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Aluminum Doors – Bi-fold, Lift and Slide, Regular Sliding and Stacking

In the 1980s, replacing aluminum with other materials such as PVC (vinyl) and fiberglass was the wave of the immediate future. It seemed to be obvious that aluminum doors were products of the past. After all, vinyl and fiberglass were warmer and less conductive of heat, making them easier to use to achieve great thermal results.

As we move farther into the 21st century, the obvious has proved to be wrong! Aluminum doors of all types have made a strong return and have become the clear choice for many homeowners. So, the question that has to be answered is, what has changed in the last 40 years?

Energy efficiency has historically been a major weakness for aluminum products. In fact, non-thermally broken aluminum doors do not even meet many building codes. Modern aluminum products have high tech thermal breaks that have often been designed using new computer-based simulation tools that are also used to test thermal efficiency. They can meet the most stringent building codes, such as the Ontario SB-12 energy requirements for residential homes.

Unlike many other materials used to make bi-fold, lift and slide or regular patio doors, aluminum is naturally structural and requires no reinforcements. Aluminum profiles can be much narrower, offering improved sight lines that don’t look bulky. The elimination of the bulky look is probably the number one reason homeowners are turning to these new, efficient aluminum products. Concerns resulting from increased awareness of high velocity winds occurring more frequently and in locations where winds had not previously been a problem, is a second reason often cited by homeowners. Given that these products have a very high percentage of exposed glass surface, use of modern and extremely efficient glass packages makes them very attractive in regard to heat retention or keeping heat out in summer.

Of course, the paint processes used for colour on aluminum are extremely durable and effective. They have great resistance to cracking, chipping and peeling as well as reducing solar degradation and fading.

Superior structure means that the product sizes of Bi-fold, Lift and slide and regular sliding doors can be larger and still safer. Homeowners are excited about the potential to literally have an exterior wall to a patio openable.

Many years ago, our government did a survey regarding how different materials used to manufacture windows and doors handled weathering and use. It was done using physical laboratory techniques to simulate usage over time. Aluminum proved to be the material that showed no degradation! You can be confident that, over time, your aluminum door products will stay functional.

What about cost? As a material, aluminum is one of the more expensive per pound, but given that the size of the products is large, the doors are mostly glass. Savings on reinforcement and design also compensate, bringing the higher quality aluminum products within the range of the PVC, wood and fiberglass products.

When do you choose a Bi-fold? You have a large exterior wall to a patio or yard where you want to maximize the opening. You can fold all the panels of the bi-fold to one side. Keep in mind that they will stack and project either in or out. Will you want a pleated hidden screen? It will have to be on the side where the panels are not stacking! If the opening is large enough, you may require two screens that meet in the center.

When do you choose a Lift and Slide? Answer this question! What door when closed gives you the best glass to framing material ratio, for the best view in a large size? Both the folding and stacking doors have multiple panels. The Lift and Slide is two panels (or four in an end vent version). While it doesn’t have the same degree of clear opening, when closed it creates the best view in a larger size.

When do you choose a two-panel sliding door? A two-panel sliding door cannot achieve the larger sizes that can be done with a Lift and Slide, but in smaller sizes it shares the same great glass to framing material ratio as the Lift and Slide. In smaller sizes, where the hardware of the Lift and Slide is less of a benefit, a two-panel sliding door is likely to be the most economical choice.

This leaves a Stacking Door option to consider! Like a folding door, a Stacking Door is made up of a series of panels, each on its own track. (If it is an extra wide door, two panels could be on each track and stack at opposite ends.) The advantages that Stacking Doors have on bi-fold doors are twofold. First, all panels stay in their track when open, so there is no concern for having a place either inside or outside for the panels to store. Second, bi-folds have high end hardware that the stacking door doesn’t require, making the Stacking Door a lower cost alternative.

As you can see, each door has its benefits! Now it is up to you to decide what is best for your home!

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Stacking Doors Toronto

We’re all familiar with a typical, two panel patio door where one panel slides on its track parallel to the second, fixed panelon a second track. In essence, this is a ‘two-panel’ stacking door because when open, the two panels are lined up parallel to each other. At Gem, including our high-tech lift and slide doors, we can make a two-panel door up to twenty-one feet wide, allowing a door at that size to have close to ten plus feet of actual clear opening width.

Whether your intent is to create better access to your yard from inside your home for your own enjoyment or doing a reno project to increase your home’s value, a stacking door is rapidly becoming an important option for your home’s accessibility. Stacking doors can open your home to more light, increase fresh air flow into your home and eliminate the barrier between in and out when you want to take advantage of summer days. Imagine having a seamless, easy flow of traffic between the inside kitchen and outside patioduring family gatherings. It would almost be as if your home had no boundaries!

Let’s get technical for a moment. What if you want to have ten feet of clear opening and don’t have an overall space of twenty-one feet in width (required for our largest lift and slide doors) with which to work? That is where a multi-panel stacking door will be your option of choice. For example, take a three-track stacking door that is fifteen feet wide. It will have three panels, each approximately four feet and ten inches wide. With the three panels stacked together, the result will be very close to ten feet of clear opening! How about a four-panel door where each panel is on its own track? A twelve-foot-wide door would have panels each just under three feet wide. When stacked together, a clear opening of around nine feet would result!

Whether vinyl stacking doors or aluminum stacking doors, you can see that these products create a lot of clear opening. Think about how you can use them! (Why vinyl or why aluminum? Vinyl is naturally warmer. Aluminum has more structure and will have a better glass to framing material ratio. Stacking door panels are smaller than patio door panels in the same size opening. Not only are they easier to operate, but you can open a single panel to control air flow. These days, many homes have problems when it is time to move large objects in or out. A stacking door makes moving that large piece of furniture easier to get into or out of your home. They can be used internally to provide flexible divisions and are becoming popular in commercial applications, such as restaurants, where a space can be divided to provide seating for a private party in one section and public space in the rest of the space when closed.But they can open up to a single large room for other events.

Stacking doors can feature many of the options you require. They can be coated in and out with many colours. A keylock is an option that allows you to enter your locked home through a back door. A product with as much glass as a stacking door has options for different Low E coatings and gas filling. If your home requires grills, that’s easy!

Perhaps the most important option is GEM’s retractable pleated screen. These screens cover the entire frame. The beauty is you can take full advantage of a beautiful evening, enjoying the outdoors feel, but free of those nasty insects that make actually being outside unpleasant and that under no circumstances should be allowed inside your home! Of course, rigid screens with fiberglass mesh allow for coverage of the opening created by a single sectional door panel.

Where should you go for stacking doors? I’m sure by now we don’t have to tell you! GEM is your source for the best options in stacking doors in Toronto.

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GEM winning “ENERGY STAR Regional Retailer of the Year” (Two years in a row!)

“Founded in 1961, Toronto-based GEM Windows & Doors differentiates itself by focusing on ENERGY STAR certified products, providing personalized service and professional installations, featuring innovative energy efficient products. Because of our concern for climate change, GEM maintains a long-term commitment to support the ENERGY STAR program and increase brand awareness of ENERGY STAR in Canada.” Key 2018 accomplishments include:

Development of a unique educational presentation to demonstrate the benefits of better performing, ENERGY STAR certified windows.

Assembled one of the largest selection of ENERGY STAR certified window and door lines in Canada with seven listed window manufacturers and three listed door manufacturers.

Maintained a highly visible lit digital billboard on The Queensway (a major thoroughfare in western Toronto / eastern Mississauga where traffic is 65,000 to 70,000 vehicles weekly) with a promotion that included the ENERGY STAR logo.

Installed a permanent sign promoting ENERGY STAR at the showroom entrance and Increased the use of the ENERY STAR logo throughout the showroom and online.

Integrated much of its marketing with the ENERGY STAR message.

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BiFold Doors

Opening the inside of your home with the outside environment is on the wish list for an increasing number of homeowners who appreciate the benefits of utilizing their outside space as an extension of their home, in season.

Let’s start by considering your bi-fold in winter months. Your highly efficient glass wall is designed to keep heat in and cold out. The large glass area maximizes daylight, for a healthier environment in dark winter months. When you need to let your pet outside, you’ll have a built-in hinged swing door as an end panel, letting in minimal cold air as it is able to be closed quickly. Now let’s skip forward to the benefits of your bi-folding door in summer. It’s a beautiful weekend afternoon and the family is looking forward to an outdoor meal on the patio. Of course, in the normal course of dining, there will be plenty of going back and forth from the outside dining table to the kitchen. Maybe for seconds, maybe to refresh a drink, but it always seems to be that someone is going in and out. You could be waiting your turn to go through a typical size door, but no need with your bi-fold door. Your bi-fold door will be open, with all its panels pushed to one side, making your patio an extension of your home! Yes, bi-fold doors can do that!

