Every window in this Brampton home was replaced brick-to-brick, along with the sliding patio door, finished black on the exterior and white on the interior. That two-tone approach is a specific, deliberate choice: the exterior reads as a clean, modern, low-maintenance black frame against the brick, while the interior stays white to match trim, ceilings, and most homeowners' existing colour schemes without requiring a repaint.
Why full-frame, not an insert
A brick-to-brick replacement removes the entire window assembly down to the masonry opening rather than fitting a new unit inside the existing frame. That's a bigger scope than an insert replacement, but it's the right call when the goal is a genuinely fresh start on every opening, new brickmould, new sealing, new capping, rather than building on top of frames and trim that have been there for decades.
Why the street-facing windows got a different glass spec
Not every window in this home received the same glass package. The windows facing the busier street were upgraded to a triple-pane configuration using Cardinal glass: a Low-E 180 coating on the outer pane, a clear middle pane, and a second Low-E 180 coating on the inner pane. Worth being precise about what that actually means: two Low-E 180 coatings on a unit isn't the same thing as a single Low-E 366 coating, and it doesn't simply "add up" to double the performance number. Low-E 180 and Low-E 366 are genuinely different Cardinal coating formulations built for different priorities. What using Low-E 180 on both applicable surfaces does deliver is a meaningful, real performance improvement over a single-coated pane, specifically relevant on a street-facing exposure where additional coating on both sides of the airspace has more work to do than it would on a sheltered wall.
Roto handles and the screens that come with them
All the operable casement and awning windows in this project use roto handles to operate the sash, a crank-style mechanism that opens the window fully rather than sliding or tilting partway. Every one of those operable units also came with a fine-thread screen, a mesh weave thinner than a standard screen, which lets noticeably more light through while still keeping the opening screened. It's a small detail, but on a home with multiple operable windows, the cumulative difference in how much daylight actually gets through the screens is real.
The patio door, replaced as part of the same project
The sliding patio door was replaced alongside the windows, finished to match the same black exterior and white interior scheme. Handling the patio door as part of the same full-frame project, rather than as a separate job at a different time, is what keeps the finish, the brickmould, and the sealing consistent across every opening on the house.
How this compares
A similar white-to-black window and patio door project in Mississauga used a split-frame installation method instead, preserving existing interior trim. Brick-to-brick and split-frame solve a similar design goal differently depending on what the existing opening and trim actually allow. For a full breakdown of when brick-to-brick is the right call, see our brick-to-brick installation guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is a double Low-E 180 glass package the same as Low-E 366?
No. Low-E 180 and Low-E 366 are different Cardinal coating formulations designed for different performance priorities, and using two Low-E 180 coated surfaces doesn't mathematically equal a Low-E 366 unit. Using Low-E 180 on both applicable surfaces does provide a meaningful performance improvement over a single-coated pane, which matters most on more exposed, street-facing windows.
Why replace some windows in a home with a different glass spec than others?
Exposure varies window to window. A street-facing window dealing with more direct sun, noise, or wind exposure can justify a higher glass spec than a sheltered window on a side or rear wall, rather than applying one glass package uniformly across every opening regardless of exposure.
What's the advantage of a roto handle over a standard crank on a casement window?
Roto handles operate smoothly and allow the sash to open fully, giving maximum ventilation compared to a partially-opening slider or tilt window. They're a standard, reliable mechanism for casement and awning windows specifically.
Planning a full-home window and door upgrade?
A black exterior with a white interior is one of the most requested modern finishes, and doing the windows and patio door together as one project keeps the result consistent across every opening. Every Trust Build installation is completed by our own in-house crews and backed by a lifetime transferable warranty, with 0% financing available.
