A good porch layout is about more than simply filling the available openings. Window width, height, center bars, doors, and mull locations all affect how the finished porch looks and how the windows operate.
If you are building new or reframing an existing porch, it is worth thinking through the window layout before finalizing every opening.
Start With Window Width
For most Xtend Porch Window layouts, we like individual window widths in the 36" to 42" range.
This gives you a good-sized window while keeping the individual sashes easy to operate. It also keeps the window within the range where a center bar is not required.
Xtend windows can be made wider, with 48" being our recommended maximum width for a single unit, but wider is not always better. Larger sashes can be more difficult to operate, and once the sash width exceeds 42", a center bar is required.
What About Center Bars?
Xtend windows 42" wide or narrower do not require a center bar. Once the sash width exceeds 42", a vertical center bar is required for support.
That is one reason 42" is an important number when planning a new porch. Sometimes changing an opening by only a few inches can eliminate center bars and create a cleaner view.
Center bars do not change the price of the window. They can also be added to narrower windows at no additional cost. If one window on an elevation requires a center bar, some homeowners choose to add them to the other windows so the vertical lines remain consistent.
You can also learn more about how center bars affect appearance and window design in our Center Bar information.
Keep Window Heights Consistent
Whenever possible, we recommend keeping windows the same height along an elevation.
This allows the horizontal sash lines to line up from window to window and gives the porch a cleaner, more intentional appearance.
Different widths are usually much less noticeable than different heights.
Mulled Units Give You More Flexibility
A wide opening does not necessarily need one wide window.
Xtend windows can be mulled together, allowing several appropriately sized windows to fill a much larger opening without adding framing between every window.
This can be a great way to keep individual windows in the 36"–42" range while still creating a wide opening with minimal interruption.
The mull itself is not structural and cannot support the roof above.
Plan the Door Early
Door location can affect the rest of the window layout.
We manufacture single Xtend doors, so it often helps to decide where the door will go first and then divide the remaining space into window openings. Doors can open into or out of the porch, but always mount from the outside.
In some projects, another manufacturer's door may be a better fit. That is completely fine. The Xtend windows can simply be designed around it.
Plan Before You Frame
If you are still in the design or framing stage, take a look at our new-construction information before finalizing the openings.
Small changes in opening size can sometimes:
- Eliminate unnecessary center bars
- Improve window operation
- Create cleaner horizontal sightlines
- Make the layout more balanced
- Simplify the framing
If you are unsure about the best layout, send us a sketch with the overall dimensions. We are happy to help work through the options before the openings are finalized.