Your bi-folding door puts you in the driver’s seat when it comes to how you relate to your environment. You can manage your living space, including airflow and how your family and guests will move between the inside of your home and your outside living space. Its like having two different homes, but in one! Architects and designers love this concept because it removes some of the limitations created with a static wall of glass.

Sliding and stacking doors utilize multiple tracks, while our bi-fold door closes onto one track. Why should you care? Where the panels in a door with multiple tracks overlaps, there have to be numerous seals to bridge the gap between the two panels. With a bi-fold door, when it is closed, all the panels are located on a single plane, pressured against each other, eliminating potential air infiltration points of weakness between panels.

Bi-fold are coated with a high-tech surface in a variety of designer colours to meet your needs. The clean look of the vertical members is narrow and unobtrusive as is the hinging between panels. A variety of hardware finishes are available. Your thermal glass is, of course, tempered for safety. Your bi-fold can be in-wing or out-swing and sill options are available to meet your weather exposure situation. Concealed multi-point locking is a great security feature. Both ‘top hung’ and floor support models are available.

Ask about screen options but definitely consider our amazing retractable screen. A bi-fold and a retractable screen is a marriage made in heaven!

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Lift and Slide Doors

Today’s homeowners are designing and building homes with larger openings for doors. These openings offer panoramic views, quality natural light to the interior and create spaces that blend the inside and outside seamlessly. As a result, Lift and Slide doors that offer ease of operation, energy efficiency and lock tight are becoming a ‘go-to’ door product solution.

Assembled Lift & Slide Doors are available from GEM in two systems, the PremiDoor 76 with its standard high tech ‘barrier free’ threshold, and the PremiDoor 88. Our Lift & Slide Doors are made from European manufactured materials but assembled right here in Canada. They offer the ideal combination of performance, durability and style.

Want a two-panel door at 21 feet wide? No problem. Lift and Slide Doors are available in two, three or four panels in a variety of exterior and interior finishes and sizes.

What makes a Lift and Slide Door unique from a regular patio door is its high-tech hardware system. Rotate the large, comfortable handle. It will raise the panel and disengage the lock that holds the panel in place. You will be amazed at how little effort is required to move the panel. It glides!

Interior laminated wood grain? Not a problem/ Interior solid colours? Not a problem. Interior metallic colours? You guessed it, not a problem!

Manufactured in a Canadian production facility in, the Lift & Slide Door is tested to NAFS and NFRC standards.

With a Lift & Slide Door from GEM, add excitement to your home.

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Sound pollution and how to eliminate it!

In the early days of replacement windows, the sound was rarely an issue outside of the occasional bedroom that overlooked a busy street or highway. Times have certainly changed. Homeowners are in a war fighting increased noise pollution and their desire for their home to be a sanctuary and escape from… well from virtually everything!

I’m going to start this article with some terms that anyone who is concerned about sound levels will probably be confronted with as soon as they start to research technologies that provide serious sound reduction. (You may want to skip the next few paragraphs but save them for when these terms come up in your research!)

What is the meaning of ‘decibel’? A common definition is, “a degree of loudness”. So, reducing decibels is the same as reducing sound. However, this is not that helpful a term and rarely used in either codes or specifications.

STC means “Sound Transmission Class”. So, what does ‘Sound Transmission Class’ mean? Like many other rating systems, it is a single number that is intended to reflect how well a building partition limits conduction of sound through a surface.

So, what then does OITC mean? Outside Inside, Transmission Class is similar to STC, but a different formula. It should be the system used to measure sound going through windows and doors, but more often than not, STC is used. Anyone still reading, please take an aspirin before I continue.

The ability to throw around the above terms convincingly is how well-paid consultants justify their paychecks!

Let’s take the “Peabody Wabac(pronounced way-back) Machine” and return to the early days of thermal windows in the 1980s. After having their windows changed, many people remarked that their homes were quieter than before, particularly if they had replaced single pane windows. Thermal glass has a lower level of sound transmission than a single piece of glass. Add the improved seals and insulation around the windows and the effect can be quite dramatic.

Others were occasionally surprised to note that their homes were quieter before the new windows! It was not their imagination. A window with a storm window and both painted shut would likely have lower sound transmission than a typical thermal unit because the larger air space between the prime and storm window is more effective in reducing sound transmission than the smaller gap inside a sealed unit.

Over time, limiting noise pollution has become a more significant issue for many homeowners. Some companies take advantage of the value of a large gap between panes of glass by offering an internal storm window system, usually made from an acrylic panel and not glass. However, a major point of the industry going to sealed units was to prevent moisture from becoming trapped between the panels of glass and building upon the glass. Interior storms are not sealed, and condensation buildup is a significant, potential flaw.

Adding Argon or Krypton gas to a dual-glazed sealed unit was the next improvement to noise reduction. These two heavier gases do have a dampening effect on sound transfer in much the same way they reduce heat transfer.

Triple glass can have additional benefits in sound transfer reduction, however, the benefit depends on air space. Triple glazing with ¼” airspaces is barely better than a dual-glazed unit with a single 5/8” air space. Once again, air space size is a significant factor. Windows with sealed units that can utilize a 1 3/8” overall thickness can have two ½” air spaces and this does make a significant difference in sound transmission.

Going back to dual glazed units briefly, there is a technique that can have a noticeable effect in reducing sound transmission at a relatively low cost. Aha! This article has avoided the issue of cost. Yes, the cost will generally escalate as more effective methods of sound reduction are considered!

There is a benefit in manufacturing a sealed unit from the glass with different thicknesses. A 3mm thick piece of glass filters specific frequencies of sound. A 4mm thick piece filters a slightly different set of frequencies. Consider this as the effect of a filter. If you run something through two identical filters that are designed to filter the same thing, the second one is not overly effective compared to running something through filters designed to remove different things. Let’s say you have a filter designed to eliminate yellow and you run a rainbow through it. (Please just put up with me!). The first time a lot of yellow is eliminated. The second time, not so much. But, if you run the rainbow through a yellow filter and a blue filter, a lot more of the rainbow is eliminated!

So, even a sealed unit made with one layer of 3mm and another of 4mm has an effect reducing sound transmission. The same principle can work in a triple unit where one lite of glass is 4mm and the other both 3mm. Why not a 3mm, a 4mm and a 5mm? Wouldn’t that would work even better? Yes, it should, however, manufacturers will not do this because of the weight factor. It is simply too heavy for most operating windows.

We are down to our final and best option for serious sound transmission reduction. This is the use of laminated glass. Laminated glass is a sandwich made by bonding two pieces of glass with a soft mylar film between them. The film in the lamination tends to diffuse sound across the entire pane of glass, reducing its transition forward, into your home. A dual glazed sealed unit with one pane of laminated glass (usually a nominal 6mm thick piece) combined with a 3mm pane with a Low E coating has the same weight as a triple unit of 3mm glasses, but between the laminated glass and the single pane the airspace is significantly more effective at sound transmission reduction. If one laminated pane is really good, are two laminated panes even better? Absolutely, however residential windows are not designed for the weight of this kind of unit. Have we reached the end of our options?

Yes, and no. Not presently on the market but tantalizingly close is an entirely new product with tremendous potential for sound transmission reduction. Vacuum glass is lightweight, narrow and extremely effective. Why? For the same reasons that there is no sound transmission in outer space! Sound is a wave that requires a material to act upon and there is virtually ‘plenty of nothing’ between the glass in a vacuum sealed unit. (Not completely devoid of contact as there are micro-thin spacers, but close enough for a great improvement.)

Before you go running out to change your window order to vacuum glass, I must sadly tell you that it is not yet available in any practical way and can only be found in test labs. Ask again next year!

After all we’ve discussed, do any of these improvements guarantee that your home will be a quiet, serene paradise? Alas, no. Windows are only one component in your home’s outside envelope. Any flaw in the building envelope can be a problem. Badly insulated walls and roofs can significantly allow sound to leak into your home. If you choose to retrofit your windows into old frames, the old window frames may not be well insulated to the rough openings. Vents and flues can offer opportunities for sound penetration into your castle. These are the most likely culprits, but there could be others.

We live in a world of increasing noise pollution and homeowners like you want to be in control of their environments. At GEM we have the expertise to discuss your personal situation and requirements with you and can offer great solutions.

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Window Operating Control Device (WOCD)

When is the last time you heard a tragic story of a child falling through a window? Sadly, probably far too recently. Building codes have requirements for windows that are more than 72” (6 feet) above outside grade to have a special device called a WOCD or “Window Operating Control device”.

The 72” size means that all windows second floor and higher should be fitted with a WOCD or a 4” limiter to prevent accidental falls by children.

Often, a device that limits the opening of a window to no greater than 4” is an adequate safety measure, however they have one drawback. Some limiters like those traditionally used on casements are hard to disengage. In an emergency, they would likely prevent someone from using a window as a fire escape (to climb into the waiting arms of a fireman on a lift). Even second floor bedrooms require two egress exits and one is likely a window, so a fixed 4” limiter doesn’t meet the code.

