Steel systems for custom homes
I source real, thermally broken European steel systems - windows, doors, lift-and-slide and arched shapes - for US architects, builders and homeowners. Send me your drawings and I come back with a priced package and shop drawings, with what is included itemized in the quote.
Straight to me. No sales team, no spam.
72 x 96 in double door | 234 x 96 in lift-and-slide | arched doors and windows
Real steel, not steel-look aluminum. If you want the steel look in aluminum, see steel-look aluminum windows.
Quoted configurations from real project quotes. Names and prices are not shown, and nothing here is described as built or installed.
Illustrative photos of steel-framed glazing, not Windows Guy projects and not Janisol products. My own quoted configurations are drawn below.
Capability, drawn
Three configurations I have quoted, with the elevation and the section for each. The section is the real design: it shows how thin the steel is and where the glass sits.
Janisol HI - quoted configuration
Glazing bars on this door are applied to the glass and bonded on site.
See the Janisol HI page
Janisol lift-and-slide - quoted configuration
One opening, nearly 20 ft wide.
See the Janisol lift-and-slide page
Janisol Arte 2.0 - quoted configuration
Arches are a natural fit for steel: the section follows the shape of the head.
See the Janisol Arte 2.0 pageThe honest fork
I source both, so I have no reason to push the more expensive one. This is the difference as I see it on drawings, not brochures.
| Topic | Real steel (Janisol) | Steel-look aluminum |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Steel profiles with insulating bars | Thermally broken aluminum |
| Look | The original steel section | Shaped and gridded to read as steel |
| Sightlines | Authentic steel section; Arte 2.0 is the slimmest Janisol profile | Narrow frames available; steel-inspired profiles |
| Weight | Heavy: a 72 x 96 in double door is about 552 lb | Much lighter |
| Thermal, whole unit | Good with insulating bars and good glass; not at the level of the best triple-glazed aluminum | Usually better, especially with triple glazing |
| Glazing bars | Applied on the HI and lift-and-slide references; steel muntins on Arte 2.0 | Simulated or applied |
| Finish | The coating has to stay intact; touch-up matters | Forgiving, wide color range |
| Budget | A clear step up | The friendlier path to the same look |
| Best for | Big openings, arches, the authentic steel section | A whole-house look at a lower budget |
You want an authentic steel section and fine proportions, and you accept more weight and a clear step up in budget. Stay on this page and send the drawings.
You want the look and the best thermal numbers at a friendlier budget. It is a different product, covered on its own page.
See steel-look aluminum windowsNot sure? Send the drawings once. I can price the same openings in both materials so you can compare.
Thermal, honestly
Modern steel systems separate the inside and outside steel with insulating bars, which is why they can be used in cold climates at all. The glazing in my reference quotes is double, safety-glazed and argon-filled, about U-0.19 at the center of the glass per the manufacturer designation.
A whole door or window is higher than the glass alone and depends on size and configuration. Triple-glazed thermally broken aluminum usually still wins on whole-unit numbers, and I tell you if that matters for your climate zone and energy-code path.
Jansen documents European test classes for these systems. They are not NFRC ratings and not a US rating. If your permit needs rated numbers, tell me at the start and I tell you what exists for the system you want.
Weight and handling
Steel is strong and heavy. Large elements ship disassembled with the glass loose, which changes how they are unloaded, hoisted and set. I give you the weights with the shop drawings and tell your crew what to prepare for. Installation is done by your local team.
My reference doors are matte black powder coat. Colors are confirmed in your quote. Steel needs an intact coating: a deep scratch should be touched up, not ignored. The coating system is confirmed in your quote, and I walk you through care before you order, not after.
The systems behind it
Thermally broken steel doors and windows with a 3.15 in section. The line behind my double-door reference.
View the systemA heavy-duty sliding door for large openings, with steel leaves 3.15 in deep.
View the systemThe slimmest Janisol profile, for arched, heritage-style and small-format glazing.
View the systemJansen is the system provider; I am an independent agent. Janisol Primo steel windows are available on request. Browse the full steel catalog.
How a project runs
Elevations, a door and window list, even a sketch with sizes. I read what you have.
I tell you which Janisol system fits each opening and why, with the weights and the handling it implies. I can price the same openings in steel and in aluminum so you can compare.
Sections, elevations and weights for your approval. You approve, then it is an order.
Production is confirmed per order. Delivery to your site is itemized in the quote, and your local team installs.
Architects specifying slim steel for a house or a major elevation; builders who want one accountable contact; homeowners with a drawn design who care about proportion.
Hurricane-impact zones, which I do not offer; permits that need NFRC labels on the submittal; a single small window, where a package or a substantial door is the better fit; and budgets that point to steel-look aluminum. I will say so, and price it.
I am Kai. I quote your project, I source it, and I answer the phone. Windows Guy is registered in the EU (Windows Guy sp. z o.o.), and you deal with me directly, not a sales team. See about me and how sourcing from Europe works.
Yes. The frames are steel profiles with insulating bars. Steel-look aluminum is thermally broken aluminum shaped to look like steel. Both have a place. The honest differences are sightlines at large sizes, weight, thermal numbers, finish care and price.
Thermally broken steel is made for it, but it is not a triple-glazed aluminum window. I compare the numbers against your climate zone and energy-code path before you order, and I tell you if aluminum is the better fit.
A coated steel frame is protected as long as the coating stays intact. A deep scratch needs touch-up so corrosion does not start. The coating system is confirmed in your quote, and I walk you through the care before you order.
A fair number needs your drawings: size, opening type, system, glazing, finish and bars all move it. Real steel is a clear step up from steel-look aluminum. I send an itemized number for your openings with what is included spelled out, and I can price the same openings in both materials.
The lift-and-slide I quoted is 234 x 96 in as one element. Limits depend on the system and the glass weight, so I check your sizes against Jansen documentation before I promise one.
On the HI and lift-and-slide configurations I quoted, the bars are applied to the glass and bonded on site. They give the steel proportion and read well, but they are not structural. On Arte 2.0 the bars are steel muntins. If true divided lights matter, tell me and I explain the options and their thermal cost.
Tell me your location and what the building department expects. European test classes are documented, but they are not NFRC ratings and not a US rating. I tell you what exists for the system you want and do not claim a rating it does not have.
Lead time is confirmed per order, after drawings are approved. Steel is custom, so I give you the answer for your order, not a general range.
Your local installation team. I send weights, handling notes and the shop drawings in advance. The heaviest elements need lifting equipment planned.
I serve projects across the US and tell you early if a location raises code questions. I do not offer hurricane-impact zones, for example.
Next step
Drawings, a door and window list or a sketch with sizes. I come back with a priced package. No deposit, no commitment.