An architect sends me an elevation with nine different window sizes, two arched heads and a divided-light pattern on the street side, and asks whether that is "custom" or "special order". The honest answer is that with European wood windows it is all the same thing: every unit is made to the drawing.
Custom wood windows from Europe are made to the exact size on your schedule, not cut down from stock sizes: each frame and sash is built to the opening dimensions, with the profile depth, species, glazing, hardware and any grid pattern chosen per window. Shapes such as arches and layouts with divided lights are available on the wood lines, and the limits are confirmed on the shop drawing for your specific window, not assumed from a catalog.
If you want the systems before the options, start with the European wood windows page. This post covers what you can change, and what you cannot.
What does "custom order windows" actually mean here?
In the US, "custom" often means a catalog window with a few options, and "special order" means a longer wait. European wood windows are built differently. There is no stock size to modify. The laminated frame and sash are machined to the dimensions on the schedule, so a 31 3/8 in x 47 1/4 in window and a 36 in x 60 in window go through the same process.
| Choice | Fixed by the system | Chosen per window |
|---|---|---|
| Overall width and height | No catalog sizes | Yes, to the opening |
| Profile depth | 68 / 78 mm (2 11/16 / 3 1/16 in) on Timber Classic, 92 mm (3 5/8 in) on Timber Estate | Which system |
| Species | Offered list on the wood windows page | Per order, or per elevation |
| Glazing | Double or triple | Per window |
| Opening type | Tilt-and-turn, casement, fixed | Per window |
| Divided lights | Bar profiles drawn for each system | Pattern and spacing |
| Finish | Transparent stain or opaque color | Per side, inside and outside |
The part that is not custom is the construction: the profile sections, gasket lines and hardware families are the system's. You choose within them. That is what keeps a one-off window from being a one-off risk.
What sizes can custom wood windows be made in?
There is no published catalog grid to stay inside, which is why I ask for the real rough opening rather than a "nearest size". What limits a window is the sash, not the frame: glass weight, hardware capacity and the profile depth together decide how large one sash can be. A taller or wider sash on a 68 mm (2 11/16 in) frame needs a different glass and hardware choice than the same sash on a 92 mm (3 5/8 in) one.
For wood I do not quote a single "maximum size", because dimensional maxima cannot be combined from separate hardware and glass limits. I check the specific size, glass and opening type against the system data and tell you if it works, or what changes it. For the sliding door in the same family, the Timber Lift & Slide page publishes up to 11 ft 10 in (3,600 mm) high and 661 lb (300 kg) for the tall, narrow-frame version, and I treat that as a ceiling to verify, not a promise for every width.
Measure the opening before you pick a size; the method is in replacing old wood windows and the sizing logic is in the rough opening sizing guide.
Can European wood windows be arched or shaped?
Yes. The producer's range includes arches among the options that can be added to the wood frames, and the site shows a real arched reference from the system provider:
Arched window in a brick facade - system provider reference, not a Windows Guy completed project.
I want to be careful here. "Arched" is not one product. A segmental arch, a full half-round and an eyebrow are different pieces of joinery with different glass, and the operable versions are more restricted than fixed ones. My rule: fixed arched units are the straightforward case; an operable arched sash gets a drawing and a written confirmation before it goes on a schedule. Triangles, trapezoids and rounds I treat the same way - ask, get the drawing, then decide.
How do grids and divided lights work on custom wood windows?
Wood windows are where grids look best, because the bar is a timber profile, not a plastic insert. The system provider has drawn bar profiles for each line, shown on the product pages:
- Timber Classic: Edge Guard, Classic and Heritage profiles, with a bar to match
- Timber Estate: a bar and a Heritage bar on the deeper frame
- Aluminum-clad lines: Clad Classic, Square, Square Grid and Square Heritage bars, plus a bar for the Clad Hidden Sash
Two things decide whether a pattern looks right. First, the bar must match the frame profile: a molded Heritage bar between flat, modern frames looks wrong, and the reverse is true on a traditional house. Second, spacing is a drawing decision, because the sight line of a bar changes how much glass you see at the sill. I confirm the layout on a shop drawing and with a profile section before anything goes into production. If you are matching an existing historic grid, bring photos and measurements of the existing bar widths.
For a district with divided-light rules, check them first. A commission may require true divided lites or specific bar depths, and the system's profile may or may not satisfy that.
What can I customize on the finish and the hardware?
The finish is the second place custom shows up. The interior and exterior can be finished differently: a transparent stain that lets the grain show inside, and a factory-applied opaque color outside. On the aluminum-clad lines the exterior is a powder-coated shell instead, in the color range on the colors page and in European window colors and finishes.
Hardware comes from the European tilt-and-turn and casement families, with multipoint locking and a choice of handle. Handle style is a cheap decision that is easy to forget until the drawings are signed.
What I would specify
For a custom home with a mix of sizes, I would not try to standardize. I would send the full schedule, mark which windows are fixed and which operate, and ask for the 92 mm Timber Estate where the openings are large and the walls deep enough, and the 68 mm Timber Classic on the smaller and more traditional elevations. I would keep any arch fixed unless the design truly needs it to open. I would pick one bar profile for the whole house and let the spacing change by window. And I would settle species and finish with a sample in hand, not a screen.
Orders run from drawings: you send plans and the schedule, I return questions rather than assumptions, then shop drawings for review. You can build a first direction in the Studio or request a quote with your drawings attached. Lead times are confirmed per order.
FAQ
What does custom order windows mean for European wood windows? Every window is made to the dimensions on your schedule, so there is no stock size to modify. You choose system, species, glazing, opening type, grid and finish per window. The profile sections and hardware families are fixed by the system, which is what keeps each custom unit predictable.
Can I get custom ordered windows in odd sizes? Yes, within what the sash can carry. Size limits come from glass weight, hardware capacity and profile depth together, so I check the exact size, glass and opening type rather than quoting a single maximum. If a size does not work, I tell you what changes it, such as a deeper frame.
Are arched and shaped wood windows available? Arches are among the options available on the wood lines, and fixed arched units are the straightforward case. An operable arched sash needs a drawing and written confirmation first. I treat triangles, trapezoids and rounds the same way: ask, review the drawing, then decide.
Can I add grids or divided lights to custom wood windows? Yes. Each wood and aluminum-clad system has its own bar profiles, from molded Heritage to plain square. The bar should match the frame profile, and I confirm the pattern and spacing on a shop drawing before production.
Can custom wood windows match my existing windows? Often closely, but not identically. Send photos and measurements of the existing frame depth, bar widths and finish. European profiles differ from US ones, and casement or tilt-and-turn will read differently from double-hung, so I show the comparison on a drawing first.