Nite latches are called nite latches because they are not safety latches. They are too easy to disengage. In addition, any latch that once bypassed requires being actively reset is likely to not be reset.

A WOCD is a device designed so an adult can easily bypass its operation in limiting the window to 4” opening, but once the window is closed again, it resets itself to a 4” limit on opening! Casements: The Truth Safeguard WOCD device looks like a traditional 4” limiter, but it can be easily disengaged by an adult. A younger child would not likely be able to tamper with it, in much the same way that vials for drugs can be opened but require a bit of sophistication children are assumed to not have.

Double Sliding Windows: A WOCD for a sliding window looks similar to a nite latch and generally fits in the same slot. There are two important differences. The first is, there is a two-motion operation required to unset it from its locked, limiting position. This is its way of preventing small children from bypassing its operation. Second, after being bypassed by an adult, when the window sash passes by the device as the window is closed, it automatically resets to its limiting position.

Single Sliding Windows: The WOCD for a single sliding window function much the same as for a double sliding device with one difference. Instead of going into the punched in slot on a sash, the device for a single sliding window is surface mounted.

Help avoid a tragedy! Ask GEM for WOCD limiters on all appropriate windows.

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Intro for cartoon movie

OK, this little cartoon movie from the folks at ENERGY STAR would be perfectly at home with “The Jetsons”; but don’t let the light flavor of its construction detract from its common-sense message for any homeowner who is embarking on a journey for new windows and doors.

The problem for most homeowners is that purchasing windows is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Most people buy multiple cars in their lifetime. Many will even purchase more than one home. Very few people will purchase windows more than once in their life. As a result, even the most basic steps to acquiring new windows are extremely helpful.

There is no point in us describing the film’s contents, however we do want to point out some important facts that are mentioned in it that require additional clarification.

In describing the ideal window, there is a brief mention of insulated frames without any further information. Most vinyl windows are hollow with air chambers designed to make the frame thermally efficient. While this works, adding insulation into these empty cavities is a recognized improvement, which is why ENERGY STAR and Natural Resources Canada mention it. Many window manufacturers do not offer this, even as an option. At GEM windows we are certainly capable of supplying windows without additional frame and sash insulation, however we do have a variety of products where this option is available. Sometimes it is a low expansion foam, injected directly into the lengths of vinyl before they are processed into your window. Sometimes it is a preformed piece, shaped for the frame or sash cavities and inserted into the vinyl. Homeowners who want the extra benefit of foam should always discuss this with their GEM representative.

The video also makes a passing mention that you may have condensation on the inside surface of your old windows with the implication that new windows will eliminate, or at least reduce, this problem. While this is true, condensation is more complicated then this. Look for our blog that provides details of condensation’s causes and solutions, but here is a thumbnail of information.

Condensation means that the relative humidity of the air adjacent to the window is too high for the temperature of the surface of the window (usually the glass) to support. While the new windows will provide a higher surface temperature of the glass, the increased air tightness will prevent moisture in the air from exiting your home, increasing the relative humidity. Higher relative humidity increases the possibility of condensation. There are solutions! Seen our blog on condensation!

The film also mentions the importance of a quality insulation. GEM installers are Window Wise certified. This program is the best industry method of validating the competence of your installer. Some companies will tell you, “They don’t require third party validation because they are so good”. GEM doesn’t require it, but GEM chooses to give you this validation because we take pride in what we do.

Another part of the film talks about the three ENERGY STAR zones in Canada, with southern Ontario being in zone 2. This is accurate… today, but will not be accurate by 2020, when ENERGY STAR changes. In 2020, there will be one zone for all of Canada and the requirements will basically be the same as the requirements today for zone 3, the northern zone. So, our question to you is the following. If you want to have ENERGY STAR windows, do you want them to still be ENERGY STAR windows when the program changes its requirements? If you do, then please discuss what you need to purchase to receive zone 3 windows today. (Many Ontario citizens already did when they purchased their window under the 2018 GreenON program.) Whether or not you may want to sell your home in a few years and be able to still claim that your windows are ENERGY STAR, or simply want the assurance that you’re living and benefiting from these excellent performing products, at GEM we believe that sharing this information with you now will assist you in making choices from a perspective of being fully informed.

That’s it for our introduction to the government’s film. Enjoy and benefit from it!

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It’s a tiny project — in size only.

“The Centre for Skills Development & Training and the Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar have launched its new Tiny Homes program to benefit disadvantaged communities, workers and the environment.

The project — kick-started with a $10,000 donation from the Rotary Club and support from area businesses will see fully-weatherized, Canadian Standards Association (CSA) approved, all-season tiny homes built by the centre.

Upon completion, the homes will be dispatched to disadvantaged and Indigenous communities around the country, or sold with the proceeds being used for a range of other charitable causes.

“We really feel that this program addresses multiple issues now affecting communities around the country,” said Rotary Club executive Lauri Asikainen. “Not only will it provide valuable skills training for students, but the homes they create have tremendous value.

“Before the Tiny Homes initiative, students in our residential construction program would build partial walls or mock houses that would need to be torn down and sent to landfill at the end of each course. Now, these walls will be combined and mounted on a mobile platform to create a modular, movable, permanent home for someone in need.”

Added the centre’s manager of marketing and communications, Dean Lorenz, “Without the help of Rotary Club, GEM Windows and Doors, Turkstra Lumber and Rush Trailers, this program never would have gotten off the ground. We’re privileged to have these amazing partners involved and that they saw the same potential in this program that we did. It really is a win-win for everybody.”

“GEM Windows is an award winning company that is the window and door company of choice for many of your favorite tv shows, but this plaque for our participation in this valuable and timely project is the best recognition we’ve ever received.”

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Garage Doors at GEM, where choice is everything!

Garage Doors at GEM, where choice is everything!

The key to the best garage doors is our insulation technology! They represent the ultimate smart choice for homeowners. This dense insulation also produces a quieter door, while its industry-leading R-values (up to 20.4) provide year-round comfort and improved energy efficiency. Smart, indeed. You can get better energy efficiency, more security, and quieter operation.

Canyon Ridge® Limited Edition Series

Beautiful and unique, Canyon Ridge® Limited Edition Series carriage house doors are constructed with an energy-efficient, insulated steel base and finished with faux wood composite cladding and overlays. The appearance is that of authentic swing-out doors but with the convenience of modern, upward operation. It combines the most popular elements of residential garage doors to create a unique, fashionable and functional garage door for your home. The time-tested, carriage-house design meets the modern strength of steel and composite, providing a warm authentic look with lower maintenance and high durability.

SPECIFICATIONS:

5-layer steel carriage house garage doors with faux wood overlay.

2″ polyurethane insulation with a thermal break. This garage door has a 20.4 R-value.

Features a patented Safe-T-Bracket ® safety feature.

Reinforcement product available for high wind load applications.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

The cladding and overlay materials are molded from actual wood pieces to reproduce the natural texture and intricate grain patterns of the species they emulate.

Available composite cladding materials are Clear Cypress, Mahogany and Pecky Cypress. Available composite overlay materials are Clear Cypress and Mahogany.

Many glass options, including clear, seeded, rain, obscure, frosted and insulated.

Attractive beveled edge clip-in window grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Five factory finish color options available, including Walnut, White Wash and more.

Comes complete with spade lift handles and step plates. Additional decorative hardware options available.

Faux wood composite overlay

Faux wood composite cladding

Steel

2″ insulation with thermal break

Replaceable vinyl bottom weather seal in rust free aluminum retainer helps protect against the elements.

High performance nylon ball bearing rollers help ensure smooth, long-lasting, quiet operation.

Heavy-duty 14 gauge steel hinges and brackets for smooth and worry-free operation.

Grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Patented Safe-T-Bracket® – Prevents serious injury that could occur if the bottom bracket were removed with the garage door closed and under tension.

CANYON RIDGE® collection ULTRA-GRAIN® series

An attractive and economical alternative to the Limited Edition Series, this door features a 2″ polyurethane steel base with a durable, natural-looking, woodgrain paint finish. Stained Clear Cypress composite overlays are applied to the steel door surface to create beautiful carriage house designs.

Love the durability of steel and the beautiful look of natural stained wood? Get the best of both worlds. Low-maintenance steel is covered with a composite overlay, molded from actual wood pieces for a natural look.

SPECIFICATIONS:

4-layer steel carriage-house garage doors with a faux-wood finish.

2″ polyurethane insulation with a thermal break. This garage door has an 18.4 R-value.

Features Safe-T-Bracket®, a patented garage door safety feature.

Reinforcement product available for high wind load applications

DESIGN OVERVIEW

The Clear Cypress overlay materials are molded from actual wood pieces to reproduce the natural texture and intricate grain patterns of the species they emulate.

Utilizes Ultra-Grain® steel finish; a durable, natural looking woodgrain paint finish.

Factory finish options are Walnut, Medium and Slate.

Many glass options available including clear, frosted, seeded, rain, obscure and insulated.

