Bigger openings. More natural light. A seamless flow between indoors and out. We're excited to announce that the new Milgard VX450 Moving Glass Walls are now available to quote and order through Lion Windows & Doors. Manufactured by Milgard in Sacramento, VX450 gives homeowners, builders, contractors, and architects a new way to turn an entire wall into a wide-open connection to the patio, deck, or backyard. What Is the VX450 Moving Glass Wall? Available in Stacking and Pocke

Wood-clad or fiberglass? Compare the two premium window options for West LA homes: interior look, upkeep, coastal salt air, and budget.

If you're replacing windows in Santa Monica, Venice, or anywhere in West LA, one of the first choices on the order is how each window opens. Casement and sliding windows are the two most common answers, and they behave very differently once they're in the wall. Casement Windows A casement is hinged on one side and cranks outward, so the whole sash swings open. Often a good fit when: you want to catch the ocean breeze that runs along the side of the house; the window sits over

Most people don't think much about the edge of a window's glass. But that thin strip between the panes, called the spacer, does a lot to keep a window sealed, efficient and comfortable for years. Milgard has upgraded it on their C700 Fiberglass Series windows, and it's a change worth knowing about. What's New? Milgard is now building C700 Fiberglass windows with a black thermoplastic spacer system called 4SG. It's standard on these styles: Single-Hung Casement Awning Horizont

If you're in West LA looking at a dated sliding door and picturing a wall of glass, the first decision isn't which door system you want. It's whether you keep the opening you already have. That single choice usually moves the budget and the timeline more than the brand on the door. Replacing in the Same Opening The new door drops into the existing structural opening, so the work stays inside the door itself. Often a good fit when: the opening is already a reasonable width; yo

Overhang, finish, and color decide whether a wood entry door lasts, and whether it stays under warranty. The specs LA builders and architects should lock down before ordering.

We install a lot of black windows. We also talk a lot of people out of the specific black window they came in asking for. That’s not us being contrarian about a trend. Black frames look sharp, they photograph beautifully, and on the right house they’re the single upgrade that makes everything else look intentional. We’d put them on our own homes. But “black” isn’t a product. It’s a finish, applied to a material, in a climate — and those three things decide whether your window

When homeowners start shopping for replacement windows, most of the attention goes to the window itself: vinyl or fiberglass, black or white, double-pane glass, frame style, brand, and price. But there is another decision that can be just as important: How will the new windows actually be installed? Choosing between retrofit installation and new-construction installation can affect the appearance, waterproofing, cost, and amount of construction involved in your project. Under

If you're specifying a patio door or a moving glass wall in West LA, you've probably already picked the style and the frame material. The detail that gets decided last — and matters more than almost anyone expects — is the sill: the track your door sits on and the transition it makes to the patio outside. Get it right and the room flows straight out to the terrace. Get it wrong and you live with a step you didn't want, or chase water all rainy season. Here are the three choic

If you're replacing windows in West LA, you've probably collected two or three quotes and found they look nothing alike. Different totals, different levels of detail, different page counts. It's the most common frustration we hear, and it's usually not because someone is trying to overcharge you. Most of the time the quotes describe different work. Here's how to line them up so you're actually comparing the same project. Start With Scope, Not the Total The total is the last t

If you're replacing a patio door in West LA, the decision usually narrows to two familiar shapes: a slider that glides sideways, or a pair of French doors that swing open. They cost about the same to install, they fill the same hole in your wall, and they look completely different in daily life. We install both across Santa Monica, Brentwood, Venice, Beverly Hills, and the Palisades, and the homeowners who end up happiest are the ones who picked based on how the room is actua

If you're replacing windows in West LA, you'll spend most of your time choosing a frame — vinyl, aluminum, or fiberglass — and a style. Then, near the end, someone hands you a list of glass options, and suddenly the quote moves by thousands of dollars. That list is the glass package, and it's doing more work than people expect. The frame holds the window together, but the glass is most of what you're actually looking through and living behind. It's what decides whether the we

Opening your home to the outdoors comes down to one choice: bi-fold, multi-slide, or pocket doors. Each opens differently and suits a different West LA home. Here's the quick version. Bi-Fold Doors Panels fold like an accordion and stack to one side. Best for: the widest possible clear opening Watch out: folded panels stack into the room or patio Lines we carry: LaCantina and Fleetwood Multi-Slide Doors Panels glide and stack behind each other — big glass, slim frames. Best f

If you're replacing windows in West LA, the material of the frame decides more than you'd think. It shapes how the windows look, how they hold up near the coast, how much they cost, and how well they hold heat out in the summer. Vinyl, aluminum, and fiberglass are the three you'll compare most often. None of them is "the best" in every situation. The right one depends on your home, your budget, and how close you are to the ocean. Here's a quick, practical guide. Vinyl Windows

Any window from a reputable company will come with a lable If you're planning a window replacement in Los Angeles this year, there's one thing you need to know before you shop for a single pane of glass: the rules changed on January 1, 2026. California's updated Title 24 energy code raised the bar on what counts as a legal, permit-ready window. And here's the part that catches homeowners off guard — many of the windows sitting on shelves at big-box stores no longer qualify. I

For builders and architects, the right window and door dealer does more than quote products. They help prevent delays, missed details, and costly coordination issues before they reach the jobsite. Builders and architects already manage enough moving parts: drawings, schedules, trades, approvals, budgets, client expectations, and field changes. The window and door package should not be the part of the project that creates more confusion. Yet it often does. Wrong sizes, unclear

When rebuilding in a fire-affected area of Los Angeles County, window and door selection isn't just an aesthetic decision — it's a life-safety and code-compliance one. For builders, developers, and architects working on fire rebuilds (including Palisades-area projects), Lion Windows & Doors offers several product lines engineered with wildfire resilience in mind. Why Framing Material Matters Standard vinyl framing is combustible and can soften or fail under extreme heat, cont

If you’re replacing windows in Los Angeles, one question comes up fast: retrofit or nail-fin? Both can be great—when they match the home and the wall system. This quick guide breaks down what each install style is, where it tends to work best in LA County, and the questions to ask so you don’t get stuck with surprises. Retrofit Windows (Insert Replacement) What it is: The new window is installed into the existing frame/opening, with minimal exterior disturbance. Often a good

For many Santa Monica remodels, the glass door system becomes the heart of the home. It controls the view, the breeze, the connection to the patio, and the way the main living space feels from morning to night. That is why choosing between brands like Fleetwood and LaCantina should not be treated as a simple product swap. Both can be excellent choices, but they serve slightly different goals. The right answer depends on the home, the opening size, the desired look, how often

For many Pacific Palisades and West LA rebuilds, windows and large glass doors are treated like finish selections. Homeowners focus on color, style, and brand after the floor plan feels mostly complete. That is understandable, but it can create expensive delays. Windows, patio doors, multi-slide systems, bi-fold doors, and moving glass walls affect framing, energy calculations, rough openings, waterproofing details, lead times, and the final feel of the home. If these decisio