The phrase 60 x 60 sliding window is a nominal label, not a manufactured part number. It points to a window whose opening is described as roughly five feet square — 60 inches by 60 inches. The real unit is built in millimetres, the screen is an integrated stainless mesh rather than a clip-on panel, and the wall opening that receives it is a third number that is never the same as the first two. This article separates those numbers and shows where ALPES fits the picture.
Before ordering, write down which "60 x 60" you are holding, because each one is owned by a different person and used for a different job.
| Which number | What it is | Who writes it | What it is used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominal | The "60 x 60" sales label, a 5 ft square. | Catalogue / listing | Rough budgeting and search. Not order-ready. |
| Actual frame | The manufactured outer dimension of the window, in mm. | Manufacturer | What the unit physically is. |
| Rough opening | The hole the mason leaves in the wall. | Architect / site | Framing and setting the window. |
| Net clear opening | The clear span you can actually pass air or a person through. | Panel layout | Ventilation, escape, furniture placement. |
One inch is exactly 25.4 mm, so the arithmetic is fixed and not an estimate.
| Inches | Exact mm | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | 1524 | Nominal width and height of the opening. |
| 60 | 1524 | Square unit, so both sides match. |
A common planning allowance is roughly 10 to 20 mm of slack per side on the frame dimension. For a 1524 mm frame that places the rough opening near 1564 to 1584 mm. Treat this as a planning convention, not an ALPES-published figure — confirm the exact allowance with the manufacturer before the wall is poured or framed.
A standard sliding window sizes conversation usually stops at the outer frame. The number that changes daily life is the net clear opening, and it is smaller than most people expect.
| Layout | What moves | Clear opening |
|---|---|---|
| One fixed + one sliding | Half the width | Roughly half the track width; the sliding panel must overlap the fixed one to seal. |
| Middle fixed + two sliding | Both sides | Two narrower openings; each still less than its panel width because of the overlap. |
For a 1524 mm-wide unit with one fixed and one sliding panel, the practical clear opening is about 700 to 760 mm, because the sliding sash has to ride over the fixed sash. If ventilation or an escape route depends on the opening, specify the clear dimension in millimetres in the order rather than trusting the "60 x 60" label.
On the ALPES side, a sliding window of this size is built on the TS130 Side Press Window system. It pairs a push-pull slide with a side-pressure seal so the window closes to a casement-level seal without taking up indoor space.
| Specification | TS130 value |
|---|---|
| Profile grade | 6060-T66 aluminium |
| Profile thickness | 1.8 to 2.0 mm |
| Insulation strip | PA66GF25 multi-chamber thermal break |
| Frame wall width | 130 mm |
| Glass sash thickness | 55 mm |
| Sash width | 75 mm |
| Track height | 53 / 31 mm |
| Hardware | German ROTO side-pressure system, 200 kg load-bearing pulleys, eight-point locking |
| Sealing | Four-sided continuous sealing strip, casement-level performance |
| Opening options | One fixed + one movable / middle fixed + two sides movable |
The screen on this window is a stainless steel mesh built into its own sash, not a stick-on panel you buy later. TS130 ships with Black/Grey 80# stainless steel mesh or Black 40# stainless steel mesh, with a Black High-Definition Anti-PM2.5 mesh available as an option. The system also supports an inward-opening sash mesh and an inward or outward opening mesh, so the screen can swing clear for cleaning instead of being trapped behind the glass.
Two points are worth stating plainly. First, the screen is a second moving sash, so its hardware cycle count runs higher than the window's — clean both faces and check the rollers on a schedule. Second, mesh gauge (40# or 80#) is a material specification; ALPES does not publish a bug-exclusion or airflow rating in its catalogue, so ask for the written spec rather than assuming a performance level.
A maximum sliding window question is really a glass-weight question. As a planning example only, insulated glass weighs about 2.5 kg per square metre per millimetre of thickness; a 6 mm + 24A + 6 mm unit is roughly 30 kg per square metre. A 1.52 m by 1.52 m panel is about 2.3 square metres, so the glass alone is around 70 kg. The TS130 200 kg pulleys carry that comfortably, but the rated figure is per sash and assumes a specific glass build — change the glass and re-check the rating.
The 130 mm frame depth also has to live inside the wall. A 2x4 wall jamb is about 115 mm and a 2x6 wall jamb is about 166 mm; the 130 mm frame depth is close to neither, and it is a different measurement from either jamb depth. Send the wall build-up (outer to inner, layer by layer) rather than a single depth number. Finally, the sliding TS130 series does not publish a K value, so request the thermal figure for your exact glass configuration instead of quoting a number from a different product.
| Condition | Choose |
|---|---|
| Wall already framed to a 1564 to 1584 mm opening | Confirm the frame matches the opening, then order to spec. |
| Wall not yet built | Send the wall build-up first; the opening is set around the window, not the other way. |
| Escape or ventilation depends on the clear opening | Specify the clear millimetre opening, not the nominal size. |
| Coastal, pool, or industrial atmosphere | Confirm mesh gauge and coating with ALPES in writing. |
| Field | Fill with |
|---|---|
| Overall frame W x H (mm) | ____ x ____ |
| Rough opening W x H (mm) | ____ x ____ |
| Net clear opening required (mm) | ____ |
| Glass configuration | ____ (e.g. 6+24A+6) |
| Mesh type | ____ (40# / 80# / Anti-PM2.5) |
| Wall build-up | ____ (outer to inner, layer by layer) |
| Colour and hardware side | ____ / ____ |
It is a nominal label for a 1524 x 1524 mm opening. The manufactured frame and the wall opening are separate millimetre numbers.
The screen rides on its own sash and is normally retracted to the side, so it does not reduce the clear opening when open. It does add a second moving part to maintain.
An integrated ALPES mesh is built into the system. Adding one afterwards is a different product and rarely seals or slides as well, so specify it at order time.
The TS130 sliding series does not publish a K value; request the figure for your specific glass build rather than using a number from a different ALPES product.
The 130 mm frame depth is a different measurement from a jamb depth; send the full wall build-up so the right sub-frame or extension is specified.
It sits well inside typical ALPES sliding-window capacity, but the maximum single sash depends on your glass configuration — confirm it in writing for your project.
