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Door Installation Vancouver | Entry & Patio Doors | SilverLine Exteriors

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We replaced 14 entry doors on one street in East Vancouver last fall. The homeowners didn’t coordinate it. They just all had the same problem: original builder-grade steel doors from the early ’90s. Rust at the bottom, drafts around the weatherstripping. That’s the reality of door replacement in Vancouver. The rain does the damage, and eventually every homeowner on the block notices.

SilverLine Exterior Solutions has been handling door installation in Vancouver and across Metro Vancouver since 2007. We install Trimlite entry doors and French-style patio doors for homeowners from West Vancouver to Maple Ridge. This page covers what the job involves, what it costs, and how to tell whether your doors need replacing or just some maintenance.

New entry door installation on a Vancouver home with covered front porch - SilverLine Exteriors

What door installation in Vancouver costs

This is the question everyone asks first, so here it is up front.

A single entry door replacement in Vancouver starts from about $1,500 installed. That includes the door slab, frame, hardware and weatherstripping, plus labour. Most homeowners end up in the $1,500 to $3,000 range depending on the door style, glass inserts, and whether the existing frame needs work.

French-style patio doors (the double-swing kind, not sliding) start from about $3,000 installed. These take longer because the opening is wider and the threshold work is more involved, especially on older Vancouver homes where the subfloor near the patio door has taken moisture damage over the years.

Door installation pricing at a glance

Door typeStarting price (installed)Typical range
Single entry door$1,500$1,500 – $3,000
Entry door with sidelite$2,500$2,500 – $4,500
French patio doors (double)$3,000$3,000 – $5,500

These are real numbers from our recent quotes in Metro Vancouver. Your actual price depends on the door model, glass options, hardware finish, and site conditions. We provide free in-home estimates so you get an exact number before you commit to anything.

Why Vancouver homes need door replacement sooner than you’d think

Vancouver gets roughly 1,200 mm of rain per year. That’s more than double what Toronto gets. The rain hits your front door at an angle when the wind comes off the water, and it pools at the threshold when your covered porch doesn’t extend far enough.

We see the same failure patterns across the city. Steel doors rust at the bottom edge where water sits against the sweep. Wood doors swell and stick through the wet months, then shrink and leave gaps in summer. Even fiberglass doors can fail if the frame wasn’t installed with proper flashing and a sill pan, because water gets behind the brickmould and rots the rough opening.

Fiberglass entry door installed by SilverLine Exteriors in Vancouver

The threshold is the weak point on almost every door we replace. In neighbourhoods like Kitsilano, Main Street, and the older parts of East Vancouver, we pull out doors where the subfloor underneath has gone soft from years of slow water intrusion. Catching this early saves money. Once the rot gets into the framing, the scope of the job grows.

Entry doors: what we install and why

We install Trimlite entry doors. They’re a Canadian manufacturer that builds fiberglass and steel doors designed for our climate. We chose them because the product holds up, the lead times are reasonable (typically 8 to 12 weeks for custom orders), and the warranty is solid.

Most of the entry doors we install in Vancouver are fiberglass. Fiberglass doesn’t rust like steel and doesn’t swell like wood. It holds paint well, insulates better than steel, and can be textured to look like wood grain if that’s the look you want.

How to tell if your entry door needs replacing

Some of these problems can be fixed without a full replacement. Others can’t.

  • Visible rust along the bottom edge or around the lock hardware. If it’s surface rust, you can sand and repaint. If the steel has pitted through, the door is done.
  • Drafts around the edges even when the door is locked. Weatherstripping can be replaced on its own, but if the frame is warped or the door has sagged on its hinges, new weatherstripping won’t seal properly.
  • Difficulty opening or closing that changes with the seasons. This usually means the door or frame is absorbing moisture. Wood doors do this. It gets worse every year.
  • Condensation or fog between the glass panels in a door with an insulated glass unit. The seal has failed. You can sometimes replace just the glass, but on older doors the cost of the glass plus labour approaches the cost of a new door.
  • The door doesn’t sit flush in the frame anymore. Stand inside with the door closed and look for daylight around the edges. If you can see light, air and water are getting in.

SilverLine Exteriors crew completing a door installation project in Vancouver BC

Patio door replacement in Vancouver

Patio doors take more abuse than entry doors in this climate. They face the backyard, which usually means south or west exposure and direct rain. The tracks on sliding doors collect water and debris. The rollers wear out. The seals fail.

We install French-style double patio doors (the kind that swing open, not slide). Homeowners in Vancouver are moving away from old sliding patio doors because the French style gives a wider opening, better seal when closed, and a cleaner look. The hardware is more substantial, and there’s no track on the floor to trip over or clean.

