisms.
Some European manufacturers also offer pivot doors, which allow even bigger, more impressive openings. When selecting pivot doors, it is recommended to use them only in areas protected from driving rain. For nearly all European entrance doors, a variety of sidelights and transom windows can be implemented in a single assembly, allowing nearly limitless design freedom.
Patio Doors / Balcony Doors
Patio Doors, also called Balcony Doors, are an excellent option when you’re looking to seamlessly match the look of your windows and doors.
Made from the same profiles, the patio doors have similar face widths and stylings as their corresponding window products. While they come with low thresholds, multi-point locking, and can be delivered both glazed and with painted panels, they have thinner frame widths/depths and less locking options compared to European entrance doors.
Depending on the manufacturer, many patio doors also offer Tilt and Turn operation, just like their window counterparts. Similar to the entrance doors, patio doors can be combined with fixed window elements in a single assembly, allowing large openings to be filled with lots of glass and a minimal amount of framing.
Lift and Slide Doors
Lift & Slide open at the push of a finger
Lift and slide doors are the signature door product of European window and door systems.
As you turn their handle down, the sliding vent is lifted by a pulley system. In the lifted position, the door is fully released from its seals and has more clearance from the bottom rail. The door can now slide at the push of a finger.
They can span large openings and make for extremely impressive design elements that can open your rooms in a different way.
Choose from a range of threshold designs, including completely flush thresholds. These doors also offer an impressive range of configurations, combining fixed and functioning elements to achieve multi-slide stacking, pocketing, and completely cornerless openings with nearly limitless opening widths.
Check out our blog post on Lift and Slide Doors to learn more.
Sliding Doors
European sliding doors are all about thin sightlines without sacrificing function or stability.
Manufactured with high-end rolling elements and nearly unlimited panel configurations, these doors offer innovative designs which visually overlap the structural support members giving a very sleek appearance.
For the ultimate in premium, near-frameless sliding doors, European door manufacturers have also pioneered the use of structurally-glazed sliding doors. These doors are supported by the glass itself, allowing impossibly thin frames and panel overlaps.
Folding Doors
Folding doors maximize the use of space.
Folding doors look like a row of glass doors when closed and work like an accordion when opened.
By stacking the individual vents on one or both sides of the opening, they allow for maximum use of the space.
Folding doors provide a more obstructed view compared to lift and slide doors when closed (due to the frames of each individual panel), but the opening size that is possible with the panels folded is unbeatable. This is the main driver for selecting a folding door over a sliding door. The panels can be stacked on the interior or exterior, and depending on the configuration, one of the panels can function as a normal door without needing to open the other panels.
Assemblies and Curtain Walls
Assemblies and curtain walls don’t represent specific functionalities, but they offer solutions for large openings that cannot be filled with a single window or door element. They are usually a combination of fixed and opening windows, but can also incorporate full sized doors.
Assemblies combine different functionalities into one frame.
Assemblies (as opposed to curtain walls) are put together in the factory and are essentially large frames that are subdivided into different windows and door openings. They can be installed as one piece, but are limited in size and weight based on transportation and on-site handling capabilities.
On the other hand, curtain walls are delivered disassembled, even though they are pre-engineered with all profiles, parts, and glazing panes cut to size by the fabricator (imagine Lego for window pros).
They can be used for any size and fashion of opening (curtain walls are used on skyscrapers, too), but they require significant pre-planning and on-site assembly by experienced installers.
Materials used in European windows and doors
Materials and surface finishes range from basic white vinyl to steel with automotive grade coatings in any color that you can imagine.
The material choice influences everything from maximum sizes and face widths to durability and longevity. To choose the best material for a project, preferences, characteristics, and budget need to be considered.
While final product prices are impacted by additional factors like glazing choices, specific surface finish choice and size requirements, the price hierarchy (in ascending order) is usually vinyl, wood with aluminum cladding, aluminum, and steel.
European window systems are available in multiple materials.
Aluminum offers the perfect balance for window, door, and facade systems. It provides better pricing than steel, while outperforming vinyl in terms of stiffness and durability. Powder coatings and thin face-widths enable high-end designs and excellent longevity. Premium thermal performance values are achieved through the incorporation of innovative thermal breaks, designed to block the transfer of heat between the interior and exterior profiles.
