Steel windows and doors for Dallas homes

What are steel windows and doors?

Steel windows and doors use a thin steel frame to carry large panes of glass. The frame is strong enough to stay slim, so the glass looks like the main feature. Jada, a steel maker in Grass Valley, California, builds its line from narrow Secco OS2 thermally broken steel profiles.

Honey Rock Window and Door works with Jada. Honey Rock’s own words for its service run “From the initial design process to the final installation.” This page explains how steel windows and doors work, what to ask, and where they fit in a Dallas home. For the maker itself, see Jada.

Jada says it manufactures “here in California, everything that we sell.” That matters for custom work. Each opening is drawn, built and finished for one house, not pulled from a catalog size list.

What are the four families of Jada steel products?

Jada groups its line by how the glass opens: swing, slide, fold and pivot. Each family uses the same narrow profile idea, so a swing door can sit next to a fold wall and a fixed window without a visible change in frame weight.

Family	What it includes	Where to read more
Swing	Outswing and inswing doors, outswing and inswing windows, awning, hopper and fixed	This page and French doors
Slide	Bottom roll, Zero Gravity (magnetic levitation) and Top Hung sliders	Sliding and lift-and-slide doors
Fold	Outswing folding doors and windows	Folding doors
Pivot	Vertical pivot doors and horizontal pivot windows	Pivot doors

Jada says it fabricates swing products with consistent sight lines between the different products, so the architecture lines up. In plain terms, window frames and door frames line up. That helps on a wall that mixes fixed glass, a casement and a door.

How do you choose between swing, slide, fold and pivot?

Choose by how the opening will be used and how much weather it sees. Swing units give the tightest seal. Sliders give wide views and flat floors. Folding walls open the most width. Pivots make a single dramatic door.

Need	Family to start with	Why
Daily passage and weather tightness	Swing (outswing door)	Jada says outswing doors seal tighter as the wind blows
Wide view and flat floor line	Slide	Zero-transition track and pockets, per Jada
Largest clear opening	Fold	Panels stack to one or both sides
A single statement entry	Pivot	Large panel on a hydraulic floor pivot
Small feature opening	Pivot window	Squares, rectangles, ovals and full circles

Jada also says swing products “tend to rate better” than sliding or folding on energy tests. That does not rule out a fold wall. It tells you to check the number for your exact build. Each family has its own page: pivot doors, sliding and lift-and-slide doors and folding doors.

How narrow are steel sightlines?

Jada calls its steel profiles “narrow sightline,” and a steel frame can be very slim next to most other frame materials. A sightline is the width of frame you see from inside the room. Jada publishes no sightline measurement, so ask for a shop drawing to see the real size.

Narrow sightlines come from steel’s strength. Jada says Secco’s profile design has “proven to be the most structural narrow profile solution.” Jada also says Secco was the first company to develop a narrow profile section for the restoration market. That is why steel suits both new homes and remodels.

Divided lites change the picture. A grid of bars adds many more lines than the outer frame does. The slim profile windows guide covers how to judge the whole wall, not only the frame.

Jada’s mullion work follows the same idea. Its outswing door page says the “narrowest mullions are combo mullions that transition immediately into the fixed glass of a direct set unit.” Ask which mullion type your plan uses, since a taller opening may need tube steel. See mullion for the term.

What does a thermal break do in a steel frame?

A thermal break is a non-metal barrier inside the frame. It slows heat from moving between the outside and inside halves. The U.S. Department of Energy says that if a frame or sash is mostly metal, “it needs to have carefully integrated thermal breaks to minimize conductive heat flow.”

Jada’s version comes from Secco in Italy. Secco rolls two halves of the profile and joins them with a pressure infused polyurethane thermal barrier. A polyamide strut adds strength to the join, and Jada says condensation is also inhibited with a thermal break.

Jada pairs this frame with insulated glass. It says the Secco profiles and their patented thermal barrier, “coupled with quality insulated glass solutions,” greatly improve the insulating value of its products. That is the idea behind thermally broken steel. Read the full detail in the thermally broken steel windows guide.

Are steel windows energy efficient in Texas heat?

They can be, when the frame is thermally broken and the glass is matched to the sun. ENERGY STAR says “in warmer climates, you don’t want extra heat from the sun, so a low SHGC is important for windows that face South, East, and West.” Texas sits in that case.

Jada publishes NFRC sample ratings. The chart uses a quarter-inch over quarter-inch insulated unit with a Technoform TGI spacer and argon fill. These are samples, not a promise for your glass. Always read the rating for your exact product and glass.

Product (Jada sample)	Clr-NG U-factor	Clr-NG SHGC	Clr-SDL U-factor	Clr-SDL SHGC
Direct-set fixed	0.31	0.32	0.34	0.29
Outswing window	0.37	0.28	0.40	0.26
Outswing door	0.33	0.31	0.36	0.28
Folding door	0.34	0.32	0.35	0.28
Sliding door	0.37	0.32	0.39	0.29

Column labels are Jada’s. SDL means simulated divided lite. Jada also notes that “swing products tend to rate better than sliding or folding products.” That is a useful trade-off to weigh when you choose between a swing door pair and a big folding wall.

Glass does as much work as the frame. Learn the terms in SHGC and U-factor, then read SHGC and U-factor for Texas and how to read an NFRC label.

What are true and simulated divided lites?

A true divided lite (TDL) uses separate panes of glass for each section. A simulated divided lite (SDL) uses one large pane with a grid welded on the outside and a matching ring inside. Jada offers both, and each has a clear job.

