Grids and Divided Lites

Grids look like real dividers from across the street, but up close the difference between an internal grid and a true divided lite is large, and the breakdown sitting on carlsbad new windows pretty little wine moms lists the types in order. New windows in Carlsbad, CA often copy the pattern of the original house, and the choice of grid style decides how convincing that pattern looks.

Grids between the glass

A grid between the glass is a thin aluminum or plastic lattice sealed inside the insulated glass unit. It never needs cleaning and cannot be damaged by a ladder. From inside it reads as a flat pattern behind the glass, with no shadow, and the lines can look thin and flat in raking sun.

Grids on the glass

A surface grid is a molded bar stuck to the inside and outside faces of the glass. It casts a real shadow and has depth. It has to be cleaned around, and the glue can fail in strong sun over many years, but it looks closer to a wood window with muntins than an internal grid does.

Simulated divided lites

A simulated divided lite combines exterior bars, interior bars and a spacer bar between the glass layers. The three together look like individual panes of glass in the sash. It is the closest match to a traditional sash that still uses one sealed unit of insulated glass.

True divided lites

A true divided lite has individual small panes separated by wood or metal bars. It is the original form, but each pane has its own edge seal or putty line, and it is harder to keep airtight. It is used mostly on historic restoration, where the pattern is part of the character, and the extra glazing work is the reason it takes the longest to build and to repair after a broken pane.

Matching the house

Craftsman houses use a vertical pattern with a few tall panes on the top sash, while Spanish style homes in Oceanside and Carlsbad Village often use a simple rectangular grid. The pattern is chosen to match the nearest original window. A picture window beside a double hung should use the same grid width so the facade stays consistent. Grid bars that line up across neighboring windows, with the same spacing from the sill, make a row of new units look original instead of added later, and mismatched bars are the first thing a passerby notices.