Aluminum Versus Steel for Gas Strut Windows
Let’s face it, you are supporting 40 to 80 pounds of glass above your head. When the window is in the open position the weight of the glass is on the back side of the sash frame. Steel frames are all one-piece front and back and welded in the corners - they are extremely strong and rigid.
Aluminum Extrusions have two separate pieces: a front section and a back section. These two sections are connected using two strips of rubber they call a thermal break because it separates the sections and doesn’t allow temperature to transfer which is true and works well so long as the frame is installed in a solid wall and kept in that position.
The problem here is when this extrusion is lifted in the air and the two aluminum sections become top and bottom (instead of front & back). The bottom section is only connected to the top section by two strips of rubber and this rubber is holding 40 to 80 pounds of glass above your head.
How long will this last? This rubber is expanded and retracted with heat and cold.
Aluminum expands at twice the rate as steel, causing most windows to loosen or tighten throughout the year.
Today’s discussion was primarily about the difference between a one-piece welded steel sash frame and an eight-piece bolt together sash frame being held together by rubber.
Next time we can discuss the support frame.
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