A bay window changes a room before you open it. It pushes the wall outward, and pulls light in from three directions. If your current windows feel dated, swapping it for a bay is one of the bigger changes you can make to how a room looks and feels. Here is what that involves, and how ours are built.
What is a bay window?
A bay window is a set of three windows that extend outward from the wall and meet at two 30 or 45-degree angles. The centre is usually a large, fixed picture window, with a window that opens on each side.
That shape does two things at once. It gives you a wider view than a flat window, and it creates a deep sill you can use for plants, books, or seasonal decor. Bay windows have been popular since the Victorian era, and they fit just as well on a newer build.
Any window in the bay that opens comes with a screen.
Bay window or bow window, what is the difference?
A bay window uses three panels that meet at two sharp angles. A bow window uses four or more panels that form a gentle curve.
So, the difference is really shape and reach. A bay looks more angular and traditional and pushes out in a defined way. A bow looks softer and more panoramic, and it needs more room outside the wall, especially if there was no window extending out there before. Which one fits comes down to the look you want and the space you have to work with.
Why homeowners choose a bay window
The light is the first thing most people notice. Because the glass faces three directions, a bay pulls in daylight through more of the day than a single flat window can.
Then there is the space. Extending out adds usable depth to the room without changing the footprint of the house. A bay adds shape and interest where a flat window leaves things plain.
How bay windows handle Ontario winters
A window is only worth the view if it holds the heat. Ours are built for the freeze-thaw swing that comes with an Ontario winter.
Every Centennial bay window is framed in UPVC, a durable vinyl that will not bend, warp, fade, or go chalky the way cheaper materials can. Those frames are filled with polyurethane foam, the same kind of insulation used in a cooler. The glass carries a Low-E coating, an invisible layer that reflects heat back into your home in winter and pushes it away in summer. Insulating gas fills the space between the panes. The fixed centre window helps too. With no seam where it opens, a fixed window is the most energy-efficient style we make, and it sits right in the middle of the bay.
Every window is custom manufactured in our London, Ontario facility and made to fit your exact opening.
What to expect when we install a bay window
The measure comes first. After you choose your windows, one of our measure technicians re-checks every opening before anything is built. Measure twice, cut once.
A bay carries more weight and reaches further out than a flat window, so the install includes checking the support it needs and reinforcing it where the opening calls for it. Our own trained technicians handle the fit, the sealing, the painted interior trim, and the cleanup, then walk you through how everything works. We do not hire subcontractors, so the same company that built your windows is the same one installing it in your home.
Why homeowners across Ontario choose us
We have been building and installing windows and doors since 1981, which puts us at 45 years and over 500,000 individual windows and doors installed across Ontario. We are family-owned and operated out of London, and we were the first window company in Canada to earn ENERGY STAR® certification.
One company sells, manufactures, installs, and services every product, so one company answers for every step. Each install is backed by our ‘No Fine Print Warranty’, which covers both the product and the installation for as long as you own your home, with no pro-rated terms.
If you are weighing a bay window for a specific room, the quickest way to know what fits is to have us look at the opening. Book an in-home consultation today.
Bay window questions homeowners ask
What are the benefits of replacing old windows with a bay window?
A bay window brings in more daylight, widens your view, and adds usable depth to the room. The three-window shape catches light from more angles than a flat window, and the deep sill gives you room for a reading nook or a display. A new bay also insulates better than an older window, which helps with comfort and heating costs through an Ontario winter.
How is a bay window different from a bow window?
A bay uses three panels that meet at two 30 or 45-degree angles, giving it a sharper, more traditional shape. A bow uses four or more panels that form a smooth curve and a wider view. A bow also needs more room outside the wall, so the space you have often decides which one works.
How do bay windows stay energy efficient in Ontario?
Our bay windows use foam-filled vinyl frames, Low-E glass that keeps heat inside during the winter and out in the summer, and an insulating gas sealed between the panes. The fixed centre window has no seam where it opens, which makes it the most efficient style we build. Together those keep heat in through winter and out through summer, and they hold up to the freeze-thaw cycle.
What happens during a bay window installation?
It starts with a second measure of the opening before anything is built. On install day our own technicians fit and seal the window, reinforce the support it needs, paint the interior trim, clean up, and show you how everything works. Because the window is custom made to your opening, there is nothing left for you to finish afterward.
Why choose Centennial for a bay window replacement?
We own every step, from the custom manufacturing in London to the install and the service after. That is 45 years of experience, over 500,000 windows and doors installed, ENERGY STAR® certification, and the No Fine Print Warranty behind the work. No subcontractors are involved at any point.