Sliding vs French patio doors

Sliding doors are fine if space is tight because they don’t swing into the room. But they have more failure points: the track, the rollers, the interlock where the panels meet. French doors have hinges and a multipoint lock, and that’s about it. Less to go wrong.

For Vancouver specifically, French doors handle rain better because there’s no track sitting at floor level collecting water. The threshold on a French door is raised slightly and designed to drain, which matters when you’re getting weeks of continuous rain from November through March.

Patio door replacement by SilverLine Exteriors in a Vancouver home

How we install doors (the actual process)

We get asked about this a lot, probably because most people have never had a door replaced and don’t know what to expect. Here’s how it works from start to finish.

1. Free estimate and rough measure

One of our sales reps visits your home, measures the existing door opening, and goes over your options. This is where we discuss door styles, glass inserts, hardware finishes, and budget. You get a written quote before we leave. No pressure, no follow-up calls unless you want them.

2. Final measure

Once you’ve signed the order and paid the deposit, we send a dedicated measurer to take precise dimensions. Entry doors are custom-ordered to fit your opening, so the final measure has to be exact. This visit takes about 30 minutes.

3. Order and production

Trimlite builds the door to our specifications. Typical lead time is 8 to 12 weeks, depending on the model and glass options. Custom glass patterns and sidelites add time. We’ll call you when the door arrives at our warehouse in Port Coquitlam to schedule the installation date.

4. Installation day

A standard single entry door takes about half a day. Our crew removes the old door and frame, then checks the rough opening for rot or damage (this is where hidden problems show up). They install the new door with proper shimming and insulation, flash around the frame, and finish with interior and exterior trim. We clean up and haul away the old door.

French patio doors take a full day because the opening is larger and the threshold work is more detailed.

Vancouver neighbourhoods we serve

Our shop is at Unit 5, 1560 Broadway Street in Port Coquitlam. We install doors across Metro Vancouver, from the North Shore down to Delta and out to Maple Ridge. Here are some of the areas where we do the most door work:

  • Vancouver (Kitsilano, East Van, Dunbar, Kerrisdale, Main Street, Mount Pleasant) – about 30 minutes from our shop
  • Burnaby (Metrotown, Edmonds, Brentwood, Deer Lake) – 15 to 20 minutes away
  • New Westminster (Sapperton, Queens Park, Uptown) – 10 minutes from our shop
  • Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam – our home turf
  • North Vancouver and West Vancouver – 30 to 40 minutes depending on bridge traffic
  • Surrey, Delta, and Langley – 25 to 40 minutes south
  • Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows – 20 minutes east

We don’t charge extra for travel anywhere in Metro Vancouver.

Door materials compared: fiberglass vs steel vs wood

This is a question we answer daily. Each material has a place, but for Vancouver’s climate, fiberglass wins for most homes.

Fiberglass

Best all-around choice for Vancouver. Doesn’t rust, doesn’t swell, doesn’t warp. Insulates well (most fiberglass doors have a polyurethane foam core). Can be stained or painted. Holds up to UV and rain without the maintenance wood requires. Most of our installations are fiberglass.

Steel

Cheaper than fiberglass. Stronger against forced entry. But steel conducts cold, so you get condensation on the interior surface during cold snaps. And it rusts. In Vancouver, we see steel doors start showing rust at the bottom edge within 5 to 8 years, sometimes sooner if the door faces the prevailing rain.

Wood

Beautiful. Expensive. High maintenance in this climate. A solid wood entry door can cost $3,000 to $6,000 before installation. It needs to be refinished every 2 to 3 years to keep moisture out. We install wood doors when customers specifically want them, but we make sure they understand the upkeep involved. More on this in our post about whether wooden front doors are worth the trouble.

 

Energy efficiency and your doors

A drafty door costs more than you’d guess. Doors are the second biggest source of air leakage in most homes, after windows. If your door doesn’t seal properly, your furnace runs longer and your BC Hydro bill goes up.

The fiberglass doors we install have polyurethane foam cores and multi-point locking systems that compress the weatherstripping evenly around the entire perimeter. That’s a tighter seal than a single deadbolt can provide.

If you’re replacing both doors and windows, you may qualify for rebates through BC Hydro or the CleanBC Better Homes program. The programs and amounts change regularly, so check the current offerings when you’re ready to move forward. We can point you to the right applications during your estimate.

Why SilverLine for door installation in Vancouver

We’ve been doing this since 2007. Nearly 20 years of work on windows, doors, and siding across Metro Vancouver. We’re not a franchise and we’re not a door showroom that subs out the installation. Our own crews do the work.

  • 9x HomeStars Best of Award winner
  • 107 Google reviews at 4.5 stars
  • BBB accredited with an A+ rating
  • HPCN certified contractor
  • We manufacture our own SilverLine brand windows, so when you’re doing doors and windows together, everything comes from one company

Our office is in Port Coquitlam at Unit 5, 1560 Broadway Street. You can call us at 604-942-0488 for a free estimate, or request a quote online.