Attractive beveled edge clip-in window grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Comes complete with spade lift handles and step plates. Additional decorative hardware options available.

Clear Cypress faux wood composite overlay

Steel with Ultra-Grain® paint finish

2″ insulation with thermal break

Steel

Replaceable vinyl bottom weather seal in rust free aluminum retainer helps protect against the elements.

High performance nylon ball bearing rollers help ensure smooth, long-lasting, quiet operation.

Heavy-duty 14 gauge steel hinges and brackets for smooth and worry-free operation.

Grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Patented Safe-T-Bracket® – Prevents serious injury that could occur if the bottom bracket were removed with the garage door closed and under tension.

Rust-Prevention System – Steel skins are protected through a tough, layered coating system, including a hot-dipped galvanized layer, a protective metal oxide pretreatment and a baked on primer and top coat.

Canyon Ridge® Modern Series

Faux wood garage doors are constructed from a durable, low-maintenance, composite that provide a range of contemporary garage door styles that beautifully complement mid-century and modern homes. Choose from horizontal plank designs, aluminum inlays, and full-view glass options, all with faux-wood finishes that won’t rot, warp or crack. These low-maintenance garage doors are the perfect way to highlight natural materials and other textures on your home’s exterior. SPECIFICATIONS:

4-layer construction including durable, composite, steel, and insulation. R-Values range from 6.3 to 20.4.

Features our Safe-T-Bracket®, which prevents injury that could occur if the bottom bracket were removed with the door closed and under tension.

Heavy-duty 14-gauge steel hinges and brackets provide smooth operation.

10-ball nylon ball bearing rollers help ensure smooth, long-lasting, quiet operation.

Replaceable vinyl bottom weather seal with a rustproof aluminum retainer

DESIGN OVERVIEW

Feature key elements of contemporary architecture, including clean horizontal lines, sleek windows and aluminum accents.

For doors with windows, insulated tempered glass is standard. Insulated Frosted, Insulated Obscure and Insulated Rain glass are also available.

Attractive black powder coated grip handles and step plates are provided standard. Optional aluminum grip handles are available.

PLANK DESIGN

Cladding

Steel

2″ Polyurethane Insulation

METAL (ALUMINUM) INLAY DESIGN

Cladding

Steel

2″ Polyurethane Insulation

FULL-VIEW DESIGN

Overlay (Full View)

Steel

2″ Intellicore® Polyurethane Insulation

COACHMAN COLLECTION

The perfect blend of beauty and practicality, these carriage house doors look like wood, but they are actually crafted of multiple layers of durable, low-maintenance steel and insulation topped with a woodgrain textured composite overlay. They feature the charming appearance of an old-fashioned swing-out carriage house door, but offer the built-in convenience of a modern overhead garage door. Throughout the design and construction, there is a recurring blend of beauty and practicality that is evident in the details, like the attractive yet durable steel and composite construction.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Steel carriage house doors with 4-layer construction.

Insulation options include 2″ polyurethane, 2″ polystyrene or 1-3/8″ polystyrene insulation. The R-values of these garage doors range from 6.5 to 18.4.

The steel skins of these doors are protected by the use of a tough, layered coating system, which includes a hot-dipped galvanized layer and baked-on primer and top coat.

A reinforcement product is available for high wind load applications.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

Four factory finish paint and overlay colors. Overlay and base colors can be mixed to achieve desired look.

Many glass options, including clear, seeded, rain, obscure, frosted and insulated.

Attractive beveled edge clip-in window grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Comes complete with spade lift handles and step plates. Additional decorative hardware options available.

Composite overlay

Steel

Insulation with thermal break (2″ polyurethane, 2″ polystyrene or 1-3/8″ polystyrene insulation. R-values from 6.5 to 18.4)

Replaceable vinyl bottom weather seal in rust free aluminum retainer helps protect against the elements.

Grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Patented Safe-T-Bracket® – Prevents serious injury that could occur if the bottom bracket were removed with the garage door closed and under tension.

GRAND HARBOUR COLLECTION

When budget is the deciding factor, this low-maintenance, insulation-optional steel frame carriage house style garage door combines clean lines and classic charm to provide a popular style at a great value. It is a great choice for both new construction or a low-maintenance replacement. It is a versatile carriage house design that complements a wide range of architectural styles.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Smooth composite overlays are adhered to a flush 24-gauge steel door, with 2- or 1-layer carriage house construction.

Optional 1-5/8″ vinyl-backed polystyrene insulation improves energy efficiency. Insulated doors have a 6.3 R-value.

The steel skins of these doors are protected by the use of a tough, layered coating system, which includes a hot-dipped galvanized layer and baked-on primer and top coat.

A reinforcement product available for high wind load applications.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

Four factory finish paint colors.

Clear, obscure, and acrylic glass options available.

Attractive beveled edge clip-in window grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Garage doors come complete with spade lift handles and step plates. Additional decorative hardware options available. Calculated door section R-value is in accordance with DASMA TDS-163.

Smooth composite overlay

Steel

1 5/8″ polystyrene insulation (optional)

Replaceable vinyl bottom weather seal in rust free aluminum retainer helps protect against the elements.

Grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Patented Safe-T-Bracket® – Prevents serious injury that could occur if the bottom bracket were removed with the garage door closed and under tension.

Rust-Prevention System – Steel skins are protected through a tough, layered coating system, including a hot-dipped galvanized layer, a protective metal oxide pretreatment and a baked on primer and top coat.

GALLERY COLLECTION

We’ve taken the iconic raised panel steel garage door and given it a vintage feel by adding a grooved panel design, optional decorative windows and wrought iron hardware with many unique color choices including Ultra-Grain® exclusive faux woodgrain paint finish.

Whether your vision for your home’s exterior is elegant, sleek, unique, or somewhere in between, the versatile design can provide just the look you need to rejuvenate your home’s exterior.

SPECIFICATIONS:

View All Door & Window Combinations

Available in 3, 2 or 1-layer construction options.

Insulation options include 2″ or 1-3/8″ polyurethane, 2″ or 1-3/8″ polystyrene or 1-5/16″ vinyl backed polystyrene.

Insulated door R-values range from 6.3 to 18.4.

The steel skins are protected by the use of a tough, layered coating system, which includes a hot-dipped galvanized layer and baked-on primer and top coat.

A reinforcement product available for high wind load applications.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

Grooved-panel steel carriage house designs available in short- and long-panel options.

12 factory finish paint colors available, including almond, black, Grained Oak Walnut Finish and more.

Multiple glass options available including acrylic, insulated, frosted, seeded, rain and obscure options.

Window grilles for easy cleaning.

Comes complete with spade lift handles and step plates. Additional decorative hardware options available.

Available in 3-layer, 2-layer or 1-layer construction

2″ or 1-3/8″ polyurethane, 2″ or 1-3/8″ polystyrene or 1-5/16″ vinyl backed polystyrene insulation available. Insulated door R-values from 6.3 to 18.4

Replaceable vinyl bottom weather seal in rust free aluminum retainer helps protect against the elements.

Window grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Patented Safe-T-Bracket® – Prevents serious injury that could occur if the bottom bracket were removed with the garage door closed and under tension.

Rust-Prevention System – Steel skins are protected through a tough, layered coating system, including a hot-dipped galvanized layer, a protective metal oxide pretreatment and a baked on primer and top coat.

CLASSIC COLLECTION

Available in a wide range of looks and colors, it is a complement to every home so there’s no sacrificing style for strength, durability and comfort.

It provides the traditional raised-panel style garage door in a wide range of construction and design options, allowing you to take the time-tested, classic garage door look and make it your own.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Short, long and flush panel steel garage doors.

Durable steel garage doors available in 3, 2 or 1-layer construction.

Insulation options include 2″ or 1-3/8″ polyurethane, 2″ or 1-3/8″ polystyrene or 1-5/16″ vinyl backed polystyrene insulation available. Insulated door R-values from 6.3 to 18.4.

The steel skins are protected by the use of a tough, layered coating system, which includes a hot-dipped galvanized layer and baked-on primer and top coat.

A reinforcement product available for high wind load applications.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

Available in short and long raised panel design options. The three-layer Premium doors have a defined Elegant raised panel design.

14 factory finish paint colors available, including Standard White, Mocha Brown, Classic Grained Cherry Finish and more.

A wide variety of window options are available, including decorative, architectural, and double-top window sections.

Multiple glass options available including acrylic, insulated, frosted, seeded, rain and obscure.

Window grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Available in 3-layer, 2-layer or 1-layer construction.

2″ or 1-3/8″ polyurethane, 2″ or 1-3/8″ polystyrene or 1-5/16″ vinyl backed polystyrene insulation available. Insulated door R-values from 6.3 to 18.4.

Replaceable vinyl bottom weather seal in rust free aluminum retainer helps protect against the elements.

Grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Patented Safe-T-Bracket® – Prevents serious injury that could occur if the bottom bracket were removed with the garage door closed and under tension.

Rust-Prevention System – Steel skins are protected through a tough, layered coating system, including a hot-dipped galvanized layer, a protective metal oxide pretreatment and a baked on primer and top coat.

MODERN STEEL COLLECTION

These garage doors perfectly complement contemporary and mid-century modern home styles. Doors are available with or without grooves in multiple paint and grained finishes to create the perfect look for your home. Available with a wide variety of options to suit your taste and your home’s appearance. Whether your home is mid-century modern, contemporary, or somewhere in between, these beautiful and durable steel-panel garage doors will add curb appeal to your home’s exterior.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Available in 3, 2 or 1-layer steel and insulation construction options.

Garage door insulation options include 2″ or 1-3/8″ polyurethane, 2″, 1-3/8″, 1-5/16″ polystyrene.

Insulated door R-values range from 4.4 to 18.4.

The steel skins are protected by the use of a tough, layered coating system, which includes a hot-dipped galvanized layer and baked-on primer and top coat.

A reinforcement product available for high wind load applications.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

Available as either a flush or grooved steel panel design.

Steel surface textures vary by model and paint surface. See chart here for more details

13 factory finish options available, including wood-look finishes.

Many glass and window size options available including insulated, frosted, and long and short designs.

Optional window grilles can be removed for easy cleaning.

Available in 3-layer, 2-layer or 1-layer construction

Insulation options include (R-values from 4.4 to 18.4):

2″ or 1-3/8″ polyurethane

2″ or 1-3/8″ polystyrene

1-5/16″ vinyl backed polystyrene

Replaceable vinyl bottom weather seal in rust free aluminum retainer helps protect against the elements.

Window grilles are removable for easy cleaning.

Patented Safe T-Bracket® – Prevents serious injury that could occur if the bottom bracket were removed with the garage door closed and under tension.

Rust-Prevention System – Steel skins are protected through a tough, layered coating system, including a hot-dipped galvanized layer, a protective metal oxide pretreatment and a baked on primer and top coat.

AVANTE COLLECTION

Transform your home’s appearance with the modern look of a glass and aluminum garage door. This collection gives you the beauty of natural light during the day and a beautiful a warm glow at night. Different glass garage door panel options allow you to choose the right degree of natural light for your home.

The look you’ve always imagined is at your fingertips. These glass and aluminum garage doors include options that maximize your customization experience. Choose the right color, the right glass and the right amount of aluminum. You’ll also enjoy a five-year warranty on your finish and a three-year warranty on your hardware.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Durable, low-maintenance 2-1/8″ commercial grade aluminum frame with many glazing options.

Frame and solid aluminum panels available in choice of anodized and powder-coated finishes or grained.

Tempered glass, acrylic or solid aluminum panel options. Insulated glass garage door panels are available for increased energy efficiency.

Choose from our selection of aluminum garage door panel colors: White, Bronze, Brown, Clear Anodized, Bronze Anodized, Black Anodized, Light Grained Cherry, Dark Grained Cherry.

Custom glass garage door panels and aluminum panel colors available.

Color-matched aluminum grip handle.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

These glass and aluminum doors are low-maintenance and long-lasting. Each comes with tempered glass, acrylic or solid aluminum frame panels, and a replaceable vinyl bottom weather seal in a rust-free aluminum retainer that protects your garage from the elements.

2-1/8″ durable commercial grade aluminum frame for a low-maintenance, long-lasting door.

Tempered glass, acrylic or solid aluminum frame panels. Optional insulated glass.

Integral reinforcing fin for increased strength.

Replaceable vinyl bottom weather seal in rust free aluminum retainer helps protect against the elements.

Heavy-duty steel ball bearing rollers with nylon tires for quiet operation.

It is a stunning architectural focal point that changes appearance throughout the day. Your choice of glazing controls light and privacy so the garage can be used as functional living space.

RESERVE CUSTOM SERIES

Working from a professional drawing or just a sketch on a notepad, create the doors you’ve only imagined, with windows or without, in wood like Knotty Alder, Spanish Cedar, White Oak, Ironwood and African Mahogany. Each door is handcrafted from the material of your choice using your precise specifications. Features custom handcrafted garage doors with window, design, and wood options as unique as your imagination.

SPECIFICATIONS

Handcrafted four or five-layer construction.

Insulated with polystyrene for increased energy efficiency.

Premium-grade hardware, rollers and track assure smooth, quiet, long-lasting operation.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

Unlimited custom garage door designs.

Unlimited wood species.

Factory finished doors available in seven popular stains or painted.

Handcrafted 4 or 5-layer polystyrene insulated wood doors. R-value 5.9.

Crafted from the finest wood species, harvested from sustainable and naturally fallen forestry.

Unique one piece drip cap design keeps water from flowing behind grooved overlays for improved durability.

Premium grade hardware, rollers and track assure smooth, quiet, long-lasting operation.

Standard bottom vinyl weatherseal helps seal against the elements. Additional protection will be provided with an optional aluminum retainer.

RESERVE WOOD COLLECTION

Authentic carriage house designs combine historical charm and character with the convenience of automatic overhead operation. Eight carriage house designs, available in multiple wood species and top section/window panel designs that can be mixed and matched, painted or stained, to complement any architectural style and color scheme.

Built with attention to detail by skilled artisans, creating a warm style that welcomes you home time and time again. With our 4- or 5-layer construction, these doors provide an exceptional blend of curb appeal, durability and energy efficiency.

SPECIFICATIONS

Handcrafted four or five-layer construction.

Energy-efficient insulation.

Product available for high wind load applications.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

Eight base door designs.

Optional windows and decorative hardware.

Paint or stain-grade wood.

Cedar, Redwood, Fir, Meranti.

Factory finished doors are available in seven popular stains or painted white.

Handcrafted 4 or 5-layer polystyrene insulated wood doors. R-value 5.9. Built with a swing-out appearance and convenient upward-acting operation.

Crafted from the finest wood species, harvested from sustainable and naturally fallen forestry.

Unique one-piece drip cap design keeps water from flowing behind grooved overlays for improved durability.

Premium grade hardware, rollers and track assure smooth, quiet, long-lasting operation.

Standard bottom vinyl weatherseal helps seal against the elements. Additional protection will be provided with an optional aluminum retainer.

RESERVE COLLECTION MODERN SERIES

Clean lines and simple forms let the beauty of natural wood stand out. Mix materials, shape and tone to create a stunning contemporary garage door that blends beautifully with other woods and materials on your exterior.

This series of contemporary garage doors provides the perfect blend of handcrafted dependability and clean modern design. This versatile series allows you to choose from a variety of materials and natural wood tones, creating aluminum and wood garage door configurations that beautifully complement your home.

SPECIFICATIONS

Durable 4-layer wood garage door construction with polystyrene insulation. This garage door has a 5.9 R-value*.

Heavy-duty hinges, rollers and track provide smooth, quiet, long-lasting operation.

Vinyl weatherseal with optional aluminum weatherseal retainer helps seal out the elements and protect the bottom of the door.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

Doors are built with a sleek contemporary style and convenient upward-acting operation.

Offset Window models come standard with clear tempered glass. Other glass options include frosted and obscure.

Accent Strip models feature decorative flush aluminum accent strips to provide a beautiful contrast.

All doors can be factory primed, painted White or factory stained. Custom stain and paint colors also available.

Doors come standard with spade lift handles and step plate. Additional decorative hardware options are available.

Handcrafted 4-layer wood construction with polystyrene insulation provides a durable and energy efficient door.

R-value 5.9*

Heavy-duty hinges, rollers and track provide smooth, quiet, long-lasting operation.

RESERVE SEMI-CUSTOM SERIES

Authentic handcrafted carriage house designs combine historical charm and character with the convenience of automatic overhead operation. A natural wood carriage house door is the kind of door that gets people talking. Six carriage house designs in three wood species and multiple top section/window panel designs that can be mixed and matched, painted or stained, to complement any architectural style and color scheme.

These garage doors are the perfect way to give your home historical character while also providing your home with a unique look that will stand out in your neighborhood. With your choice of three wood species, six base door designs, and finishes including natural oak, cedar and mahogany, these doors provide both a welcome complement to your home’s architecture.

SPECIFICATIONS

Handcrafted two-layer construction.

These doors use wood that is harvested from sustainable and naturally fallen forestry.

A reinforcement product available for high wind load applications.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

Six base door designs available.

Available wood species include Cedar, Redwood, and Hemlock.

Many optional window designs and decorative hardware available.

Factory finished doors available in seven popular stains, including natural oak, mahogany and cedar, or painted white. Priming also available for field painting.

Handcrafted 2-layer non-insulated wood doors in authentic carriage house designs. Swing-out appearance, modern operation.

Crafted from the finest wood species, harvested from sustainable and naturally fallen forestry.

Standard bottom vinyl weatherseal helps seal against the elements. Additional protection will be provided with an optional aluminum retainer.

