Milgard's product lines of wooden, vinyl, fiberglass, and aluminum frames offer unmatched customization options; from the interior and exterior window frames themselves to the window grids, styles of operation, colors, glass panel appearance, and window hardware. All frame materials can be tailored for double-hung windows, horizontal sliders, casement windows, radius casements, awning windows, picture, and radius windows.
Let's take a look at what distinguishes frame materials from each other to see what's the better choice for your home.
Milgard's wood windows
Even though wood is more vulnerable than all the other window materials, it is nevertheless loved for its authentic and organic look. Wood may require the occasional resealing and repainting but it is considered worth the effort to many homeowners. The interior frames can be one of three types of solid wood: pine, clear vertical grain douglas fir, or primed wood. The exterior frame can be from a whole host of colors to match your home siding.
The new Essence Series radius casement window, in particular, is a beautiful, simple, and lightweight design that allows for a wide range of view, matches many architectural styles, and has an elegant interior look. So simple, in fact, that the hinges and shutters are hidden from plain sight to maintain its minimal and clean appearance.
The benefits of wood frames:
- Natural insulator.
- Natural appearance.
- Provides warmth for the home.
- Saves energy costs.
Milgard's fiberglass windows
The strength and flexibility of fiberglass are what make it so special. Its ability to contract and expand at the same rate as that of the glass makes it require very little upkeep and maintenance. With two lines of fiberglass frame products, Milgard's Ultra and WoodClad series feature an array of personalizations to make your windows look unique. Fiberglass windows can hold heavier glass panels, making them ideal for sizable fixed (picture) windows and the like.
The Ultra series features regular fiberglass but it is the WoodClad series that steals the show with its interior wood veneer. Combined with warm colors, these beautiful windows can provide your home with the benefits fiberglass is known for while maintaining that earthy look of clear vertical grain douglas fir on the inside. The grid patterns themselves can also be personalized to be your choice between wood and fiberglass.
The benefits of fiberglass frames:
- Can withstand more glass weight.
- Low-maintenance.
Milgard's vinyl windows
Vinyl has so many variations because many chemicals can be added to it to achieve different qualities such as resistance to heat or hurricane impact. This is evident in Milgard's four window series that are exclusive to vinyl frames.
Milgard's vinyl windows have four product lines to suit your taste and usage:
Tuscany series.
The strongest of Milgard's four vinyl lines, the Tuscany Series is built and tested to withstand impacts, storms, and hurricanes.
Montecito series.
A high performing window frame that is specially made for new construction while offering a contemporary look. The Montecito series is the vinyl series of choice for garden window frames.
Style Line series.
The ideal series for side-by-side windows, Style Line is made to provide greater visual access to the outside world by up to 15% as Milgard's mantra suggests, "more glass, less frame."
Quiet Line series.
If you live downtown, near a railway, or an airport, the Quiet Line window series can protect you from the distracting noise pollution. The sound control featured with these windows stems from double glazing, thicker glass, and a built-in sound panel. Where double glazed windows normally have a 28-32 sound transmission class (STC) rating, Milgard's Quiet Line series achieves an STC rating of 48.
The benefits of vinyl frames:
- Extremely energy efficient.
- Very low-maintenance.
- Can last the life of the house.
- Sound proofing properties.
Milgard's aluminum windows
Aluminum frames conduct cold and heat the poorest out of the rest of their vinyl, fiberglass, and wood counterparts. Milgard uses polyurethane to seal the frames into place to improve their thermal efficiency and to get what they call Thermally Improved Aluminum windows. Milgard's aluminum series feature four colors that emphasize the interior and exterior frame, and these are white, tan, clear anodized, and dark bronze anodized.
The benefits of aluminum frames:
- Slim and slick appearance.
- Light yet strong.
- Smooth to the touch.
- Long lasting.
- Low-maintenance.
Hardware
Milgard's prized possession is the SmartTouch lock that comes with most of their windows. A locking mechanism that's operable with one swift motion, the SmartTouch lock has received an Ease-of-Use Commendation from the Arthritis Foundation. It has five finishes to choose from to match with the rest of your home, and these are white, clay, satin nickel, brushed chrome, and oil-rubbed bronze.