Choosing the right exterior doors for your Vancouver home - SilverLine Exteriors

Frequently asked questions about door installation in Vancouver

How long does it take to replace a front door?

A single entry door replacement takes about half a day. That covers removal of the old door, installation, insulation, and trim work. Patio doors take a full day. The timeline assumes no surprises behind the old door frame. If we find rot in the rough opening, we fix it before installing the new door, which can add a few hours.

Do I need a permit to replace my door in Vancouver?

No. In Vancouver and most Metro Vancouver municipalities, a straightforward door replacement (same size opening, same location) does not require a building permit. If you’re changing the size of the opening or cutting a new one in the wall, that’s structural work and does need a permit. We handle permit applications when they’re needed.

Can I replace just the door slab without changing the frame?

Sometimes. If your frame is square and in good condition, we can hang a new slab in the existing frame. But in Vancouver, the frame is often part of the problem. Moisture gets behind the brickmould, the frame swells, and the door stops sealing properly. In about 7 out of 10 replacements we do, the frame needs to come out too.

What’s the best door material for Vancouver’s rain?

Fiberglass. It doesn’t absorb moisture, doesn’t rust, and doesn’t need the regular refinishing that wood requires. For a coastal climate with 1,200 mm of annual rainfall, fiberglass is the lowest-maintenance option that still looks good and insulates well. We go deeper on this in our guide to durable door materials for coastal areas.

How much does a new front door cost in Vancouver?

A single entry door installed starts from about $1,500. Most homeowners spend between $1,500 and $3,000 depending on the door model, glass inserts, and hardware. French-style patio doors start from $3,000 installed. We provide free in-home estimates with exact pricing for your specific door.

Do you install sliding patio doors?

We specialize in French-style (hinged) patio doors rather than sliding doors. French doors provide a better seal in wet climates because there’s no floor track to collect water. If you specifically want a sliding door, we can discuss options during your estimate.

What brand of doors does SilverLine install?

We install Trimlite doors for both entry doors and patio doors. Trimlite is a Canadian manufacturer that builds fiberglass and steel doors. For windows, we manufacture our own SilverLine brand. When you combine a door and window project, one company handles it all.

How far in advance should I book my door installation?

Plan for 8 to 12 weeks from order to installation. Custom doors are built to your measurements, so there’s a production lead time. Spring and summer are our busiest seasons. If you want a door installed before the fall rains start, get your estimate done by June or July.

Ready to get a price on your door project? Call us at 604-942-0488 or request a free estimate online. We serve all of Metro Vancouver from our Port Coquitlam office.

modern entry door BLS 404 389 1

What Is a Transom Window? | Types, Costs & Installation | SilverLine Exteriors

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What is a transom window?

We installed a set of transom windows above a new entry door in a 1940s Shaughnessy home last spring. The homeowner had been losing light in their front hallway for years because the original solid transom panel had been drywalled over during a renovation in the 1980s. Opening that space back up and fitting a custom arched transom changed the entire feel of the entryway. That project is a good example of what transom windows do and why they keep showing up in renovation plans across Metro Vancouver.

A transom window is a narrow window installed above a door or another window. The name comes from the transom bar, which is the horizontal structural beam that separates the door frame from the window above it. Transom windows can be fixed (non-opening) or operable (hinged or pivoting to allow airflow). They come in rectangular, arched, and custom shapes.

If you have walked through older neighbourhoods in New Westminster, Kitsilano, or the West End, you have seen transom windows everywhere. They were standard in homes built before the 1950s, and they are making a comeback in modern builds and renovations today.

Front door with transom window on a Vancouver home by SilverLine Exteriors

Why transom windows exist

Before electric lighting and forced-air HVAC, transom windows solved two problems at once. They let natural light pass from room to room and from exterior walls into hallways. They also provided cross-ventilation when opened, which was the primary way homes stayed cool in summer.

In the Lower Mainland, where overcast skies block direct sunlight for months at a time, getting light deeper into a home matters more than in sunnier climates. A transom above an entry door can push daylight 8 to 12 feet into a front hallway that would otherwise need a lamp on all day from October through March.

Types of transom windows

Fixed transom windows

Fixed transoms do not open. They exist purely for light and aesthetics. This is the most common type we install in the Lower Mainland because most homeowners want the look and the light but already have mechanical ventilation handling airflow. Fixed transoms are also less expensive and require almost no maintenance.

