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michelekins77

Factory mulled windows?

8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago

Can someone with a good eye tell me if these double windows are mulled, or individual windows? Also, is this 5 inch window trim? My builder wants me to have my windows mulled, but I‘m not sure I can achieve a look similar to this with mulled windows.



Comments (23)

  • 8 years ago

    Hard to tell. Take a closeup. If its a wood window you can order them factory mulled with separation to accomodate your trim. You always want factory mulled for doublehungs so they share a common sill.

    michelekins77 thanked User
  • 8 years ago

    Your windows and trim look very nice @cpartist , that’s the look I’m striving for. Do I need to tell my framers to do one header per two windows with two or three studs between windows to achieve a similar look?

    I was wondering about the sill too @fixer687 , that’s the next thing I need to figure out.

  • 8 years ago

    I believe mine was 2 studs between the windows. I can ask my supervisor on Monday.

    The sill in your inspiration pic is wrong if you're going for an old window look.

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Consider providing your builder with dimensioned drawings and pictures showing how you want the windows trimmed, inside and out, and letting them make mulling and framing decisions.


  • 8 years ago

    Consider providing your builder with dimensioned drawings and pictures showing how you want the windows trimmed, inside and out, and letting them make mulling and framing decisions.

    If I had let my builder make the decision, I would have had a hot mess that wasn't what I wanted.

  • 8 years ago

    Mulled: Studied, pondered or ruminated

    Mullioned: Of windows: divided by vertical bars or piers

  • 8 years ago

    More thank likely a spread mullion (one opening with the space between the windows packed out with a single uninterupted header) or two seperate openings. They would both give the same appearance and once installed the windows are trimmed and look pretty much exactly the same

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Michelle. Regardless of the mull detail, the sill and stool should be continuous whether factory applied or field applied. A superior exterior trim detail would be fabricated as a window surround assembly and fastened as a unit. The challenge would be to find a trim carpenter to help with this.

  • 8 years ago

    I typically do not like factory mulled windows. Mine were double hung in my last house and were not factory mulled. They were the installed separately. If you want the old time architectural look described by JDS you will not achieve it with factory mulled windows. Google JDS. Lots of knowledge on this issue.

    if you want the wide trim between windows on the interior, factory mulling will not allow this. They will be too close together.

    I'm sure factory mulling makes for a much simpler and quicker installation.

    your house example pic looks factory mulled to me.

  • 8 years ago

    When did "mullion" get truncated to "mull"? Guess I'll have to mull that over while drinking a cup of mulled wine.

  • 8 years ago

    ILoveRed, can you expand on what "JDS" you refer to? (Googling "JDS" got me some... interesting... results)

    I'm curious because I have a number of these, though I'm inclined to go with my builder's preference on the topic.

  • 8 years ago

    I apologize, ‘mulled’ was not the correct term. We just met with our builders and have decided not to have the windows joined, they will be installed as separate units. Now I have to figure out trim, Versatex is the only brand we’ve looked at (so far). I also need a sub sill (we are using Andersen 100 series). My husband thinks I’m being too picky about this, so I found these examples of the Andersen 100 series, one joined and one not. There isn’t a huge difference, but it really stands out to me for some reason. The 400 series is not in our budget, but I think the full divided light option improves the look of the 100 series, I think these examples are GBG.



  • 8 years ago

    Try here on the Versatex sight.

  • 8 years ago

    Holly...JDS was our original GW architect. He had lots of other monikers as he would come and go. Really knowledgeable guy.

    According to him this was done historically to accommodate the window mechanisms that raised and lowered the windows (between the windows) and he always spec'd grouped windows to be installed separately. I installed the windows in my last house like this because of his advice.

    this is one of my favorite Houzz pics. You can see the nice trim between the windows and if you read the questions I believe the architect says there are two studs between windows. These are casement that look like double hung.

    in my new house, my grouped windows are separate with a single header. I think we will have something like 5" trim between each window. It's just a plain, flat trim.

    didnt ARG design your house? I'll bet he spec'd your windows like this.


    Rustic Kitchen · More Info


  • 8 years ago

    Mark is doing our house. I strongly suspect that, yes, the banked windows will look much like that. I'm not sure about the bow, as that's a different kettle of fish.

  • 8 years ago

    Oops. Feeling a little foolish. I actually forgot that our windows for our new house came factory mulled because we chose the Marvin "Potter" trim to be pre-installed on the exterior of our windows. And they shipped with the trim installed. But they are the same distance apart as 2 2x6 studs. Not sure if any other factory mulled windows can be spaced like this. . My apologies.

  • 8 years ago

    Holly..."the bow??"

  • 8 years ago

    Realize that you can't paint Versatex a dark color without voiding the warranty.

  • 8 years ago

    I, for one, give you significant props for admitting the error. ;-) Bless you, ILoveRed, for choosing helpfulness over pride.

    I'm not even certain sure yet which line of windows we're going with. My builder was going to have Andersen, Pella, and Marvin all bid the job, and see who manages to get us closest to what we want at the most workable price. We're complicating matters with the need to do a custom grille, in order for the house we're building to look right. Pella, somewhat unfortunately, does not offer that option on anything but their architectural series. Andersen offers it on the 400. I'm not certain about Marvin, since I haven't seen anything from them, as yet.

    I do like the photo you posted. Is there a way, do you know, to search GW for some of JDS's "greatest hits" on replicating the look of historic windows and features?

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    BTW: Here's a pic of the interior of my windows. That's a 1 x 6 between each window and on the end.

    Different room but you can see the studs between the windows.

  • 8 years ago

    I do like the photo you posted. Is there a way, do you know, to search GW for some of JDS's "greatest hits" on replicating the look of historic windows and features?

    I know in one of my earlier threads he noted how to do my windows including how to do the exterior sills. But I'll be darned if I can find which of my threads.

  • 8 years ago

    Cp..yes and the search would probably be more fruitful if I could remember some of his other monikers. Your windows are well done....both inside and outside. Mine in my old house looked like this with 2 studs between the windows. Love this approach. I like the 6" trim around your windows and in between. Are the edges eased or squared? Are you using a backband? Do you have a close up pic of the 1x6 ?

    Holly...we used Andersen 400 dh in our last house and we loved those windows. Owned the house for over a decade..not a bit of trouble. Great windows back then. This house I knew I wanted the Marvin Ultimate casement with interior retractable screens and fractional grill. This was our splurge and we didn't look elsewhere. We further splurged with the aluminum pre-installed exterior trim. But it looks good and will be maintainance free. ..no caulking. You should look at this window.

    ps..thanks for the props re: my senior moment :-)

    Here is a not very recent picture that demonstrates the size of the trim piece between the grouped windows on the interior. It will look a lot like CP's in size.