Window and Door Hardware: Casting in Zinc
Deco has a long history of producing high-quality hardware products for window and door manufacturers. We’ve produced hundreds of millions of the components for the industry and are very proud that our products have been used by many companies throughout the US. In addition to our own catalog of products, we also work with window and door manufactures to create custom solutions for their product needs.
We take pride in producing high-quality castings for our customers supporting the premium market for both the residential and commercial markets. Although we know customers can find cheaper prices, we always aspire to offer the best value through our quality, speed, responsiveness, and customer focus.
The products we make are available in several variations to accommodate various mounting configurations, functions, and aesthetics.
Custom and Standard Products
Standard Product Offerings
Thanks to Deco’s long history in the window and door industry, we have accumulated a wide range of standard products. Unlike a custom product, we have already produced and own the tooling for these parts. This allows us to provide quick solutions for new customers looking to source their products from a reliable manufacturing company with an entirely US supply-chain.
We provide a wide range, some of the key components include:
- Sash Locks
- Keepers
- Tilt Latches
- Door Handles
- Window/Vent Operators
- Structural Corner Keys
- Other Specialized Systems
Custom Products
Deco Products is also an excellent choice if you are looking to bring your own product to life, to develop a recognizable design, or to be one of the market players developing new intellectual property. We have extensive experience in contract manufacturing, designing zinc castings, and making assemblies for the window and door industry. For almost all of our products, the value-add operations occur right here in Decorah. Our engineering team would be happy to consult with you to develop new and innovative custom designs.
You can see our current offerings of door and window hardware by accessing our Catalog below:
The Classic Sash Lock
The most commonly recognizable window and door product type is the sash lock. This little assembly is a wonderful illustration of our ability to cast, powder-coat, and assemble parts all under one roof. Each component plays a critical role in the function of the conventional sash window.
The window sash lock is an important part of any window in a home, safeguarding windows with both strength and visual appeal. Sash locks come in many different shapes, sizes and colors, but they all used for the same purpose.
The base is the main body of the sash lock assembly. This sets the tone for the aesthetic features and basic function. The dimensions of the base are critical as it establishes the primary function of the lock as well. The most important information when selecting a base is understanding how far apart the screw holes need to be. This is typically 2.063 inches, but can vary based on the window design.
The cam is the locking mechanism that hooks into the window or keeper to ensure the window cannot open. It is not visible in most sash locks, so it typically has a raw zinc finish. The cam on a premium window also creates a small force between the window sash to help seal the window shut.
The sweep is the top lever arm that sits atop the base. The sweep is what operates the cam, thus locking and unlocking the window. As the sweep moves from one side to the other, it turns the cam from the locked position to the unlocked position.
The keeper is the final piece of a functioning Sash Lock. It is a separate casting that serves as the anchor point with which the cam locks. All customers installing traditional sash locks need both a lock and a keeper. Keepers come in a wide variety based on the amount of “reach” and the amount of “pull” needed to properly close and seal the window.
Decorative Finishes
Thanks to our in-house powder coating capabilities, we are able to offer our customers dozens of powder coat colors to suit their sash lock needs. Overwhelmingly, the most popular color continues to be white. However, we continue to see various other shades also ebb and flow in popularity as design trends evolve.
Zinc Die Casting for Window and Door Hardware
Zinc is an outstanding choice of raw material for window and door applications for many reasons.
Finish Quality – zinc can be cast with a high level of fluidity, offering better and smoother surface for applying a powder coat or plated finish to the window and door hardware.
Precision Tolerances – zinc can be cast with tighter tolerances, making it an ideal material for developing a cam-lock system to help put the right amount of squeeze on your window to allow it to function smoothly when unlocked, but keeping it tight when closed and locked. This is a sometimes overlooked but critical part of maximizing the effectiveness of energy efficient windows
Impact Resistance – zinc is one of the best performing casting materials for impact resistance. This is particularly helpful when considering the critical safety function a sash lock performs: keeping your window shut and secure. Proper window sash locks and window hardware are often the first line of defense for securing single-family homes. Other materials may have challenges performing as well as zinc when resisting a forced entry.
Strength – Zinc has an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. Compared to other materials, zinc alloys offer superior strength, making them a preferred choice when durability is essential. This ratio ensures that window sash locks can endure heavy forces while maintaining a relatively light weight.
Premium Feel – zinc hardware is denser. Not only does it offer premium performance, but it offers a premium feel. Customers can feel the rigid and durable metal and heft when they interact with the hardware.
Cost Efficient – while zinc hardware is certainly more expensive than plastic, it is still quite economical in considering the total cost of the window. Upgrading to premium US-made zinc hardware is a simple and relatively inexpensive way to improve perceived quality without massively impacting cost.
Choose Reliability, Choose Deco
Although our revenue share has dropped in the past decades, we remain one of the few major players in North America producing products for the window and door hardware industry. We remain a great choice for customers who want to maximize having a local and responsive supply chain, a strong emphasis on quality, and a sustainable and reliable long-term partner.
