Kitchen Window Opinion

10 years ago

We are installing a window above our kitchen sink that looks out onto a screened in porch. I wanted the window to open as fully as possible so that we can use the window as a pass through in the Spring/Summer months. We looked into an accordion style that I've seen in some recent pictures in Houzz but the price was insane. We can purchase a large double hung window from Marvin that would fit our needs. The counters are 3 feet high leaving 5 feet to the ceiling. I wanted the window to sit at counter height. Would you install a 48", 52" or 56" high window? The width is 54". How much room do you need for trim/window support stuff?

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Comments (7)

Wendy
10 years ago
You can't necessarily install a 56" window. You need a header above the window. I believe those are about 12 inches.
Wendy
10 years ago
Also, have you considered push-out French windows? You'd have to account for the faucet to open the screens, but they would be ideal for a pass through.

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Oaktown
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I would prefer a double hung for a pass through. We have push out French casements and I believe most open only 90 degrees. So unless you have something for the open units to "rest" against, there's a good chance they'll be in the way on the porch side. If you do get push out casements and don't want swing screens you can get a pull-down screen integrated into the unit from certain manufacturers. Good luck!
PRO
StarCraft Custom Builders
10 years ago
If you run the window all the way to the ceiling, you won't need a header. But, a window that high would be unusual at best. Typically the top of your windows is even with the top of your doors -- 80". So you window height, including frame, would be 34".
User
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Most screen porches added on to the exterior of the house will have that window wall be a load bearing one. Which will need a header if some variety, designed by someone who can do the math. If you have unusual requirements like snow loading or high wind requirements, your header may need to be a glue lam instead of dimensional lumber. The size of that header will impact how tall your window can be.

Also, the kitchen interior floor's out of level amount will impact the size of your window and the exactitude of framing it exactly to counter height can be very difficult in an older home that had settlement.
designsaavy
10 years ago
We had two double hung Windows over sink looking into our sunroom at our last house and they were Marvin. Great Windows, however they were a bit hard to open. I'm only 5'4" so perhaps that had something to do with it. Other than that, it was great. Ours weren't at counter level which would have been much better.
practigal
10 years ago
The space for the window opening is 54 inches wide? You need to have some kind of support on the sides inside the wall as well as 2 to ? inches of trim, the amount of trim is a personal decision. The window cannot be 48 inches wide because you will not be able to lean over the sink and push up a double hung window of that size it will weigh too much and the angle will be too awkward. Probably you will need two separate windows, or three smaller windows may even look better than two. You may want to consider casement style windows where you can have their crank handles easily accessible at the counter level.