Operable transom windows

Operable transoms hinge at the bottom or the top and swing open to allow air circulation. These were the standard in pre-1950s homes. We still install them in projects where the homeowner wants passive ventilation, particularly in bedrooms and bathrooms where opening a full window is not always practical. A hinged transom can vent warm air from the ceiling level of a room, which is where heat accumulates.

Arched and semicircular transoms

Arched transoms follow a curved shape, either a full semicircle or a segment of an arc. These are the ones you see above entry doors in Craftsman and Victorian homes throughout Vancouver’s older neighbourhoods. We manufacture arched transom windows in-house at our Port Coquitlam facility, which lets us match specific radius measurements that off-the-shelf products cannot hit. That matters when you are fitting into an existing rough opening on a heritage home where nothing is a standard size.

Custom energy-efficient transom and window installation in Port Coquitlam by SilverLine

Rectangular transoms

Rectangular transoms are the simplest and most affordable option. They work well above interior doors, above kitchen windows, and in modern home designs where clean lines matter more than ornamental curves. Most of the transom installations we do in newer Coquitlam and Burnaby townhomes use rectangular frames to match the existing window lines.

Decorative and divided-light transoms

Some transom windows feature grid patterns, stained glass, or leaded glass dividers. These are mostly decorative and show up in heritage restorations. We can add simulated divided light (SDL) grilles to any of our SilverLine brand transom windows if you want the look of individual panes without the thermal penalty of actual divided glass.

Where transom windows are used

Above entry doors

This is the most popular application. A transom above your front door lets light into the foyer without sacrificing privacy or security. In Port Coquitlam and the Tri-Cities, where many homes have covered front porches that block direct sunlight, a transom window above the entry door makes a noticeable difference in how bright the front hallway feels.

Above interior doors

Transom windows above interior doors let light travel between rooms. This works especially well in hallways, bathrooms without exterior windows, and home offices. We see this application a lot in older New Westminster homes where the original transoms were covered over and the homeowners want to restore them.

Above bedroom windows

Stacking a transom window above a standard bedroom window increases the total glass area and lets in more light at a higher angle. This is practical in homes where the lot is narrow and neighbouring houses block lower sight lines, which is common in East Vancouver and Burnaby.

Heritage window replacement with transom detail in Vancouver by SilverLine Exteriors

In stairwells and high walls

Stairwells and vaulted ceilings often have wall space near the ceiling that is too high for a standard window but perfect for a fixed transom. The light enters from above and fills the space evenly. We have installed these in several two-storey foyers in Burke Mountain homes where the builder left blank drywall above the front door that was begging for glass.

Benefits of transom windows

More natural light without losing privacy

Because transom windows sit above eye level, they bring in light without giving neighbours a sightline into your home. This is a big deal in the Lower Mainland where lot sizes keep shrinking and houses sit 4 to 6 feet apart in newer subdivisions.

Architectural character

A transom window adds visual height and proportion to a doorway or window grouping. It makes standard 6-foot-8-inch doors look taller and more finished. This is one of those changes that costs relatively little compared to its visual impact. If you are also considering your entry door options, pairing a new door with a transom above it is one of the best curb appeal upgrades we do.

Passive ventilation

Operable transom windows let warm air escape from the top of a room. Hot air rises, so a transom that opens near the ceiling line vents heat more efficiently than a lower window. In summer, cracking a transom open while keeping the main window or door closed maintains privacy and security while still moving air.

Increased home value

Custom window features like transoms signal quality and attention to detail on a real estate listing. In Metro Vancouver, where curb appeal directly affects sale price, a well-designed entry with a transom window reads as a finished, intentional home rather than a builder-basic box.

How much do transom windows cost?

Cost depends on the size and whether the installation is new construction or retrofit.

For a standard fixed rectangular transom window in vinyl, expect to pay between $400 and $800 for the window itself. Arched or custom-shaped transoms run higher, typically $700 to $1,200, because the manufacturing is more involved.

Installation adds $300 to $600 per window depending on the situation. New construction installs (where the rough opening already exists) are cheaper. Retrofit installs, where we need to cut a new opening into an existing wall, cost more because of the structural work involved. Cutting into a load-bearing wall above a door requires a proper header, and in BC that means pulling a building permit.

All in, most homeowners spend between $700 and $1,800 per transom window installed. That puts transoms in the same price range as adding a standard double-glazed window, which runs $800 to $1,000 for the unit at our shop.

Entry door with transom window installed by SilverLine Exteriors in Metro Vancouver

Building code considerations in BC

Adding a transom window is not always as simple as cutting a hole and framing it. In British Columbia, the BC Building Code governs window installations, and municipalities add their own requirements on top of that.

If you are cutting a new opening into an existing wall, you will almost certainly need a building permit, especially if the wall is load-bearing. The permit process in most Lower Mainland municipalities takes 2 to 4 weeks for a straightforward window addition.

