Windows and Doors Glossary

Wooden boards fitted around an aluminium frame to help secure the window or door to the wall and finish the inside edges neatly.

An extra aluminium frame installed in the wall opening. The main window or door fits into it, making fitting and sealing easier.

A channel above a window or door that leaves space for the structure above to move slightly without pressing down on the frame.

A tray under a window or door that catches water and drains it outside, helping keep the surrounding wall dry.

An extra side frame that allows for small differences in the wall opening’s size. Some designs also allow for slight wall movement.

Caps sealed to both ends of the drainage tray beneath a window or door, stopping water from leaking sideways into the wall.

A thin edge that sticks out from the aluminium frame to help attach it during installation. Snap-off versions are designed to be removable.

A finishing strip that covers the join between the aluminium frame and the surrounding lining, creating a neat inside edge.

Exterior trim around a window or door that covers the gap between the frame and the outer wall, creating a neat finished edge.

A J-shaped trim that holds and hides the cut edges of exterior siding around windows and doors.

A groove on the inside of a window frame that accepts the plasterboard edge, creating a neat finish without a separate wooden surround.

A window or door frame without a projecting installation fin, often used in masonry openings or when replacing an existing unit.

A wide outer lip that covers the joint around a replacement window, often allowing installation without removing the surrounding stucco finish.

An added piece that extends the inside of a window or door frame to match the wall thickness and meet the finished wall surface.

A wooden frame secured inside a wall opening, often in concrete or brick, providing a fixing surface for a window or door.

A waterproof tray or lining beneath a window or door that catches leaks and directs water outside before it reaches the wall below.

A bottom frame section with a hollow chamber that collects water and drains it outside through drainage openings.

The width and height of the wall opening prepared for a window or door, including extra space around the unit for installation.

The total width and height measured to the outside edges of the wooden surround, rather than just the aluminium frame.

The actual width and height of the aluminium frame itself, not including wooden surrounds, separate outer frames, or installation gaps.

An Australian standard for checking how well windows and external glass doors resist wind, air leaks, and rainwater, and how easily they open and close.

An Australian standard for choosing and fitting glass in buildings, including glass thickness, support, and safety requirements to help reduce injuries.

An Australian rating showing how severely a bushfire could affect a building. It helps determine protection against flying embers, heat, and flames.