Glossary - S

A Glossary of window terminology

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Sash

A single assembly of stiles and rails made into a frame for holding glass. 

Sash lift

A handle used to assist in raising and lowering the sash of a single-hung or double-hung window. 

Sidelights

A fixed frame of glass beside a window or door. 

Snap Bead

A molding around the interior or exterior of a window sash or door panels holding the glass in place. Also called a glass stop.  

Sill

The main horizontal member forming the bottom of the frame of a window or door. 

Simulated divided light

Grilles permanently bonded to the interior and exterior of the insulating glass simulating a divided light appearance. 

Super Spacer

Foam material placed in the airspace of the insulating glass in Pella Architect Series® windows or doors to give it the look of true divided light (TDL). See Integral Light Technology. 

Single glazing

Single thickness of glass in a window or door. 

Single-hung

A vertically sliding window in which the top sash is fixed

Slimshade® blinds

Pella exclusive blinds positioned between the exterior and interior glass panel. Available on Designer Series products in tilt-only and cordless raise and lower configurations.  

Sound Transmission Class (STC) Rating

Measures the amount of noise reduction that can be achieved with a given product. A noise reduction of 10 decibels represents cutting the noise level in half, as interpreted by the human ear. So a rating of 25 means that the product reduces the outside noise by approximately 25 decibels, cutting the noise in half 2-1/2 times, or cutting it by over 80 percent. 

Stool

An interior trim piece on a window which extends the sill and acts as a narrow shelf. 

Stop

A molding used to hold, position or separate window parts. 

Sash limit locks
A feature that allows a window to be safely raised to a certain height.

Scoring
Running a utility knife blade, a sharpened awl, scoring tool, or other sharp implement across a soffit or siding panel face without cutting all the way through the panel. This weakens the vinyl surface in a specific area and allows the panel to be bent and broken off cleanly.

Sliding patio doors
A combination of fixed and sliding glass door panels.

Sliding Window
A window in which the sashes move horizontally. Available in a 2- or 3-lite configurations.

Soffit
Material used to enclose the horizontal underside of an eave, cornice, or overhang. Some soffit panels may also be used as vertical siding.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
The fraction of solar radiation admitted through a window or skylight, both directly transmitted and absorbed and subsequently released inward. The solar heat gain coefficient has replaced the shading coefficient as the standard indicator of a window’s shading ability. It is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window’s solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits and the greater its shading ability. SHGC can be expressed in terms of the glass alone or can refer to the entire window assembly.

Spacer
An object placed between two or more pieces of glass which helps to maintain a uniform width between the glass, and prevent sealant distortion.

Square
A measurement of siding. One square equals 100 square feet (10 x 10 wall).

Strapping
A flexible framing material used to even a surface prior to installation.

Starter Strip
An accessory applied directly to the surface of the building and used to secure the first course of siding to the home.

Screen Plunger
A spring-loaded pin in an insect screen that holds it in place.  

Setting Block
Small pieces of vinyl or rubber in the bottom rail to protect and support the insulating glass unit.  

Shiplap
A layering method in which each layer overlaps the layer below it so that water runs down the outside and cannot get behind the layers. 

Side Jamb
The vertical frame member on either side of the window or patio door. 

Softwood
One of the botanical groups of trees that has persistent needle-like or scale-like leaves; softwoods are evergreen and have longer-length fibers than hardwoods.  

Solid Core Flush Door
A flush door consisting of a core of solid wood blocks or strips with cross banding and face veneers, or with face veneers only.  

Solid Door Panel
A door panel consisting of solid wood, raised or beveled on one or two sides.  

Spring Line
The point in a frame where the window or door begins to curve.  

Stationary Sash or Panel
A window sash or door panel, often used in combination with other types of window and sash units, that is fixed to the frame and intended primarily for viewing purposes and for admitting light.  

Steel
A strong alloy of iron and carbon that contains a lower carbon content than cast iron (lower than 1.7%); used in commercial building because of its malleability under certain conditions. 

Stile
The vertical frame members of a sash, door, blind or screen.  

Storm Door or Storm Window
A window or door that is hung to cover and protect and insulate an exterior window or door; typically containing glass and sometimes screening material. 

Sunburst
A semi-elliptical area, the lower center of which contains a sun-like figure with radiating rays; may consist of a wood panel or a glazed sash.