Andersen double casements confusion, and how their catalog download into Chief can further it.

[GeneDavis]

Some of my work involves producing wall framing elevations that get used by a components plant that panelizes.  And that means I care about getting ROs correctly done for the windows and doors.  If your work involves windows generically sized and you've no idea what they'll buy for the jobs you draw, you can stop right here.  This post ain't for you.

 

The common product line is series 400 for my clients, whether it is double hungs, casements, sliders, or patio doors.

 

What tripped me up on a recent job was this:  Andersen Series 400 casements are factory built as doubles and even triples, with a mullion between sash that is slimmer than two side jambs sandwiched together.  See the section pics here.

 

See in the pic of the vertical integral join section (a.k.a. mullion) that there is an 11/16" wide part of it on the exterior side beween sash?  Now look at the way Andersen depicts a double casement on their sizing chart page, and how one is depicted in Chief using Andersen's catalog, which I just downloaded in put into my library.

 

 

Chief on left, Andersen size chart on right.  See any mull between?

 

Without using anyone's Chief catalog for windows, which was before today, I'd make a double anything, awning, casement, doublehung, or fixed, by inserting two and jamming them together.  Then, to be sure of my widths, I'd look up online how the maker does simple nonstructural factory joins, and get the 1/16" or 1/8" or zero or whatever, and they're all different, Pella, Andersen, Marvin, etc., but I'd have it.  And if you look it up for Andersen for series 400, it's a piece of something 1/8" thickness.

 

I did not say up front, but there will be math, and here it is.  Wanting a double casement in Andersen's 400 series at "24" width, or two foot four inches, the chart tells me each unit has a frame width of 28 3/8" and the mull join detail I found (and am making a mistake using it) shows 1/8", I join them then gap them 1/8" and blockmull them and have a unit that is 2 * 28.375 + .125 = 56 7/8" unit width.

 

Gong!  goes the bell.  Wrong.  Wrong?  Because the single-unit-build-with-the-the-join-mull ends up with a unit size 7/8" narrower, or 56".  I can hear the carpenters doing the window install yelling !WTF! already.  

 

So if you are a picky guy or gal, and you care about these little things, beware.  Neither Chief nor Andersen depicts a double casement properly in 2D elevation views, and you gotta fake widths to get the right size in your model and on your con docs.  Finally, look carefully at the manufacturer's sizing charts to see if they are building multiples this way.

 

 

 

 

[Doug_N]

Thanks for posting this Gene!