CLASSIC WOOD SERIES

Unlock the beauty of natural wood with a handcrafted hemlock, redwood or cedar garage door. These handcrafted wood garage doors feature traditional raised, recessed and flush panels that allow you to choose the best look for your home and its architecture. The addition of a wood garage door can transform the appearance of your home’s exterior and greatly enhance its curb appeal.

Includes a series of residential garage door options, including raised panel, recessed panel and flush panel — each offering the opportunity to dramatically enhance your home’s curb appeal. Raised panel garage doors feature long or short panels with optional windows, paint- or stain-grade wood, and the choice of hemlock, cedar or redwood. Use our online tool to upload a photo of your home and look at different options before making a final selection.

RAISED PANEL WOOD GARAGE DOORS (MODEL 44 RAISED PANEL)

1-3/8″ section thickness.

Long or short panels w/ optional windows.

Paint or stain-grade wood.

Hemlock, Cedar or Redwood.

Doors can be factory primed or finish painted white.

Options include:

1-3/8″ heavy-duty stile and rail and dowel pin construction.

Handcrafted short or long raised panels in Redwood, Cedar, Hemlock (stain grade) or MDF (paint grade).

Handcrafted wood decorative windows, available in six designs.

Crafted from the finest wood species, harvested from sustainable and naturally fallen forestry.

RECESSED PANEL WOOD GARAGE DOORS (MODEL 20/10 RECESSED PANEL)

1-3/8″ section thickness.

Long or short panels w/ optional windows.

Hemlock wood frame.

Model 20 offers Luan or Breckenridge panels, both available in stain grade or paint grade options.

Model 10 features paint grade Hardboard panels.

Doors can be factory primed or finish painted white.

Options include:

1-3/8″ stile and rail and dowel pin construction in Hemlock.

Handcrafted decorative window designs options available on Model 20.

Crafted from the finest wood species, harvested from sustainable and naturally fallen forestry.

FLUSH PANEL WOOD GARAGE DOORS (MODEL 33)

Three-layer construction with 1-5/8” section thickness.

Paint or stain-grade wood.

Smooth Luan or Breckenridge exterior panels.

Energy-efficient insulation.

Doors can be factory primed or finished painted white.

Each wood garage door is crafted with a focus on quality and attention to detail. Enjoy one-year warranties on construction and paint, as well as a two-year warranty on stain.

Options include:

Three-layer construction with polystyrene sandwiched between interior and exterior boards. Interior Luan. R-value 5.9.

Calculated garage door section R-value is in accordance with DASMA TDS-163.

Heavy-duty 1-5/8″ section thickness.

Crafted from the finest wood species, harvested from sustainable and naturally fallen forestry.

Grab this Garage Door Brochure (2018 version)

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Filming in the GEM showroom and being socially responsible

Yesterday a film crew from the TV show ‘Save My Reno’ invaded the GEM showroom at 1590 The Queensway. They were doing a segment showing one of their homeowners seeing the window products that the show was having installed in their home. Before the filming, we were all huddled around the corner of the showroom that displays the GEM branded window, which was the window of choice for this episode. If you’ve never visited GEM, then you might not understand why it is a great site for filming. We have an amazing array of windows and doors. In fact, I doubt if there is anything else like it in Ontario and maybe Canada. The reason is that we pack an incredible variety of products for residential and commercial use into the showroom. There are bigger showrooms, but none with the variety, since most companies do not compete in both the commercial and residential markets.

The episode is a renovation of an old coach house, behind the primary home. GEM’s part is to supply six GEM awning windows, exterior black. The windows being replaced are small horizontal sliders that are too wide for casements. Awnings give the clean look Vanessa, the show’s designer, is looking to achieve and, of course, are air tight and energy efficient. So far this year, GEM is participating in eight episodes and counting.

Save My Reno is not the only TV show that chooses to work with GEM. I was with Spiros Christopoulos, owner and GM of GEM in Florida. We purchased copies of ‘The Property brothers’ new book and were in line for having them signed. (Mine was to be a present for my wife. She loves the show and, of course, the brothers.) When we got to the front of the line, at first the brothers were only looking at the book to sign and then realized that it was Spiros standing there. I’m afraid that the line came to a halt for a minute as the brothers were pleased to see Spiros, who has worked with them on their show.

Why GEM for these types of TV Shows? If you want a reliable partner, with great products, choose GEM. If you want a partner whose public reputation is stellar, and who won’t let your clients or their customers down, choose GEM!

GEM also is involved with other socially beneficial organizations. The Centre for Skills Development & Training in Burlington is providing a great service. They train young people for the construction industry by building structures inside their facility. In the past, after the class was over, the structures would be disassembled, making space for a future class. Then someone got a great idea! Instead of building structures to be disassembled, why not actually build a “tiny home”? Tiny homes are basically the size of a commercial trailer and can be located on small plots of land, providing extremely low-cost housing. Keep in mind that a big part of housing cost is land. The first home was made for a local Rotary Club to sell. Rotary Club, of course, uses funds for their well-known humanitarian projects. Talk about a win-win-win situation! Of course, GEM Windows donated the windows and doors!

This year GEM participated in a local seminar put on by the police department in the Markland Woods area of Toronto. If you have a community association that would benefit by having the Toronto police put on a seminar on home security, the department has a senior officer who is both experienced and engaging. It would be both an informative and entertaining evening. As the officer looked around the back of the room from the microphone, he noticed GEM’s table and singled us out for our expertise and value to home security. It is quite common to see either a police car in our parking lot or uniformed officers in our showroom. No one is being arrested! The officers are probably shopping for new windows themselves!

At GEM, we have a lot of which to be proud.

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Colour

Henry Ford said, “Give them any color they want… as long as it’s black.”

OK, Henry was a production-oriented person who revolutionized auto manufacturing and not a marketing man! In the 1980s, one could say about the same thing in regard to vinyl windows, except that it would be any colour they want… as long as it’s white!

Until, one day, someone decided that even vinyl windows needed to offer colour.

In 1986, lineals to make a window were taken to an automotive oxide blasting facility in the Toronto area. The purpose was to blast away the surface of the pvc material in order to remove oils and to make the surface more amenable to bonding with a coating.

Then, the lineals were spray painted with a two-partcyanide-based paint created for use with commercial aluminum windows. This first job (that we know about) was done in commercial brown. (Did the word ‘cyanide’ scare you? It should. The procedures around using this type of coating for safety are detailed and not to be ignored!)

Once dry, the lineals were returned to the window manufacturing facility, cut to size and welded into the window. The last step was to use an inferior paint on the miter corners where the sprayed paint was removed in the production process.

The above process was not cheap, however, to this day I am not aware of a single complaint from any dealer or consumer regarding the result. Regardless, this was not going to be a winner. After a few years, a new technology emerged and is in use to this day. It is a one-part water-based coating that was originally created for service repairs in the field (i.e. in your yard with your existing windows).Of course, now that the industry

This left the onerous task of preparing the surface to bond with the coating. If the surface wasn’t properly prepared, instead of integration between the coating and the vinyl, the coating would sit on top of the vinyl and ultimately, after some thermal cycling of heat and cold from climate, would start to come off. The solution was to use a wipe of a chemical designed to penetrate the surface of the vinyl, remove the oils and leave it ready to be coated. This is the process we presently use to coat windows.

Now, here is an interesting fact. A concern in the ‘old days’ was that a dark colour would tend to absorb heat and make the window framing materials extra hot, possibly resulting in warping or other damage. The new, water-based coatings act the same as Low E and are actually designed to be heat reflective! The result is that the vinyl beneath the surface is generally a lower temperature than if it was an uncoated window.

So, we have a great coating. Now what colours can be achieved. One of my favorite lines is we can match your lipstick! But, at a price. Coating manufacturers will inventory popular (standard) colours. Special custom colours are mixed for that single order. They take longer and cost more. Another fact that is true for ‘standard’ colours, but even truer for custom colours is that no too batches are exactly the same.

A segue. Back when wallpaper was popular you went to the store and bought as many rolls as you expected to use of a single wallpaper style. If you ran out, you could always go back to the store for more, but, when you got to the store the helpful and knowledgeable staff asked you for the lot number of the previous order. They would look to see if they still had more rolls from that lot number. If you simply bought the same design from a different lot number, the difference in the printing might be noticeable.

It can be the same with coatings. A second group of windows or doors painted with the exact same colour may be slightly different. Most people wouldn’t notice or care. There are exceptional people in the world. Happily, there is a good chance that the earlier order is already a bit dirty, so the slight colour difference would never be noticed!

What about coating the inside of windows? As recently as a couple of years ago, most manufacturers would go hiding under their desks if asked to coat the interior of a window. However, with black in and black out growing in popularity, the industry has adapted, to a degree. Casement, Awning, Fixed and Picture Windows are now commonly painted in and out. Sliding windows are not because there are so many smaller parts and pieces of hardware, such as tilt latches, that the result will not be satisfactory to the majority of homeowners.

