Double hung windows for classic Texas homes

What is a double hung window?

A double hung window has two sashes that overlap near the middle. They lock together at a check rail. Sun describes it as “the traditional sash-over-sash, raise, and lower window.” A sash is the movable frame that holds the glass.

Honey Rock offers two paths to this look. Sun builds true double hung windows. Bertrand builds a Simulated Double Hung that copies the look on a modern tilt-turn or fixed system.

How does a true double hung window work?

You raise the lower sash or lower the upper one. Sun adds finger-release tilt latches. They let you tilt a sash inward for cleaning or other access. Sun also names “locking-when-tilted balance shoes” that hold a tilted sash in place.

Because both sashes slide, nothing swings into the room or out into a bed of plants. That helps with furniture, planters and covered porches.

Which Sun double hung windows can Honey Rock offer?

Sun builds in Owensboro, Kentucky. Its double hung page says Sun offers the type “in two of our product lines, USA / Clad Wood and Series 57 All-Vinyl.”

• USA / Clad Wood: an extruded aluminum exterior over a wood interior. The page lists Architectural and Comfort-Tilt styles and a Sash Pack.
• Series 57 All-Vinyl: Sun’s main all-vinyl line.

The same page shows a Patriot clad vinyl double hung tile, which the text does not name. We list only the two lines the text confirms. Ask us to confirm any other line.

Sun publishes no U-factors or maximum sizes on the pages we read. Ask for the size chart and the NFRC data for the window you pick. See the Sun Windows partner page.

What is Bertrand’s double-hung look?

Bertrand’s Simulated Double Hung gives “the traditional look of classic double-hung sash windows” with modern tilt-turn or fixed hardware. One sash, usually the lower, can tilt and turn or swing on a side hinge. The other stays fixed. Muntins, the bars that split the glass, can be surface-applied, internal or true divided lite. Read simulated double hung windows for a plain-language guide.

Bertrand lists it in PVC, aluminum or wood, and says a wood-aluminum variant with aluminum cladding outside is now available. It does not slide up and down. Compare the tilt and turn windows page for how the sash moves.

Do double hung windows fit historic homes?

They are the usual match for older houses with a sash-over-sash front. Many historic districts review exterior changes, so the look of the glass pattern, the sash proportions and the frame depth matter. Read our guide to windows in Dallas historic districts before you choose, and see window replacement in Dallas.

Bertrand says its Simulated Double Hung suits “renovation projects, heritage buildings.” A certificate of appropriateness may apply in a district, so confirm with the city before you order. Rules change.

How do Sun and Bertrand compare?

	Sun double hung	Bertrand Simulated Double Hung
Sash action	Slides up and down, tilts in	One sash tilts and turns or swings, the other fixed
Materials	Clad wood, all-vinyl	PVC, aluminum or wood, wood-aluminum variant
Glass	Dual-glazed, triple option	Double or triple, warm-edge spacers
Muntins	Sun grille systems	Surface-applied, internal, true divided lite
Published U-factor	None on pages read	None listed for this system

Sun’s standard glass is dual-glazed insulated glass, with a triple-glazed option. Ask for Low-E coatings and the final U-factor and SHGC on your glass package.

What should you ask before ordering?

• Which line and style do you propose, and what is the written warranty for that line?
• Will the frame and sash look match my existing windows from the street?
• Which muntin type, and does the district accept it?
• What is the lead time? Sun builds to order, and Bertrand ships from Poland.
• Who removes the old windows and handles trim and flashing?

How do you choose between a true and a simulated double hung?

Start with how the window will be used, not only how it looks from the street.

1. You want a sash that slides and tilts in: choose Sun’s true double hung. It works as the window has always worked.
2. You want the sash look with tight sealing and a tilt-turn sash: choose Bertrand’s Simulated Double Hung. One sash operates, the other is fixed.
3. You need a wood interior: Sun’s USA Clad Wood line has a pine interior. Bertrand’s wood-aluminum variant has a wood interior too.
4. You want an all-vinyl window: Sun’s Series 57 is its main all-vinyl line.
5. You need to match a district’s rules: show the district the sash proportions and the muntin type before you order.

How do you clean and care for double hung windows?

Tilt each sash in with Sun’s finger-release latches, wipe both faces of the glass from inside, and tilt it back until the latches click. Check the screens and the balance system once a year. Ask the maker for the care steps for the line you pick. A Simulated Double Hung has a tilt-turn sash, so cleaning follows the tilt and turn steps instead.

What are the trade-offs?

• A true double hung has two sashes in one frame, so the frame holds more parts than a fixed unit.
• Only part of the opening is ever open, because one sash covers the other.
• A simulated unit has a fixed sash, so only the operable half moves.
• Both types depend on the glass package for energy performance. Compare NFRC numbers for each window and glass.

Many owners pair the style with a casement or awning in a room that needs more airflow.

Next step

Share photos of the front and your district. We will suggest a true double hung or the double-hung look. See all windows or start your project. Call (214) 484-9982.