The new Ultimate Glider from Marvin Windows and Doors, already hailed as one of 2011’s best new building products, is now available in an all-wood version.

Marvin has re-invented the glider window with modern features and performance that breathe new life into this classic window. Previously available only in a clad aluminum exterior finish, the Wood Ultimate Glider now offers homeowners the beauty, warmth and performance of natural wood inside and out.

Marvin designed this versatile unit for elegance, durability and smooth operation. With its clean lines and recessed hardware, the Wood Ultimate Glider is sure to become a favorite of homeowners and builders alike.

The Clad Ultimate Glider, introduced earlier this year, was recently named one of the 101 Best New Products of 2011 by the editors of Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler magazines.

“Marvin reintroduced round tops to the homebuilding industry. Now we’ve reinvented another favorite,” said David Hipke, product planner for Marvin Windows and Doors. “This window is packed with features that add value. But perhaps its best features are its clean, elegant design and absolute ease of operation.”

The Wood Ultimate Glider features:

• One hand operation
• Patent pending handle and lock system
• Auto locking
• Low handle placement for ease of use – no reaching up
• Exterior of sustainably harvested pine
• Interior available in seven wood species: Pine, Douglas Fir, Cedro Macho, Mahogany, White Oak, Cherry, Vertical Grain Douglas Fir
• Interior also available in Factory Painted White Finish or Primed Wood
• Integrated weep system for drainage
• Several operating configurations

The Wood Ultimate Glider is the perfect choice for a host of building applications, including:

• Kitchen sink areas
• Decks and walkways
• Close lot lines
• Knee walls and lower levels
• Condominiums
• Multi-family units
• Assisted living

The Wood Ultimate Glider features a patent pending sash removal system built for easy operation. Plus, it can be seamlessly mixed and matched with other Marvin windows, such as the Ultimate Casement.

The Wood Ultimate Glider will give homeowners and builders a new reason to take a fresh look at gliders.

Well, the episode of “Cool Tools” for which that segment was shot aired this weekend on the DIY Network, and they’ve posted the clip online, as well.

We’ve long been a fan of architect Sarah Susanka and her “Not So Big House” philosophy. And it seems we keep seeing more evidence that a significant number of American homeowners are more interested in craftsmanship, quality and fine design than they are in raw square footage.

Affluent, mature homeowners especially fit this profile. The more money older homeowners have, the less they demand maximum square footage. Among Americans age 45 and up planning to spend $400,000 or more on a home, only 28 percent say they want as much space as their money will buy. By contrast, 46 percent of those planning to spend less than $150,000 say they want maximum square footage for the money.

That information comes from Margaret A. Wylde’s useful and insightful book, “Right House, Right Place, Right Time,” which looks at trends in the over-45 housing market.

It’s just one more indication that many affluent, mature Americans are interested in quality design and features, not just raw space.

Marvin can help architects, builders and remodelers meet the needs of these premium customers with beautiful, innovative products like our Ultimate Casement, Ultimate Sliding French Door and Ultimate French Casement. We offer more than 150,000 product options that meet or exceed the federal government’s stringent ENERGY STAR standards.

Come visit us at Booth 1453 at the AIA Convention in New Orleans to see all the latest products that will help you give your clients the home of their dreams.

Marvin's innovative Ultimate Replacement Casement

Remodeling has been a bright spot in the homebuilding and design industry, and a recent report by the Harvard Center for Joint Housing Studies suggests that the long-term trend will continue to be favorable.

Several factors are converging to produce the positive outlook. First, as Baby Boomers age, the turnover of their homes will generate remodeling activity. About three-quarters of home sales by people over 55 are made to people under 55. The homes of older sellers are generally older and generate immediate and significant spending on renovation.

A younger person buying from an older seller can be expected to spend about $5,000 annually on renovation, the report concludes. In addition, the median age of the existing U.S. housing stock grew from 29 years in 1997 to 32 years in 2007 — also indicating that future renovation and remodeling are more likely. Energy efficiency is always a concern, and Marvin meets it with more than 150,000 product options that meet or exceed the federal government’s stringent ENERGY STAR standards.

These and other factors cited in the report suggest that the long-term prospects for the remodeling market are favorable for architects and others in the building industry.