Energy code is the other consideration. BC’s Energy Step Code applies to new construction and major renovations. Any new window, including a transom, needs to meet minimum U-value requirements. Our SilverLine double-glazed units meet and exceed current Step Code requirements for Zone 4 (which covers all of Metro Vancouver). If you want to understand how glazing performance is measured, our guide to window glazing covers U-values, Low-E coatings, and argon gas fills in detail.

Heritage homes in New Westminster, parts of Vancouver, and other municipalities with heritage overlay zones may also need design approval from the local heritage commission before exterior window changes are permitted. This adds time but rarely stops a project.

Transom windows vs. mullions: what is the difference?

People confuse these terms regularly, so it is worth clarifying.

A transom is a horizontal bar that separates a door or window from a window above it. The window above the bar is the transom window.

A mullion is a vertical bar that separates two windows side by side. If you have two windows next to each other with a structural divider between them, that divider is a mullion.

You can have both on the same wall. A common configuration in Metro Vancouver character homes is a picture window flanked by casement windows (mullions separating them) with a transom window running across the top of the entire grouping.

Why old houses have transom windows (and why new homes are bringing them back)

Pre-1950s homes in Vancouver were built before reliable electric lighting and central heating became standard. Transom windows above interior doors allowed light and air to flow between rooms, which was the only way to keep hallways bright and bedrooms ventilated. Walk through any Edwardian home in Mount Pleasant or Strathcona and you will see transom windows above nearly every interior door.

Builders stopped using them in the 1960s and 1970s when HVAC systems took over climate control and recessed lighting replaced the need for natural light transfer. Many transoms were drywalled over during renovations.

The trend has reversed. Open-concept floor plans, energy-conscious design, and a renewed appreciation for character home details have brought transom windows back. We install more transoms now than we did five years ago. Homeowners in Burnaby and Coquitlam are adding them both in renovations of older homes and as upgrades to newer builds that feel dark or boxy.

Choosing the right transom and window style for your Vancouver home with SilverLine

How SilverLine manufactures custom transom windows

We manufacture our own SilverLine brand vinyl windows at our facility in Port Coquitlam (Unit 5, 1560 Broadway St). This is one of the things that sets us apart from companies that resell windows from a third-party manufacturer.

For transom windows specifically, in-house manufacturing matters because transoms are rarely standard sizes. The rough opening above a door depends on the door height, the ceiling height, the header depth, and whatever the original builder decided to do. Off-the-shelf transoms from big-box stores come in a handful of fixed dimensions. If your opening is 14 inches tall and 38 inches wide, good luck finding that at Home Depot.

We build to the exact measurement from our final measure, which means the transom fits the opening without filler strips or oversized trim pieces hiding the gaps. Our transoms use the same double-glazed, argon-filled, Low-E glass as the rest of our window line, so the energy performance matches whatever is already installed in the home. For homeowners weighing window replacement costs in Vancouver, adding a transom during the same project is one of the most affordable ways to upgrade the look and light in a room.

Should you add transom windows to your home?

Transom windows make the most sense in three situations: dark hallways or entryways, rooms where you want light transfer without opening up the wall, and entry doors where you want to add curb appeal without replacing the whole door assembly.

They are less practical if your ceilings are under 8 feet (the transom ends up too small to be worth the cost) or if the wall above the door is carrying significant structural load and the engineering cost to modify it outweighs the benefit.

If you are already replacing your entry door or doing a window upgrade, adding a transom at the same time keeps the total cost down because the crew is already on-site with the tools and materials. That is the most cost-effective way to do it.

We offer free estimates for transom window installations across Metro Vancouver. Call us at 604-942-0488 or request a quote online. Our shop is about 25 minutes from downtown Vancouver, 10 minutes from Burnaby, and right here in Port Coquitlam.

Frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of a transom window?

A transom window sits above a door or another window and lets natural light into spaces that would otherwise be dark. In Metro Vancouver homes, where overcast skies are common from October through March, transoms push daylight deeper into hallways and interior rooms. Operable transoms also provide passive ventilation by letting warm air escape from the ceiling level.

What is the disadvantage of a transom window?

The main drawback is cost relative to the glass area. You are paying for a full window installation (framing, sealing, finishing) for a relatively small pane. Retrofit installations require cutting into the wall above the door, which adds structural and permit costs. In Lower Mainland homes, this typically means $700 to $1,800 per window installed. Cleaning can also be inconvenient since transoms sit above head height.

What is the difference between a mullion and a transom window?

A transom is horizontal, sitting above a door or window. A mullion is vertical, separating two windows that are side by side. Vancouver character homes often have both: a row of windows divided by mullions with a transom running across the top of the grouping.

Why do old houses have transom windows?

