We live and work in a community cradled in the convergence of five valleys, a place called Missoula. Clawson Windows started in this town almost fifty years ago and has recently passed to its third generation of family management that takes it into the 21st century.
We take pride in a heritage and skill of craft, a tradition of quality and value that has become our trademark. We have our vinyl replacement windows in homes as far away as Japan, but we've always stayed close to our roots in Montana and the simple ideals of dedication and service to our customers that have guided this business in its development of products and their manufacture. It is a philosophy that defines our work and governs our goals.
Our windows are custom made and hand assembled, but designed using state-of-the-art technology ; a careful blend of the old and new that is essential in maintaining quality yet remaining at the cutting edge of advancement. Our attention to detail and meticulous engineering ensure that we meet our exacting standards while continually striving to surpass the expectations of our customers.
We're a Montana company, small by most measures, but representing an old-fashioned work ethic and a new millennium understanding of technological enhancements demonstrated by the products we produce.
Montana is a unique and special place to live. We believe that each of us have a responsibility to our communities in ways that preserve the distinctive qualities that make Montana so important to us. We strive to do this as a business through our participation and contributions to programs throughout the state, and we appreciate the loyalty of a growing world of customers whose support makes this possible.
With our windows, what you see out of them is as important to us as what you see in them.
Our windows represent a blend of traditional craftsmanship and state-of-the-art technology, offering the perfect combination of quality, beauty, and energy performance in windows for your home.
A full line of windows and doors are available in wood, clad or vinyl, incorporating the finest materials and innovative design. We offer a wide range of options from which to choose, ensuring your project needs will be met.
We offer the choice of standard or custom windows, so whether you need windows for replacement or for a new construction project, we can craft it to your specifications and satisfaction.
Experience the distinctive styling, unmatched value, and elegant design of Clawson Windows.
We think that how a company backs its products tells you a lot about how they build them. Our Lifetime Limited Warranty is one of the very best in the industry, designed to highlight the special care and craftsmanship that goes into each of our windows. But it also demonstrates the commitment we have to our customers, extending the quality and reliability of our products to the warranty that protects them.
AIRSPACE
The space in the cavity between two panes of glass in an insulating glass unit.
ARCH TOP
A window that incorporates curves, usually half or quarter circle.
ARGON GAS
An inert, nontoxic gas used to fill the airspace between insulating panes of glass to improve energy efficiency.
ASTRAGAL
The center member of a double door which is attached to the fixed or inactive door panel.
AWNING WINDOW
A window unit, similar to a casement, where the bottom of the sash swings outward.
BALANCE
A mechanical device used in single and double hung windows to offset the weight of the sash during opening and closing.
BAY WINDOW
An arrangement of three windows, usually made up of a large center unit and two flanking units at 30 or 45 degree angles to the wall.
BOW WINDOW
A combination of four or more window units in a radial or bow formation.
BLIND STOP
The frame member on a double hung located between the jamb and the brickmold.
BOTTOM RAIL
The bottom horizontal member of a window sash.
BRICKMOLD
An external trim piece that frames windows and doors.
CASEMENT
A window with a side hinged sash that opens outward, to the left or right.
CASING
Molding or framing applied to the framework of doors and windows.
CHECK RAIL
The bottom rail of of the top sash and top rail of the bottom sash on a double hung. Also referred to as a meeting rail.
CLADDING
A material, such as aluminum or vinyl, covering the exterior of a door or window, increasing durability with less maintenance.
COLONIAL GRILLE
A Clawson grille pattern of rectangular intersection in even spacing applied to a window.
CONDENSATION
The deposit of water droplets on the inside surface of the window caused by a cold surface temperature and high indoor humidity.
CONDUCTION
Heat transfer through a solid material, such as glass, through direct contact. Heat flows from the area of higher temperature to one of lower temperature.
CONVECTION
The flow of heat that occurs in a fluid such as air as warm air rises and cool air sinks.
DIRECT SET
A stationary window with no sash, where the glass is set directly into the frame.
DIVIDED LITE
A window with a number of small glass panes held in place by muntins.
DOUBLE HUNG
A window with two operable sashes which move vertically in the frame.
DRIP CAP
A molding place on the top of the head brickmold or casing of a window frame to assist with water drainage.
EGRESS WINDOW
A window large enough to allow for an emergency exit. Most building codes require a minimum opening of 5.7 square feet when the sash is open, but egress requirements are mandated by local building codes.
EXTENSION JAMB
Wood pieces attached and extending from a window or door frame to accommodate different wall thickness.
EXTRUSION
A form produced by forcing heated material through a die. Clawson offers windows with an extruded aluminum frame cladding.
FENESTRATION
A window and its associated interior or exterior elements.
FLANKER
A window joined to the side of another window or door.
FRAME
The area in which the window sash or door panels are mounted. Frame components include the head jamb, sill, side jambs and blind stop.
FRENCH DOOR
A frame with two operating door panels hinged on the side and swinging open from the center of the unit. An astragal holds one door panel stationary while the other panel operates.
