Tilt and turn vs casement windows: what is the difference?

Casement and tilt and turn windows look alike when they are closed: one sash, hinged on the side, with no meeting rail across the glass. Both close onto gaskets instead of sliding past them, so both seal well. The difference is in which way they open and what else they can do.

Out with a crank, or in with a handle

A casement window swings outward, usually with a crank handle on the sill. It catches the breeze as it opens, and it takes no room inside the house. To clean the outside of the glass, you rely on the gap the hinge leaves when the sash is fully open, or on a ladder.

A tilt and turn window swings inward. One handle does two jobs: turned up, the top of the sash tips into the room for ventilation; turned sideways, the whole sash opens on its side hinges. Because it opens into the room, you can clean both sides of the glass from inside, on any floor.

Rain and wind treat the two differently. An open casement sash sticks out from the wall, where wind can push it and rain can run off it. A tilted sash stays inside the frame line, so you can leave it open for air in light rain, and it is hard to reach from outside.

Our uPVC windows offer side-hung (turn), bottom-hung (tilt), tilt and turn, tilt and slide and folding sashes, and any pane can be fixed. Not every type is offered on every line or size, and the configurator shows the options for each window.

Sealing, locking and performance

With both types, the sash presses onto the frame when it closes. On our windows that means two or three gaskets around the sash, depending on the line: Practical 70 has a double seal, Comfort 76 Plus and Performant 88 add a center seal. U-factors are 0.17 for Practical 70, 0.17 (triple glazing) to 0.26 (double glazing) for Comfort 76 Plus, rated to NFRC 100, and 0.13 for Performant 88, in Btu/h·ft²·°F.

A casement usually locks with a lever or a multi-point lock along the frame. A tilt and turn sash locks at several points around the frame as you turn the handle. Our windows reach RC3, the European burglar-resistance class, with security hardware and laminated glass.

What sets them apart day to day:

• A casement needs clear space outside: a deck, a walkway or a shrub can block it.
• A tilt and turn sash needs clear space inside: plan for blinds, sills and furniture.
• Casement screens sit inside, tilt and turn screens sit outside.
• A crank is easy to reach over a counter; a handle is quicker to open and close.

Which one to choose

Think about each room on its own. Which side of the wall is free: the inside or the outside? Do you want to air the room while you are away, or only while you are home? Will you clean the glass yourself, and from which floor? The answers usually point to one type for each opening.

Casement windows suit spots where you cannot open a sash into the room, such as a window over a kitchen counter or behind a bathroom fixture. Tilt and turn windows suit bedrooms, living rooms and upper floors, where safe ventilation and cleaning from inside matter most.

If you want the tightest building envelope, look at the frame as much as the opening type. Performant 88 is 3-7/16” deep with 7 chambers, triple glazing as standard and a U-factor of 0.13, and it meets passive house standards.

Many homes use both ideas: tilt and turn where people live and sleep, fixed panes or other opening types where space is tight. Send us your openings and we will recommend an opening type for each window, or build one yourself in the configurator and see the price as you go.