Fiberglass Windows

Fiberglass Windows

Glassmakers have experimented with using glass fibers throughout history. While many people have used glass fibers as a reinforcing agent in materials (including a dress displayed at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exhibition), the fiberglass we use today was invented by Russell Games Slayter in 1938. The material was used as insulation for these fiberglass windows. The Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation was formed and they sold fiberglass in continuous strands. Until then, fiberglass had only been made as staple, meaning that it was produced in discrete and consistent lengths. Originally, fiberglass was used as insulation, but today we have learned to manipulate the material into a variety of shapes and sizes that can be used in constructing buildings.

Fiberglass offers some advantages over many other materials in window construction. Unlike wood, fiberglass windows do not warp or rot. Unlike vinyl, it will not sag or crack. Fiberglass also has the distinct advantage of expanding and contracting at a similar rate as glass. When temperature change occurs, all materials swell or contract accordingly. What makes fiberglass windows stand out in relation to glass is that their rate of change is nearly the same. Aluminum expands at a rate three times greater than glass. Vinyl expands at a rate seven times greater. These mismatched expansion rates create tension on the window that over time will result in needed repairs. Because of fiberglass and glass’s similarities, though, there is less tension and therefore less strain placed on the window.

Fiberglass Window Boxes

Fiberglass window boxes offer many of the same advantages as fiberglass windows. They will not corrode, rot, warp, sag, or crack, and they are easily installed. Adding these boxes to a home allows flowers to be planted outside the windows, giving a pleasant style to the home’s exterior. The fiberglass boxes are easy to install and will outlast those made of many other materials.

Milgard Fiberglass Windows
Fiberglass windows are not only functional, but can also be fashioned into attractive additions to a home. Milgard fiberglass windows mimic the look of wood windows. They offer an Ultra series that looks surprisingly similar to painted wood, and a Woodclad series that mimics the look of real bare wood. These styles offer the same durability as other fiberglass products. While they may look like wood, they do not give the same problems that wood will give over time. The cracking, warping, and rotting are simply not an issue the way that they are with actual wood.