GAS FILLING
An insulating gas, usually argon, placed between window panes to reduce the U-factor by suppressing conduction and convection.
GLAZING
Glass in a window or door, or the process of its installation.
GLAZING STOP
The part of the sash holding the glass in place.
GRILLE
A grid installed on or between the glass lites that visually divides a window into panes.
HEAD BOARD
A board applied to the top of a bay or bow window.
HEAD JAMB
The horizontal top portion of the main frame.
INSULATED GLASS UNIT (IG)
Two pieces of glass separated by a spacer and hermetically sealed to form a single glazed unit.
LITE
A pane of glass within a window or, in some cases, an entire glass unit.
LOW E GLASS
A special glass type with a microscopically thin, metallic silver oxide bonded to one side of the glass that reduces heat transference, lowering home heating and cooling costs.
MASONRY OPENING
The space left open in a masonry wall for a window or door.
MORTISE-AND-TENON
A wood joint made by the fitting of two boards together, one with a rectangular cavity (mortise) and the other with a matching projection (tenon).
MULL CASING
A casing covering the joint between two windows mulled together.
MULLED
Joining two windows or doors together, side by side.
MULLION
A wood or metal piece used to structurally join together two or more windows.
MUNTIN
The bar, vertical or horizontal, used to create the grille patterns in or on the glass. Also referred to as grids or grilles.
NAILING FIN
A strip of material used to attach windows to a house.
NFRC
National Fenestration Rating Council
OBSCURE GLASS
A translucent but not transparent glass also known as frosted or privacy glass.
PANE
See LITE
PANEL
A component of a sliding glass door, consisting of glass in a frame installed within the outer frame of the door.
PERIMETER GRILLE
See Queen Anne Style Grille
PICTURE WINDOW
A window with no operating hardware.
POWDER COATING
A special method of applying a color finish to the cladding used in a window frame.
QUEEN ANNE STYLE GRILLE
A Clawson grille pattern of rectangular perimeter intersection aligned 4 inches from the edge of the glass. Photo
R-VALUE
A measure of the resistance to heat flow. A high R-value indicates a window has a greater resistance to heat flow and a higher insulating value. The reciprocal of U-VALUE.
RAIL
The top and bottom horizontal pieces of a window sash.
ROUGH OPENING (RO)
The framed opening in a wall that will house the windows. Usually a half inch in both directions, or 1/4" all the way around, is allowed for insulating and squaring the unit.
SASH
The frame composed of stiles and rails that surrounds and holds the glass.
SEAT BOARD
A board attached to the bottom of a bay or bow window, providing support and a flat surface.
SEGMENTED
A series of straight pieces joined together to create the appearance of a radius.
SIDE JAMB
The vertical pieces of a window or door frame.
SIDELITE
A fixed unit installed on one or both sides of a doorframe, for decoration and light.
SILL
The bottom, horizontal section of the window frame.
SIMULATED DIVIDED LITE (SDL)
A method of attaching muntin between or on the glass surface to simulate smaller individual glass panes.
SINGLE HUNG
Similar to a double hung, except that the top sash is fixed and inoperable.
SLIDER
A window where the sashes move horizontally in grooves created by frame members.
SPACER
Material placed between the two pieces of glass in an IG. Clawson uses Swiggle Seal, a warm edge spacer that increases efficiency and reduces condensation.
STATIONARY
A door or window panel that does not open or move.
STILE
The vertical side pieces of a sash.
STOP
The molding applied to the window frame that holds, positions, or separates window parts.
SURROUND
A frame of wood enclosing the perimeter of a removable grille.
SWIGGLE SEAL
Warm edge technology spacer used by Clawson in its windows to increase efficiency and reduce condensation.
TEMPERED GLASS
Glass that has been through a special heat-treated tempering process that increases its strength. When shattered, the glass breaks into small pieces to reduce injury.
THERMAL PERFORMANCE
The ability of a window to act as a barrier to the transfer of heat.
TRANSOM
A small window above a door or another window.
TRUE DIVIDED LITE (TDL)
A window in which individual panes of glass are placed into a sash, each pane separated using muntins.
U-VALUE
A measure of heat transmission through a window. A lower value indicates less heat transference and better energy efficiency. The reciprocal of R-VALUE.
ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT
Invisible rays produced by the sun that can cause fading of furniture fabrics, carpets and paint finishes.
UNIT DIMENSION
A dimension that is equal to the frame size. The unit dimension is measured from the outermost edges of the window's main frame.
VINYL
Polyvinyl chloride material, either rigid or flexible, used for window frames. Clawson vinyl windows are produced from pure, recyclable, lead-free high quality vinyl extrusions.
WARM EDGE TECHNOLOGY
Low conductance spacers that reduce heat transfer near the edge of insulated glass units.
WEATHERSTRIPPING
A material that creates a tight seal between a sash and frame to prevent water and air infiltration.