With casement and awnings, one issue that needs to be addressed for windows with interior coatings is choice of hardware colour. Different hardware manufacturers may have different hardware colours. A list of some of the colours on the market that may or may not be available for your window include white, black, brass, gold, oil rubbed bronze and satin nickel.

This brings us to warranty and service. Beware the fine print in warranties on colour. We’ve seen some that say they are for a lifetime, but the fine print says this is null and void once put under the sun. How helpful is that? Anything coloured will fade over time under the sun. Do not expect your window to look exactly the same after twenty years as it looked when it was new.

So, what happens if you scratch the coating? What if you want to go in a different design direction and want to recolour the windows? The present coating systems were actually developed for site work. Because the window had previously been coated, a cleaning is all it needs to prepare the surface for being recoated.

Enjoy the rainbow available!

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Installation – The key to a better window

It is far too easy to buy and pay for a great window and not achieve the results you expect or desire. We have already talked about steps to assure yourself of getting a good installation team, so this blog will focus on the tech side of the installation and not the who did the install!

Usually the culprit is a poor installation or an unfortunate decision to retrofit instead of to completely replace. Let’s start off with the retrofit issue first. There are definite reasons why homeowners consider a retrofit. A retrofit is where a new window with a minimal frame is installed inside the frame of your previous window.

It is a much simpler and less disruptive installation because your window opening trims are not disrupted. This can be very desirable in homes with expensive or high-quality trims. On order to minimize future maintenance, the exterior of the old window and brickmould is often capped with aluminum flashing material. There is nothing wrong with a retrofit per se, if the new window is plum and square, properly shimmed, foamed and fastened. It is often lower in price because no mouldings are required beyond the possibility of some quarter round on the inside.

So, what is wrong with a retrofit style installation? Even if everything else is perfect, you are putting a window inside a window, so you are going to lose glass area in your opening. This can reduce the amount of light and ventilation obtained through the window. On an energy side, you may have just wasted your own time and money if the original window frame, which has now been left in place, was not properly insulated and sealed.

If the window is original to the construction of the home, it was probably installed by framers and not by a proper window installer. The framer is paid for quantity and not quality, so the window may have been fastened through a nail fin and not shimmed and screwed. It will continue for the rest of its life to be more likely to twist and move, doing the same to your more properly installed window. Even worse, the chances that there is any insulation between the old frame and the frames rough opening is extremely low, even on expensive homes. Use of heat measuring technology in winter has shown that a ring of cold penetrating the window opening often exists between the old window frame and the houses rough opening, defeating the thermal benefits of the new window. It is for this reason that the recent GreenON program did not allow for any retrofit installations to qualify for the grant as offered.

That brings us to a full window replacement. This can involve replacing the exterior brickmould, the window frame, the interior jamb and the interior window casing. This gives the installers the opportunity to totally insulate the original rough opening. While it is a slightly trickery installation, it is sometimes possible to do a full replacement and leave the interior jambs and casing in place and undisturbed. If the window frame can be separated from the interior jamb with major damage, then the new window can be installed completely from the exterior. Of course, this requires good access to the opening from the outside. (It is still generally possible for the new window to be passed from the inside, going through the opening diagonally to an installer on the outside, but it is logistically more difficult.

The window cannot have brickmould attached, because the installer requires access to the cavity between the rough opening and the window frame for shimming and foaming. To finish the window, a non-structural brickmould or capping, the same as used in a retrofit, would have to be applied after the window is installed.

In a normal full replacement, with a structural brickmould as part of the window the shimming and foaming is done from inside, before the new jambs and casings are applied.

So, is there anything you, the homeowner, can do to get a proper installation. Obviously, I’m going to tell you to have GEM install your windows. GEM is a registered subscriber to the Window Wise certified Installation Program. This means that GEM installers are trained in a tested and proven method for installing your window. It means that every window job done by GEM under the program is registered with Window Wise. Random inspections are utilized by the program to assure that all companies and their installers are continuing to perform their work according to this highest standard.

If you actually had any questions about your installation at a later date, the people at Window Wise are an additional layer of support you can utilize. Given that GEM has continued to be in business since 1961 and isn’t going anywhere, the following benefit to your Window Wise installation will never be useful to you as a GEM customer. However for all others, the Window Wise parallel five year warranty can provide a backup if your Window Wise supplier closes shop and you need assistance within the first five years!

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Modern Front Entry Doors Will Make An Immediate Statement!

Modern Front Entry Doors will make an immediate statement! Your Front Door can truly reflect your personality and set the tone for a visitor. Traditional Entry doors are sharing the spotlight with a host of design forward styles, sourced from around the world! Whether you choose to invest in a classic style door, or opt for a more contemporary or European look, can be very personal decision. Of course, the total architectural ambiance of the front of your home will have a great impact on your choice.

A quality door is a significant investment. Over the last 30 years, many homeowners have chosen to change and upgrade their windows. Often, the front door has been saved during earlier renovations, to be changed a later date. For more and more homeowners, that later date is now and door replacement is a booming business. While insulated steel doors continue to be the volume leader, Fiberglass, as a door skin, is gaining ground. Wood remains popular, particularly for high end doors. Fiberglass panels are now able to rival the look of real wood, offering better weather ability with less maintenance. They are easily stained for a variety of wood looks.

Doors themselves have changed noticeably. New performance standards under NAFS have resulted in the development of higher performing door sills, designed to prevent water penetration under more intense situations.

Hardware options have gone through the roof! Traditional lock sets are sharing the stage with the clean lines offered by lever handles and locks that draw from the commercial appearance that, in the hands of designers and architects, has significantly penetrated the custom home marketplace. New handle hardware can offer a European flair! Multipoint locks are designed to make doors tighter and increase security.

An emphasis on the decorative use of glass can allow designers to create an elegant, modern entry statement. Modest straight lines, either leaded or brass, are a growing trend, combined with bevelled edges, resulting in tremendous, sophisticated curb appeal and value.

GEM’s showroom maintains a wide variety of entry doors. However, there are so many styles now available to us that a homeowner, designer or architect looking for a more imaginative approach should make an appointment where we can bring out a selection of materials offering the styles desired.

The incredible Milcasa Entry Door is brand new in the North American market and offers a revolutionary appearance. It is energy efficient with U-value 0.67 (W/m2K), it is triple sealed to be an extremely tight door. Our R = 5.65 Door slab is 3-1/2″ thick compared to thicknesses under 2” in standard Canadian doors and, with triple glazing, is designed for the coldest thermal requirements.

Pivot doors forgo old fashion hinges in favor of a pivot bar, a few inches from the side of the door. This style is perfect for wider panels because it distributes the door panel’s weight for easier, operating characteristics.

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It must be true…. I read it online!

More and more people are using the internet as a primary source of news and information. I’m sure that anyone reading this blog is aware of the issue of “fake” news online to try to influence the last USA presidential election. Did you hear the true story of the man who showed up at a Washington DC pizza parlour, armed, because he had read on line that Hillary Clinton was using the restaurant as a location for a child sex-ring in the restaurant’s back rooms? This really happened!

So, you are asking yourself, how am I going to segue this back to the window and door industry? Very easy! You are about to have a sales representative come to your home to quote your windows and doors. You found them online when you googled what you were interested in having installed.

You might not have noticed whether or not they came up organically or as a pay per click, so let me explain. When you ask google to research a topic, it will find what it considers to be the most appropriate matches and will list them on a series of pages. Being on page one is considered important, because the farther back a potential supplier is, the more likely the consumer will never get to that point in the listings, having found a few possible already. Getting on that first page is very competitive. Google has some complicated algorithms it uses to decide that a particular web site has good information that justifies an early placement in this list, which is called organic listings. The blog you are reading is the kind of useful information that the ‘google bots’ who search the web reward with early placement.

The other way to get on the first page is one of the ways that google makes its money. It is called ‘Pay per click’. you will notice clearly identified advertisements on the first and subsequent pages of the organic listings. Suppliers literally bid to be tied in to key words and have their advert come up. You can bet that for a variety of reasons, the word ‘window’ is pretty expensive! When you, the consumer, click on an advert and go to a landing page on a site, that company is billed for a click, at the agreed upon rate.

There is nothing wrong, unethical or misleading about either of these approaches for a company trying to attract your business. The problem starts next!

Many companies have invested in some beautiful web sites that will tell you in glowing terms that this is the best, most trustable company with incredible products at ridiculously low prices. How do you know from these sites which companies are for real and which companies are actually a dirty room, with a broken desk, chair and a phone operating out of a building with a dozen or more similar operations?

The answer is, you don’t know from a company’s site. This is not to say that legitimate companies don’t have detailed sites with useful information, but it will be extremely hard to really know who to trust.

