Window Transport/Shipping Services

Window frames are manufactured to precise square and plumb geometry that allows them to fit correctly in the rough opening and operate smoothly through their full range of motion. A frame that is racked out of square by as little as 1/8 inch from rough handling during transport will not install plumb without shimming adjustments that compromise the window's operation and in some cases its weather seal performance. Frame racking happens most commonly during loading and offloading when windows are handled without maintaining the frame's designed vertical orientation.

Glass breakage during transport is the most obvious window damage mode and the one that most carriers think about. What they think about less is the impact damage to insulated glass units that does not immediately crack the glass but compromises the edge seal between the glass panes. A compromised edge seal allows moisture to enter the insulated glass cavity, creating the interior fogging that property owners notice weeks or months after installation when the seal failure progresses to the point of visible condensation between the panes.

Windows must be transported in a vertical or near-vertical orientation to prevent the glass weight from applying bending stress to the frame at the glazing pocket locations. A window stored or transported flat has its glass weight bearing across the frame's weakest structural direction, which can deflect the frame enough to crack the glazing tape seal at the corners. Manufacturers specify vertical transport orientation for exactly this reason, and a carrier who transports windows flat because it is easier to stack them that way creates the seal damage that shows up as fogging after installation.

Residential windows ship with factory-applied exterior finishes, including painted, anodized, or clad exterior surfaces that are vulnerable to abrasion and impact damage during transport. Interior surfaces and screens that ship attached to window units require protection from contact with adjacent windows, packaging material edges, and any abrasive surface they might contact during handling. A window that arrives with a scratched exterior finish or a torn screen may be technically functional but is not acceptable to the homeowner or the glazing contractor who has to present it for inspection.

Custom architectural windows, large fixed picture windows, and commercial curtain wall components present handling challenges that standard residential window transport does not encounter. A large fixed picture window may weigh several hundred pounds and require two-person handling with vacuum cup lift assist equipment to move safely. Curtain wall components with long horizontal spans require full-length support during transport to prevent deflection that distorts the frame geometry at the connection points.

Window installation happens at a specific point in the construction sequence, after rough opening framing is complete and inspected but before exterior sheathing and weather resistive barrier installation closes in around the opening. Delivering windows before the rough openings are ready creates a storage problem on the job site where windows left on the floor of an unfinished structure are vulnerable to construction traffic damage. Delivering after the framing crew has moved off the job forces a second crew mobilization that adds cost.