Homes built before the 1950s relied on transom windows for natural light transfer and cross-ventilation before electric lighting and HVAC were standard. Older neighbourhoods in Vancouver like Strathcona, Mount Pleasant, and Kitsilano still have many original interior and exterior transoms. Many were covered over during mid-century renovations and are now being uncovered and restored.

Can you add a transom window to an existing door in BC?

Yes, as long as the ceiling height allows it and the structural requirements are met. You need at least 9 feet of ceiling height for a transom to look proportional above a standard door. In BC, cutting a new opening into a load-bearing wall requires a building permit and a properly engineered header. Most Lower Mainland municipalities process these permits in 2 to 4 weeks. We handle the permit application as part of our installation service.

How much does it cost to install a transom window in Vancouver?

A fixed rectangular vinyl transom window runs $400 to $800 for the unit. Arched or custom transoms cost $700 to $1,200. Installation adds $300 to $600 depending on whether it is new construction or retrofit. Total installed cost is typically $700 to $1,800 per window. Adding a transom at the same time as a door or window replacement keeps costs lower because the crew is already on-site.

What is Window Glazing? | A Manufacturer’s Guide | SilverLine Exteriors

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What is window glazing?

We manufacture windows in Port Coquitlam. Every unit that leaves our shop has a glazing spec on the work order: how many panes of glass, what coatings go on which surface, what gas fills the gaps between them. That spec determines about 70% of how the finished window will perform in your home.

Window glazing is the glass portion of a window. Not the frame, not the hardware, not the weatherstripping. The glass. When contractors or salespeople talk about “glazing,” they mean everything about the glass unit itself: how many layers, what coatings are applied, what sits between the panes, and how the whole assembly is sealed together.

If you’re replacing windows anywhere in Metro Vancouver, the glazing you choose affects your heating bills, street noise, condensation, and how comfortable you feel standing near the window on a cold January morning. This page breaks down how it all works.

Window glazing energy efficiency explained Vancouver SilverLine Exteriors

Glazing vs. glass: what’s the difference?

People use these words interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Glass is the raw material. Glazing is the engineered assembly. A single sheet of glass is just glass. Once you add a Low-E coating, pair it with a second pane, fill the gap with argon gas, and seal it with a spacer bar, you have a glazed unit (also called an insulated glass unit, or IGU).

The word “glazing” also gets used as a verb. “Glazing a window” means installing the glass into the frame. You might hear older contractors talk about “reglazing,” which historically meant replacing the putty holding a single pane of glass in a wood frame. That’s less common now since most modern windows use factory-sealed IGUs rather than individual panes set in putty.

Types of window glazing

There are three main types defined by the number of glass panes in the unit. Each adds a layer of insulation.

Single glazing (one pane)

One sheet of glass, no air gap, no coatings. This is what you find in homes built before the 1980s across the Lower Mainland. We pull single-pane windows out of Vancouver specials and 1960s ranchers in Burnaby on a regular basis. They have a U-factor around 5.0 W/m2K, which is terrible by modern standards.

Single glazing is no longer allowed in new construction under the BC Building Code. If your home still has it, you’re losing heat at roughly five times the rate of a modern double-glazed window.

Double glazing (two panes)

Two panes of glass with a sealed air space between them (typically 12mm to 19mm). This is the standard for most residential window replacements in BC. The air gap acts as insulation, and when you fill it with argon gas and add a Low-E coating, you get a U-factor in the 1.4 to 1.8 range.

Our double-glazed SilverLine windows average $800 to $1,000 per window installed in Metro Vancouver. For most homes here, double glazing with Low-E and argon is the sweet spot between performance and cost.

Triple glazing (three panes)

Three panes with two sealed air spaces. More glass, more gas-filled gaps, more insulation. U-factors drop to the 0.8 to 1.2 range. Triple glazing also cuts noise more effectively, which matters if you live near a busy road in Surrey or under a flight path in Richmond.

Triple-glazed windows from our line run $1,000 to $1,400 per window installed. The extra cost makes sense for north-facing walls, bedrooms, and rooms where you want the best thermal comfort. For a whole-house replacement, we often recommend a mix: triple on the north and west exposures, double on the south and east, where solar heat gain helps offset the cost difference.

Low-E coatings and argon gas window glazing Vancouver SilverLine

What goes between the panes

The space between your panes isn’t just empty air. That gap is where most of the insulation happens, and what fills it matters.

Air

The cheapest option. Regular air trapped between two panes still insulates better than a single pane, but not by much. You’ll see this in budget-grade windows and some commercial glazing.

Argon gas

Argon is denser than air and conducts heat more slowly. It improves the thermal performance of a double-glazed unit by roughly 30% compared to air alone. Argon is non-toxic, colourless, and relatively cheap to produce, which is why it’s the industry standard for residential windows. Every SilverLine window we manufacture comes with argon gas fill as the default.

