A bay window is a type of window unit that pushes outward from the exterior wall of a building to create additional interior space within a building’s room. When specifying a bay window for a building, the designer must decide on three main characteristics of the bay window: the angle of its sections, the depth of its projection out from the wall, and the width of the bay window unit itself. Each of these characteristic of a bay window will help to determine the function that the bay window will have within the room in which it is installed.
The angle of the bay window is measured in degrees, and the angle of the bay window will help to determine the shape of the interior space created by that bay window. A bay window that features a thirty-degree angle will remain relatively flat against the exterior wall of the building, and will provide relatively little additional interior space for the buildings room. A bay window that features a forty-five degree angle will balance the depth of the window against the remainder of the rooms dimensions, and is, therefore, one of the most common choices for bay windows installed in residential home.
How to Choose a Bay Window
Finally, a bay window that features a ninety-degree angle will create an interior space in the form of a box within the room, and will provide the most usable interior depth for the rooms space. The projection depth of a bay window is the distance that the bay window extend outward from the wall of the building. The projection depth will help to determine whether the interior space created by the bay window is to be used as a sitting area.
For instance, an eighteen-inch projection depth is generally too shallow to allow for comfortable sitting, and is, therefore, mostly decorative. A twenty-four-inch projection depth is one that provides a balance between allowing for comfortable sitting while minimizing the structural effort require to install the bay window. Finally, a thirty-inch projection depth provide enough space to accommodate cushions or storage units, but requires more structural work to install the bay window.
The width of the bay window should match the scale of the room in which it is to be installed. The width of the bay window will help to determine the function of the bay window within the room. For instance, bay windows that are relatively narrow in width are best used in areas of a home that have limited space, such as bathrooms or small bedrooms.
Medium-sized bay windows may best be used in dining room or standard bedrooms. Finally, bay windows that are wide in size are generally used in living rooms, where they can help to become a focal point of that room. It is, therefore, not necessary to choose the largest bay window available to fit a rooms opening; bay windows that are too large may create visual challenges for the room, whether they are too large for the dimensions of the space itself, or whether they are too small to be visual interesting for the residents of that building.
Bay windows require some type of support for installation into the buildings exterior wall. The specific type of support required may vary based off the projection depth of the bay window. Bay windows that have shallow projection depths may be supported by cable system that are anchored above the bay window.
Bay windows with medium depths may require the installation of knee brace to support the bay window. Deep bay windows and bay windows that have a box-shape interior require the installation of a full foundation wall to support the weight of that deep bay window. The builder of the exterior wall should provide the support system for any bay window correctly, or the bay window may sag over time.
The roof of a bay window can have a major impact upon the cost of installation of the bay window. For instance, bay windows that feature flat roofs are among the less costly bay window designs. However, someone must waterproof the flat roofs of bay windows to prevent water damage to the buildings exterior wall.
Alternatively, bay windows that have pitched hip roofs will shed any water that falls onto the buildings exterior wall, reducing the chance of water damage to the building. Additionally, someone can use materials like copper to construct the roof of the bay window to increase its durability, but at the cost of increase the buildings budget for that installation. Bay windows have interior components, such as the height of the seat and the depth of the cushions.
These components must be selected in relation to the projection depth of the bay window. For instance, bay windows have standard sill heights of eighteen inches, which often allow for individuals to sit upon standard bench seating. The projection depth of the bay window will determine the area of the bay window that can be used for sitting.
For instance, a projection depth of twenty-four inches will allow for the installation of a standard cushion for sitting. Finally, bay windows that have deeper projections allow for the installation of storage drawer or lids for the bay window, which can provide an additional benefit to the features of the interior of the building. Before ordering a bay window for a building, the designer is required to determine the rough opening of the bay window, the projection depth of the window, and the type of angles of the bay window sections.
Each of these dimensions should be ordered two inches in size larger than the rough opening of the bay window to allow for the shimming of the bay window into the opening. Finally, the type of glass that will be used for the bay window should also be ordered in advance. Because bay windows contain more glass than flat windows, they will be more susceptible to damage caused by temperature change within the exterior walls of the building.
Therefore, bay windows that use low-emissivity glass and triple-pane glass will experience less heat loss from the building, and will be usable within the building throughout the year.