Aluminum-Clad Wood combines the warmth of wood on the interior with the durability and longevity of aluminum on the exterior. The interior wood can be stained or painted in a wide range of colors, while the exterior aluminum cladding offers the same coating and color options as the full aluminum products. Select various configurations like hidden sash systems which offer the same outer profile for both fixed and functioning windows.
Steel products are the best fit whenever design and durability requirements leave no room for compromises. While it’s the most expensive material, its stiffness, strength, and elegance are unmatched. Similar to aluminum, the coating and color options are almost unlimited. The largest openings and the most secure windows and doors are achieved through the use of steel profiles in combination with special glazing.
Vinyl is the best option to maximize both thermal performance and value. Modern designs are offered at very affordable prices. Surface finishes range from standard white vinyl and colored vinyl to interior and exterior foils with elaborate colors and surfaces. Vinyl, by its nature, is an excellent insulator, so this material can be used to manufacture products with superior thermal performance. Many European manufacturers achieve over-sized units by incorporating steel profiles inside the vinyl frames to significantly increase rigidity.
Glazing used in European windows and doors
All our products can be equipped with different glazing configurations that match your requirements, and most European fabricators can implement fully customized glazing packages.
While not all combinations are possible on every window or door product (for example, not every window profile has enough space for a triple glazing package), you want to make sure that your selection matches your requirements in terms of thermal insulation, solar heat gain, and visible light transmittance.
Higher thermal insulation can be achieved by upgrading from double to triple glazing and adding a thermal coating to one or more glazing panes. Ask for the glazing U-value (Ug or Ucog) to determine how much thermal insulation the glazing provides. The lower the U-value, the better.
In warmer, sunny climates you want to make sure that the solar heat gain of your windows isn’t too high. Instead, choose a glazing package with a sun-protection coating to minimize cooling costs and carbon emissions. Ask for the solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) to see the rating of your glazing. The lower the SHGC, the less solar heat gain you will experience on the interior of the building. Keep in mind that the visible light transmittance will usually go down with the solar heat gain.
For a full deep-dive into your glazing choices, check out our blog post. It includes climate zone-specific recommendations that help you to get to the right numbers.
Accessories available for European windows and doors
Custom door handles can create appealing design elements.
Accessories can be clustered into three categories: design elements, functionality enhancements, and installation support.
Design elements include handles, hinges, and glazing grids. Handles are available in many different materials and colors, so it’s usually no problem to find one that you like. But if you have a specific design in mind, do ask about it upfront so that special orders can be accommodated.
Consider window handles with key locks to prevent unintended use from the inside, or choose premium design handles to deliver elevated aesthetics. Add vertical push bars to an exterior door for both ease of use and visual interest, or select a completely concealed, vertically-recessed handle (available from certain manufacturers) to achieve an avant-garde appearance.
Many windows and doors also offer various hinge options, including barrel-type or completely concealed hinges. Hinges are often available in multiple colors to best match the window or door color.
Glazing grids add simulated or true divided lights to any window or door layout. They are a great way to match existing designs, add visual interest, or accommodate more traditional looks. As they are add-on accessories, they do add to the product prices, so make sure that you're only considering them where necessary.
To enhance the functionality of your windows and doors, you can add matching insect screens, in-glazing shades, and smart locks to your product selections. Some products lines can also implement integrated glass barriers, transforming an upper level window into a Juliet balcony.
Another design enhancement available with many European doors are special thresholds. Depending on your environment and project requirements, you may select a threshold with additional weather protection, or you may select a completely flat threshold, blurring the lines between interior and exterior. The options will depend on the specific product lines you have picked, so check in with us to learn more about the available selections.
Installation support accessories include base profiles and frame extensions. Base profiles are often thinner than the actual window or door profile and lift the window or door off the ground so that flooring or sills can extend under the actual product. Check with us to learn which options are available to match your specific installation requirements.
Frame extensions make the frame wider on one or multiple sides of the main frame. This helps with non-symmetrical installation requirements such as changing siding or wall overlaps. Please contact us to learn more about incorporating frame extensions into you product selections.
Still struggling with navigating the variety of European window and door products? We’re here to help! Contact us for a free consultation to explore your options and get insights on best practices for your specific design challenge!
About Bauwerk Building Solutions
Bauwerk is a multinational business that connects US clients to an extensive network of European manufacturers of windows, doors, curtain wall systems, and more. We specialize in innovative and refined building products of the highest quality. Our offices are located in Charlotte, NC and Berlin, Germany.