Krypton gas

Krypton insulates better than argon but costs significantly more. It’s used when the gap between panes is narrow (less than 10mm), which sometimes happens in triple-glazed units where you need to keep the overall window thickness manageable. We don’t use krypton in most residential projects because the performance gain over argon doesn’t justify the price for typical Metro Vancouver conditions.

Window glazing coatings

Bare glass lets heat and UV radiation pass through freely. Coatings change that. The most common coating in residential windows is Low-E (low emissivity), and it’s been standard in the industry for over two decades.

How Low-E coatings work

Low-E is a microscopically thin metallic coating (usually silver-based) applied to one or more glass surfaces inside the IGU. It reflects infrared heat back toward its source. In winter, that means heat from your furnace bounces back into the room instead of escaping through the glass. In summer, it reflects some solar heat away from your home.

The coating goes on specific “surfaces” of the glass unit. Each pane has two surfaces (interior and exterior). In a double-glazed unit, the four surfaces are numbered 1 through 4 from outside to inside. Most commonly, the Low-E coating goes on surface 2 (the interior face of the outer pane) or surface 3 (the exterior face of the inner pane), depending on whether you want to prioritize heat retention or solar control.

For Vancouver’s climate, where heating costs outweigh cooling costs, we typically coat surface 3. That configuration keeps winter heat inside while still allowing some solar warmth through on sunny days.

Hard-coat vs. soft-coat Low-E

Hard-coat (pyrolytic) Low-E is applied during glass manufacturing while the glass is still hot. It’s more durable but less thermally efficient. Soft-coat (sputtered) Low-E is applied in a vacuum chamber after the glass is made. It performs better thermally but is more fragile, which is why it must be sealed inside the IGU where it’s protected from contact and weather.

Almost all modern residential windows, including ours, use soft-coat Low-E because the performance difference is significant.

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How glazing affects energy ratings

If you’ve looked at window spec sheets, you’ve seen numbers like U-factor, SHGC, and ER. All of these are driven primarily by the glazing, not the frame.

U-factor

Measures how quickly heat passes through the window. Lower is better. A single-pane window might have a U-factor of 5.0. A good double-glazed Low-E argon unit sits around 1.6. A triple-glazed unit can hit 0.9. The BC Energy Step Code pushes builders toward lower U-factors with each step level, which is driving the market toward triple glazing in new construction.

Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC)

Measures how much solar energy passes through the glass. A higher SHGC means more free heat from the sun in winter, but also more overheating in summer. In Vancouver, where overheating is rarely a problem and heating costs dominate, a moderate SHGC (around 0.25 to 0.35) works well for most homes.

Energy rating (ER)

A Canadian-specific metric that combines U-factor, SHGC, and air leakage into a single number. Higher ER is better. To qualify for ENERGY STAR in Canada’s climate zone, windows need an ER of at least 34. Most of our double-glazed units rate ER 38 to 42, and our triple-glazed units land in the ER 45 to 50 range.

Glazing and the Vancouver climate

Vancouver’s weather creates specific demands on window glazing that differ from what you’d see in Toronto, Calgary, or even Victoria.

The Lower Mainland gets roughly 1,200mm of rain per year. That constant moisture means condensation on glass surfaces is a real concern, especially on single-glazed and older double-glazed windows. Modern Low-E glazing keeps the interior glass surface warmer, which reduces condensation. We hear from homeowners in North Vancouver and the Tri-Cities all the time that eliminating window condensation was the single biggest quality-of-life improvement after their replacement.

Winter temperatures in Metro Vancouver rarely drop below -5C, which means you don’t need the extreme U-factors required in the Prairies. Double glazing with Low-E and argon handles our winters well. Triple glazing adds comfort and noise reduction, but the payback period on energy savings alone is longer here than it would be in Edmonton or Winnipeg.

Coastal UV exposure is another factor. South and west-facing windows take a beating from UV, especially during summer. Low-E coatings block 95% or more of UV radiation, which protects flooring, furniture, and artwork from fading. That’s worth considering if you have hardwood floors or a living room with a large west-facing picture window.

Custom window installation Vancouver home SilverLine Exteriors glazing

Which glazing should you choose?

Here’s how we typically recommend glazing packages to homeowners in Metro Vancouver.

Glazing typeTypical U-factorAvg. cost (installed)Best for
Double, Low-E, argon1.4 – 1.8$800 – $1,000/windowMost homes, south/east walls
Triple, Low-E, argon0.8 – 1.2$1,000 – $1,400/windowNorth/west walls, noise reduction, max comfort
Triple, dual Low-E, krypton0.6 – 0.8$1,400+/windowPassive House, Step Code 4+

For a typical 15-window home in Coquitlam or Surrey, we often suggest double glazing throughout with triple on 4 to 6 key windows (master bedroom, north-facing living room, any window facing a busy street). That keeps the total project cost reasonable while improving comfort where it matters most.