The companies with the hole in the wall offices (which can disappear overnight) always have to have you enter into a contract in your home and can’t bring you to a showroom and a legitimate place of business. That is why the government distinguishes between a contract signed in the suppliers’ place of business and one signed on your kitchen table. A contract where you went to a legitimate place of business only has, by law, two days where you can cancel without a penalty. A contract signed in your home has, by law, a ten-day cooling off period where you can cancel without penalty.

When the 10-day period was about to be introduced, I remember one dealer panicking that it would be a disaster for his business. This was because that dealer charged three times the normal price and knew that there was a significant likelihood that if someone who made a purchase got further information, they would conclude that they had overpaid and cancel the contract.

So, we are back to how to protect yourself! How about independent third-party review sites? There is a definite value to checking out these sites, however they too can be part of the ‘fake news’ cycle. You’ll always run into the occasional complaint about a legitimate company because sometimes the homeowner’s expectation was not reasonable, and no amount of discussion and explanation helped. As a result, they write a negative review. One approach is to eliminate both the best and worst reviews and focus on giving credence to the rest. Why ignore the best? These reviews can also be ‘fake news’, when written by Uncle Billy and Sister Jane. In fact, there have even been ‘professional’ review writing companies, hired to beef up a company’s review quality. Tsk tsk.

It is a good practice to ask for addresses and names of previous customers within driving distance. A good company should be able to provide these. They will show both credibility to the company’s quality claims and make a statement about the company’s longevity in your neighborhood.A long delay in providing any names and addresses could be a warning sign that the company doesn’t have a great track record.

A visit to the dealer’s published address is a great way to get the reality behind the beautiful web site. (At GEM, we think you’ll find the best showroom in town and a vibrant, engaged staff that we’re proud of and will give you a legitimate reason to have confidence in our company.)

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Signs You Need New Windows

Urban myth or truth? Once upon a time there was a transmission company that advertised heavily that they would do a free transmission inspection if you brought your car in. That much is true. The urban myth is that if they thought you could afford to pay to have your transmission rebuilt, you would certainly be told it was necessary! You also could conceivably pay for a rebuilt transmission and receive nothing more than a transmission fluid change! If true, not honest!

Are there window companies who will happily change your windows, even when they don’t need to be replaced? Of course. Is GEM one of those companies? Categorically no. Do we want your window and door business? Absolutely yes, but we want you to have the correct information regarding how you are to determine if you actually need new windows. So, let’s go through some of the reasons for homeowners to think they require new windows and see which are real, and which aren’t!

Homeowners sometimes come in because they have condensation and even ice they can touch on the inside of their windows.

Even new windows can have condensation. In fact, it is well documented that it is possible that your old leaky windows never had condensation and the new windows do, so understanding why the windows have condensation is critical. We already have a blog that talks about condensation in detail, so I’m not going to repeat it. If you have single glazed windows, or even older double glazed without Low E, the condensation is a sign that your windows are under performing. In fact, the windows as described may not even meet today’s building code if you tried to buy them now!

Condensation and icing can also be signs that a window has significant air leakage. The cold air is blowing on a section of the window and resulting in extreme cold. Air leakage can result from worn out seals, which is not necessarily a worn-out window as seals can be replaced. On the other hand, your window may have been poorly installed and, under the thermal stresses of seasonal change for many years, may not be sitting plum and square in the opening. Can a window be reinstalled? Yes, but if you’re going to be paying for removal without demolition, it may be the most cost-effective decision to replace the windows anyway.

What about moisture inside an existing sealed unit? There are very few windows ever designed and sold where the glass could not be replaced. There were a few sold many years ago where the sash was not openable to allow for glass replacement, but this practice was stopped. With any luck, you don’t own a house full of those! Unfortunately, while you can get a quote from a glass replacement company, the incremental cost to new, better performing windows may be small enough that this too may be a good time to go the whole way and replace your windows.

Sometimes a decision to replace windows is made because the existing windows are hard to open and close. You have reached a point of frustration where you just want to have windows that operate properly. This is a common reason for changing windows and in most cases is valid. Make sure your GEM rep properly evaluates your windows and that the problem you are experiencing opening and closing is not as simple as dirt removal and lubrication.

Is being tired of the colour of a window exterior a good reason to get new windows? Probably not. Most windows can be recoated with some high-end paints, properly applied.

What about seeing dead flies or other insects at the base of your window? You can go on line and there will be articles telling you that this is a good reason to replace your windows. Not so fast! It is an urban myth that these insects came through the window. In fact, they may have even been born in your home or entered elsewhere, so why are they on your window sill? Simply, they are attracted to the light and died trying to get out of your home! Of course, if you have ineffective window screens, then legitimately insects are going to use your windows as an expressway to making you miserable. Screens can often be repaired without requiring. New window!

What if you plan on selling your home and want to improve its curb appeal? New windows can help, particularly if the existing windows will be an obvious drawback for new owners. However, real estate agents will tell you that your kitchen and bathrooms are the first places to spend money to improve the chance of a home sale at a good price.

What is the most common reason for changing windows? It is a great reason and can’t be disclaimed! The most common reason is that you are tired of the look or style of the windows and are ready for something new! Styles change. The car you got a few years ago doesn’t excite you anymore. The living room furniture that excited you when you purchased it is no longer exciting. If you simply want to change your windows for a new look and know what you need to know about whether the old ones are performing adequately, then Gem is ready and willing to help!

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Repurposing Old Windows

A few years ago, I provided windows for a beautiful gothic church with lots of wood cathedral windows that needed to be replaced. These old windows were no longer structurally sound enough to remain in place. It occurred to me that the old windows were likely to end up in a garbage bin. This would have been a shame, so I approached the church property manager and secured permission to take away and keep all the old windows. At first, they were piled in my yard, leaning up against our shed, but as friends and neighbors saw the window sashes, one by one they began to disappear. I soon realized that these had become materials for a variety of home décor projects. This got me curious regarding what my neighbors had decided to do with the windows. Here are some of the ideas from people who took a window or two, augmented with a few ideas I liked from searching the internet.

Generally, it is the sash of a window, which holds the glass, that is the desirable part for an interior design or yard project. Sometimes the glass is an integral part of the project. Sometimes it is replaced by mirrors or more opaque materials. Sometimes it is best used minus anything in the glazing pockets.

Most of us have seen mirrors utilizing an old wood window sash. They are a favorite with designers and other decorators because they combine a great ambience with true functionality. They can be particularly useful in bathrooms or in bedrooms where there can never be too many mirrors! Another popular decorating material for a country feel is the use of heavily weathered barn board. An old sash can be the perfect complement to barnboard as part of a country look.

Depending on how many identical window sashes you have, they can be amazing doors ranging from a single medicine cabinet to a full set of kitchen cabinet doors.

How about a chalk board in a window sash? Perfect for a kitchen or office to track anything from shopping lists to appointments. You don’t even have to replace the glass as it can be painted with a product called chalkboard paint. Similarly, collect a ton of wine bottle corks, slice them in half and you can arrange them glued to the glass to create a cork board.

What can you do in a bedroom (besides the obvious dresser mirror?) Replace the glass with lexan or leave the sash empty to turn a window into a bed headboard.

What about a sash for artwork? A window sash is ready made for this purpose, or instead of mounting the art in the window, mount the art in another frame outside the window!

We already mentioned kitchen cabinets, but larger windows can make an excellent self- standing broom closet or curio sash to give a wooden picket fence a unique, eye-catching touch? Build in some window sashes into the design!

Build a mini-greenhouse or a garden hotbox out of windowsashes.

Your windows were designed to provide a view of your outside environment, so why not take a picture of a favorite scene on your property to be blown up and put in the window sash? Then, mount the sash on your wall and it is almost back to its original purpose, of course minus the air infiltration and difficulty opening! Go three dimensional and use your window sash as the front of a shadow box to display your collection of salt and pepper shakers, antique miniature trains (or whatever you fancy!)

How about using an old window as a table top? Attach legs or use an existing coffee table bottom. Put a piece of tempered glass over the window and look through the tempered glass to see the features of the wood window sash. Maybe you have a great side table top, so use two matching sashes as the legs of the side table in your living room or TV room.

Next is a hanging room divider. Suspend a sash from two chains in a room where you want to create the appearance of more separation.

Need a way to keep your pots and pans handy in the kitchen, but don’t have the shelf space? Use a window sash, minus the glass, hung from the ceiling and with hooks to hang a number of pots and pans!

Last on our list is a terrarium. This is a way to grow some interesting forest plants in your home. It is both beautiful and educational!

Consider the possibility of painting your window sash in any of the projects we’ve outlined. Early in the article, I wrote about using window sashes as a complement to barnboard in a country design. On the other extreme, painting your window sashes black becomes a complement to the black windows in which more and more homeowners are investing. Nothing country about that look!

Maybe you are not interested in the kind of projects we have described, however there is no need for your old windows to end up in a landfill. A Habitat for Humanity ReStore will happily take your windows that are no longer weather worthy but are structurally strong enough for one of our projects!

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