Marvin is ready with innovative products like the Ultimate Replacement Casement, the Ultimate Glider and the Ultimate Lift and Slide. Come visit us at Booth 1453 at the AIA Convention in New Orleans to see all the latest products that will help you give your remodeling clients the home of their dreams.

Bring your window and door design challenges to Marvin for custom capabilities, one-on-one architectural consulting and unique solutions that meet your project specifications beautifully. We thrive on great ideas, unusual challenges, even projects that seem impossible to other manufacturers. Creating your exact vision is our specialty.

Come visit Marvin (along with Integrity Windows and Doors). Stop by booth 1453 to see great products like the Ultimate Glider with the new White Painted Interior Finish and the ever-amazing Ultimate Lift and Slide.

Modative Architecture

There’s a great item by Nancy Egan in the latest issue of Residential Architect magazine with some thoughts on where the residential housing market is going. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a link to an online version. But it’s worth recapping briefly.

A key issue for architects to consider is the pig in our demographic python. No, not the Baby Boomers. They’ve gotten so much attention over the decades that most people don’t realize that Gen Y (currently aged 18 to 30) is an even larger group than the Boomers.

Those 80 million Gen Y’ers are economically challenged, with high debt loads, poor employment prospects and a general malaise about the economic circumstances of their young adulthood. But Gen Y hasn’t abandoned the dream of home ownership, according to research by the ULI.

What they do want is a different kind of home: smaller, affordable, energy-efficient. Modative Architecture in Los Angeles has shown one approach with its small-lot subdivision homes, calling them “starter homes for Gen Y.”

Marvin supports this kind of new thinking with innovative, efficient products like the Ultimate Casement Window, the Tripane with Krypton and the Ultimate Glider. We have more than 150,000 product options that meet or exceed stringent federal ENERGY STAR standards.

Warroad, Minn., April 26, 2011 – Marvin Windows and Doors is living up to its “Built around you” promise by offering a factory-applied painted interior finish on all pine window and door products.

All pine Marvin windows and doors – both wood and clad – will be available in the factory-applied, White Painted Interior Finish option.

“Our customers asked for this option, and we heard them,” said Bill Boyd, product planner for Marvin Windows and Doors. “Our factory-applied painted interior finish is beautiful, durable and more environmentally friendly than on-site painting.”

The Marvin factory uses state of the art spray equipment to minimize any paint overspray or waste. VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) are captured and filtered to minimize impact to the environment.  That makes the factory finish “greener” than a finish that’s applied on the jobsite.

The new finish option lets builders, remodelers and homeowners enjoy the many benefits of factory-applied paint:

• Convenience: Eliminates the mess and time associated with painting windows at the job site – and ends the logistics hassle of having them painted off-site.
• Durability: Our factory-applied paint topcoat meets or exceeds standards of the Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA TM 14-09 standards).
• Integrated prime/paint system: A primer and paint system designed to work together for exceptional durability and paint adhesion.
• Environmentally friendly: The water-based enamel primer and paint have zero Volatile Hazardous Air Pollutants (VHAPs) and low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

Marvin’s White Painted Interior Finish will be introduced by region across the United States beginning in April and continue through the summer.

“We expect this to become a very popular option,” Boyd said. “Expanding our range of factory-applied finishes makes for one less item that builders, remodelers and homeowners will need to worry about during their projects.”

Marvin’s Tripane Windows with Krypton were recently featured in Jean Dimeo’s latest Product Spotlight for ecohome TV.

Dimeo, editorial director at Building Products and chief editor online for EcoHome, included the Tripane Windows with Krypton among her list of eye-catching products from the 2011 International Builders’ Show. Dimeo highlighted Tripane with Krypton’s energy efficiency. The Tripane offers many options that meet or exceed the federal government’s stringent ENERGY STAR standards.

Suzanne Horton of BeJane.com caught up with Christine Marvin at the 2011 International Builders’ Show to showcase some of the latest innovations at Marvin Windows and Doors.

During her video interview with Horton, Christine demostrated the Clad Ultimate Glider, the Ultimate Casement, the Ultimate Venting Picture and a unique design from Marvin’s Signature Services.