Common glazing problems we see in older Vancouver homes

After nearly 20 years of replacing windows across the Lower Mainland, certain issues come up again and again.

Fogged or cloudy glass

When the seal around an IGU fails, moisture gets between the panes and causes a permanent haze. This is the most common complaint we get from homeowners with windows installed in the 1990s and early 2000s. The seal failure doesn’t necessarily mean the window frame is bad. Sometimes you can replace just the IGU (the sealed glass unit) without replacing the whole window. We do this regularly for homeowners who have good vinyl frames but failed glass seals.

Single-pane aluminum windows

These are everywhere in homes built between 1960 and 1985 in Vancouver, Burnaby, and New Westminster. The aluminum frame conducts cold directly into your home, and the single pane of glass provides almost no insulation. In winter, you can feel cold radiating off these windows from across the room. Replacing them with modern double-glazed vinyl windows is probably the single biggest energy upgrade you can make.

Condensation between panes vs. on the surface

Condensation between the panes means a broken seal (see fogged glass above). Condensation on the interior surface means the glass is too cold relative to indoor humidity. Better glazing fixes the second problem by keeping the glass surface warmer. If you see condensation on the exterior surface of new windows on cool mornings, that’s actually a sign your Low-E glazing is working. It means the outer pane is staying cold because heat isn’t escaping through it.

SilverLine window installation crew Vancouver glazing replacement

Glazing and BC rebates

Upgrading your window glazing can qualify you for provincial rebates. BC Hydro and the CleanBC Better Homes program offer incentives for windows that meet certain energy performance thresholds. The rebate amounts and eligibility requirements change periodically, so check the current programs before you commit to a project. As an HPCN-certified contractor, we can help you navigate the paperwork and confirm which of your planned windows qualify.

Frequently asked questions

Is window glazing the same as window tinting?

No. Glazing refers to the glass assembly itself (panes, coatings, gas fills). Tinting is a film applied to the glass surface, either during manufacturing or after installation. Low-E coatings are built into the glazing unit. Aftermarket tint films are applied on top. Both can reduce heat transfer and UV, but they work differently and serve different purposes.

Can I just replace the glass without replacing the whole window?

Sometimes. If your vinyl or fiberglass frame is in good shape but the sealed glass unit has failed (fogging, broken seal), you can replace just the IGU. We do this regularly. It costs less than a full window replacement. However, if the frame is warped, the hardware is failing, or the window is single-pane aluminum, a full replacement makes more sense.

How long does window glazing last?

A well-made sealed IGU typically lasts 20 to 25 years before the seal degrades. The glass itself doesn’t wear out. Low-E coatings don’t degrade because they’re sealed between the panes. The most common failure point is the edge seal, where moisture eventually works its way in. Our SilverLine windows carry a transferable lifetime warranty on glass seal failure.

Does triple glazing reduce noise?

Yes. The additional pane and gas-filled cavity reduce sound transmission by roughly 5 to 10 decibels compared to double glazing. That’s noticeable. Homeowners on busy corridors (think Kingsway in Burnaby or King George in Surrey) consistently tell us the noise reduction from triple glazing was worth the upgrade cost alone.

What glazing do I need for BC Energy Step Code?

Step Code requirements vary by step level and municipality. Step 1 and 2 can generally be met with good double-glazed Low-E argon windows. Step 3 and above typically require triple glazing or better. Some municipalities (like the City of Vancouver) are already at Step 3. If you’re doing a major renovation that triggers Step Code compliance, talk to your designer or energy advisor first, and we can spec the windows to match.

Is the cost difference between double and triple glazing worth it?

It depends on what you value. On pure energy savings in Metro Vancouver’s mild climate, the payback period for triple over double is long (often 15+ years). But if you factor in comfort (no cold spots near windows), noise reduction, and reduced condensation, many homeowners decide it’s worth the extra $200 to $400 per window. We sell roughly 40% double and 60% triple across our projects, and that split has been shifting toward triple over the past five years.

About SilverLine Exteriors

SilverLine Exterior Solutions has been manufacturing and installing windows in Metro Vancouver since 2007. We’re based in Port Coquitlam and serve the entire Lower Mainland, from West Vancouver to Abbotsford. We manufacture our own SilverLine brand windows locally, which means we control the glazing spec from production through installation. Call us at 604-942-0488 or request a free estimate to discuss your project.

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SilverLine Exterior Solutions installs energy-efficient windows, entry doors, and siding across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley from our Port Coquitlam shop.
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