![]() Mullionsīefore the industrial revolution, it was difficult to manufacture large panels of glass for use in windows. Today, muntins are used largely for aesthetic purposes as some window styles simply look bare without them. This is important because older homes often did not have strong enough walls to support their windows. ![]() In the past, window muntins allowed builders to evenly distribute the weight of large windows vertically along the walls. They are usually present in windows, but they can also be found in walls, doors and, sometimes, furniture. ![]() Muntins are a general term used to describe any vertical divider. These are the same vertical and horizontal dividers that provide the window with depth and character. In the photo below you can see how glass is removed from between the muntins before the window is replaced.Mullions, muntins, stiles and sashes are all common terms thrown around when choosing window replacement products. Custom, TDL frames with real muntins can cost up to ten times what windows with modern grids will cost, so if you have real muntins, it’s likely the windows are originals.Īs a note, the home in the photo above has single pane metal windows with muntins. It is rare for TDL windows with real muntins to end up at exactly the same angle, so reflections are often slightly off-kilter from frame to frame.Ĭould they be replacements that are non-period? It is possible, but not likely. Looking at an angle, you can often see if the wood goes all the way through the glass, which means the muntins may be original. That doesn’t mean they are not true divided light (TDL) windows or even the originals. There are many simulated divided light (SDL) windows out there, and the likelihood is that if your home has been renovated in the last few decades and if the windows were replaced, the separation is now simulated using a grid. How do I know if my windows have real muntins?Īside from calling a professional to look at them, you can often tell by looking at your window at an angle, and how light is reflected through the window. Double and even triple-pane windows made in large continuous sheets mean the temperature from the inside of your home and the outside can be separated from each other more efficiently, which means your heating works better in the winter and your air conditioning is more economical in the summer. These are decorative pieces designed to mimic the look and feel of real muntins, but most of the time they are not actually separating panes of glass. “On modern windows.”Īctually, you have probably seen “grids” instead. The reason is again simple: we now have the ability and technology to make larger panes of glass and there is no need to piece together smaller panes in order to form a larger one. This is why in older homes, and especially in Europe, you will find genuine muntins. So to make large windows, muntins were born. These now decorative items arose out of necessity.Īt the time, it wasn’t practical or possible to make large panes of glass. Muntins were the frames used to separate and hold smaller panes of glass together to make much larger ones. So what are window muntins? Well, the original term actually came into being in the middle ages.
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