	True divided lite (TDL)	Simulated divided lite (SDL)
How it is built	Individual pieces of glass for each lite	One overall piece of glass with welded grids
Strength	Bars help hold the sash together, which steadies narrow profiles on tall or wide sash	Grid is welded onto the sash and sits over whole glass
Thermal result	Higher unit U-factor, per Jada	Better NFRC U-factor values, per Jada
Bar width	1 3/8 inch typical	7/8, 1 or 1 1/8 inch
Glass	Smaller panes allow thinner glass and less weight	One overall piece of glass

Jada says TDL “rates lower than the SDL” in energy tests, because the bars and spacers break up the glass. Jada also says TDL bars “help to strengthen the sash.” So you trade a little efficiency for strength and tradition. Learn the parts at muntin.

How large can the glass be in a steel frame?

Glass size is a cost and warranty question, not only a frame question. Jada says oversize glass “can dramatically affect the overall cost and the warranty of the fenestration on a project.” On jobs where Jada supplies the glass, it says the maximum glass size it can warrant is 60 sq. ft.

Jada adds that many vendors limit the warranty to 50 sq. ft., so size should be settled in design. Jada also says Agnora glass can produce tempered insulated glass “in very large sizes up to 130 x 300.” Jada does not state the unit on the page. Ask for the size in writing.

Jada says a variety of glass types can be combined in an insulated glass unit for thermal reduction, tint control, UV blocking and sound inhibition. See the glass options guide and IGU for the terms. Low-E coatings are explained at Low-E coating.

Can steel windows work in a remodel?

Yes. Jada says Secco “was the first company to develop a narrow profile section for the restoration market.” Jada’s pivot window page says its thermally broken system “echoes the look of the past in a modern energy efficient version.”

For a remodel, the real tasks are the opening and the review process. Measure the rough opening with care. Check the rules for your street before you draw anything. For a protected district, read windows in Dallas historic districts first. Local rules change, so confirm them with the city.

Do steel windows rust?

Bare steel rusts. Finished steel is protected by its coating, and the coating is the real question. Jada says “all of our components are fully zinc coated after final welding, drilling and machining are completed,” and that its coatings passed accelerated testing “hundreds of hours beyond the ‘full life’ thresholds set by the ASTM standard.”

That order matters. Coating after welding means the weld seams, drill holes and cut edges are coated too. Jada then adds its own patina, topped with a satin clear coat, or an opaque paint.

Jada offers these color paths:

1. Patina finishes, such as Burnished Black, Aged Steel, Worn Steel and Deep Bronze, with a satin clear coat. Jada says finished colors “may vary from the sample colors” because the method is organic.
2. Tnemec Fluoronar color matching in a polymer paint for opaque colors.
3. True brass with brass burnishing. Jada says brass needs more upkeep and its color changes with exposure.

Jada publishes no maintenance schedule and no product warranty page. Ask for both in writing before you order. Also ask how the finish handles sprinklers, pool chemicals and salty or acidic cleaners near your openings.

How do steel and aluminum look-alikes compare?

Steel gives a narrow classic look and a hand-applied patina. Aluminum is a different metal with its own finishes, and some aluminum systems are drawn to copy the steel look. Bertrand, another Honey Rock partner, says its SlimLine 38 aluminum system is “inspired by the look of narrow steel profiles.”

Question	Thermally broken steel (Jada)	Slim aluminum (such as Bertrand SlimLine 38)
Look	Narrow steel profile with patina	Narrow aluminum profile in painted colors
Finish	Zinc coat, then patina or paint	Painted finish, set by the maker
Published sightline	None, so ask for shop drawings	Check each system sheet
Divided lites	True and simulated, welded grids	Depends on system
Key question	How is rust handled at weld seams?	What is the visible frame width?

Read the full comparison in the steel vs aluminum windows guide. For aluminum products, see aluminum windows.

Bertrand is in Poland, and its FAQ says “Aluminum constructions are made in 7-8 weeks.” Jada builds in California. Ask both for current lead times, since Honey Rock publishes none.

How much do steel windows and doors cost?

Honey Rock publishes no prices, and neither does Jada. Steel is a custom product, so the price follows your drawings. The main drivers are opening size, the number of operable sash, the type of glass, divided lites, finish and hardware.

Here is how to get a number you can trust:

1. Send plans or a window schedule with each opening’s width, height and operation.
2. State the glass you want (Low-E, laminated, tempered or triple) and the divided lite pattern.
3. Name the finish, such as patina, paint or brass.
4. Ask for the NFRC rating that matches your exact glass and grid.
5. Ask for lead time and who is responsible for installation and flashing.

Send your plans through contact us or call (214) 484-9982. Jada also names hardware from Rocky Mountain Hardware and Sun Valley Bronze as standard lever and knob options.

What should you ask before ordering steel windows?

Ask for the rating, the drawing, the finish and the schedule. Steel is a custom order, so details you settle early save weeks later. Use this list with any steel supplier.

• Which NFRC rating applies to my glass, size and grid?
• What is the visible frame width, and where do mullions fall?
• How is the steel protected at welds, and what is the written maintenance plan?
• Which finish tests apply to my exposure?
• How do the windows attach to the rough opening? Jada’s swing doors come with a welded attachment flange.
• What is the lead time from approved drawings?
• Who flashes and seals the unit?

For a wider plan, read planning a window and door project. If your house is in a historic district, check windows in Dallas historic districts before you choose a frame.

Next step

Start with the Jada partner page, then contact us with your plans. Honey Rock can walk through families, glass and finish choices with you.