Face dimensions
Frame, sash, mullion, and muntin widths shape the elevation from near and far.
Specialties / Historic replication
Preserve the character.
Improve the window.
Successful replication begins with the details people may never name—but immediately notice: profile, proportion, shadow, glass, and operation.
Discuss a historic project
Start with what matters
Match more than
the opening.
A replacement can fit perfectly and still change the architecture. The new frame must carry the same visual rhythm as the original.
Depth and shadow
Reveals, setbacks, and projecting elements determine how light moves across the opening.
Grid and proportion
Lite sizes and divisions should reinforce the building’s original order.
Operation
Hung, projected, casement, and fixed units each create distinct joints and sightlines.
A precise material for replication
Why aluminum
works so well.
It can recreate the disciplined geometry of an original window while supporting the needs of the building today.
With the right system and detailing, aluminum can deliver narrow sightlines, custom panning, carefully proportioned grids, and consistent profiles across an entire elevation.
Durable finishes support color matching, while modern fabrication allows new glass, improved operation, and current performance requirements to be integrated with control.
Adaptable profilesConsistent sightlinesDurable finishesModern glazing
The detail behind the glass
The frame is only
half the story.
The glazing pocket, edge cover, putty line, and available depth determine what the window can accept.
Historic steel and wood windows were often designed for thin monolithic glass. Before selecting a replacement, the existing section needs to be understood—how the glass is retained, how much edge is covered, and how much room is available.
Where VIG can help
Thin-profile vacuum insulated glass can create possibilities where a conventional insulating glass unit simply will not fit.
Explore vacuum glass
A practical way forward
Document first.
Compare carefully.
The best starting point is a clear record of what must be preserved and what the new window must accomplish.
- 01
Frame, sash, mullion, and muntin profiles
- 02
Opening dimensions and perimeter conditions
- 03
Operation, hardware, and ventilation goals
- 04
Glass appearance, thickness, and performance
- 05
Finish, color, texture, and exterior shadow lines
Bring the detail
What does the building
need us to preserve?
Send the existing drawings, window schedule, profile photos, or simply the condition everyone is trying to solve. You do not need to have the replacement system selected.
Start the conversation