Jeld-Wen Windows Review

Thinking about installing JELD-WEN windows?

If so, this article is for you. JELD-WEN is a big name in the window industry and trusted by the many builders, developers, and contractors who sell and install JELD-WEN windows in the homes of their clients.

On the whole, we'll cover:

Are Jeld-Wen windows any good?
Types of Jeld-Wen windows
The best Jeld-Wen windows
Benefits of Jeld-Wen vinyl windows
Jeld-Wen window buying guide
Jeld-Wen window alternatives

What do builders think of JELD-WEN windows?

photo of top of house with small windows with prairie grids and an overlay of a window frame diagram

According to Hanley Wood’s 2019 Builder Brand Use Study, in the vinyl windows category, JELD-WEN was the brand with the most “Brand Familiarity”, the “Brand Most Used”, and the top brand reported as “Brands Used in the Past 2 Years” by builders, builders-developers, or general contractors. Milgard, Simonton, MI Windows and Doors, and Sierra Pacific Windows received the highest overall ratings for quality just a bit ahead of JELD-WEN. The Hanley Wood’s survey recruited 1,059 participants who were recipients of Builder and who were classified as Builders, Builders-developers, or General Contractors.

JELD-WEN has manufacturing, distribution, and showroom locations across the U.S. and in 24 countries. It’s one of the biggest names in building products and they manufacture for both replacement and new construction projects.

What do homeowners think of JELD-WEN windows?

Woman with thumbs down and man with thumbs up

If you’ve already started looking at reviews for JELD-WEN windows, you’ve probably run across some negative ones about the quality of the window or the quality of the installation and there are probably a few reasons for that.

JELD-WEN has grown a lot and is most popular among home builders who buy in large quantities for new housing developments and multi-family living units. Individual homeowners and contractors who purchase JELD-WEN windows from big box stores sometimes have a harder time getting in contact with JELD-WEN than builders or window dealers. Reviews show that homeowners struggle to get in contact with anyone who is able to offer timely or satisfactory solutions to their product or installation problems.

Home building products don’t always arrive perfectly. Our company has been in business for over 40 years and so we know manufacturing problems aren't uncommon. Fortunately, having a good relationship with the manufacturer allows us to resolve issues as quickly as possible.

Another common complaint we’ve seen for JELD-WEN windows is an issue with window sizes. When you’re replacing windows, buying the right size windows is crucial. While you can work with smaller windows and create larger openings, the wrong size window creates more work for the person installing it which often requires more materials and time to complete the installation.

When working with windows that don’t fit in the existing opening, you have to use additional materials to make it fit and each element you add creates another opportunity for wind, water, and insects to work their way through your walls.

The more experience your contractor has, the better they should be at measuring the opening of your window. Our technicians measure to within 1/8" of the size of the opening when measuring for replacement windows, this ensures they fit properly and protect the envelope of your house.

We occasionally receive clients that are interested in JELD-WEN windows but it’s not typically a brand we recommend as a full-replacement window option. The nice thing about vinyl windows is that there is plenty of competition and lots of great manufacturers that provide good looking, high-performance, competitively priced products.

What kind of windows does JELD-WEN make?

collage of Jeld-Wen windows

JELD-WEN offers a variety of window options across 10 product lines. Material options include clad-wood, vinyl, wood, clad-vinyl, and aluminum. They also cover all of the commonly used window styles: fixed, casement, double-hung, awning, sliding, bay, bow, single-hung, and garden (not very common).

JELD-WEN Product Lines

Custom Wood –– Wood
Siteline™ Clad-Wood –– Wood (aluminum-clad)
Premium™ Vinyl (V-4500) –– Vinyl
W-4500™ Clad-Wood –– Wood (aluminum-clad)
Builders™ Vinyl (V-2500) –– Vinyl
Premium Atlantic™ Vinyl –– Vinyl
EpicVue™ Wood –– Wood
W-2500™ Wood –– Wood (aluminum-clad)
DF™ Hybrid Vinyl –– Vinyl (aluminum-clad)
Builders Atlantic™ Aluminum –– Aluminum

What are JELD-WEN’s most popular windows?

Graphic showing customization options for Jeld-Wen V-4500 windows. Grilles: colonial, no grille, prairie grille, top down grille; Interior colors: white, desert sand, almond; Exterior colors: white, desert sand, almond, black

In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, one of JELD-WEN’s most popular window series is the Premium™ Vinyl (V-4500). It’s available in single-hung, double-hung, sliding, casement, awning, bay, bow, and fixed geometric shape window styles.

According to JELD-WEN’s website, the vinyl-4500 series windows are available for new construction or replacement projects, have a lifetime warranty, and various options for customization through colors, grilles, glass packages, and hardware.

The benefits of vinyl windows

For homeowners remodeling on a tight budget, a quality-vinyl window can be an excellent choice. Vinyl is one of the most popular material choices for modern windows. Not all vinyl windows are the same but for the most part, a good vinyl window is strong and durable.

They’re easy to care for because they don’t require painting or staining like wood windows which also makes them a bit more affordable.

Vinyl windows offer superior thermal performance to aluminum windows and with the right glass package, they’ll meet ENERGY STAR® qualifications in all climate zones.

Some homeowners refuse to buy or consider vinyl windows because they think a plastic window will look cheap but don't let this be you! Depending on your taste, budget, and the value of your home vinyl windows can be a great fit and even your neighbors will be impressed. As I mentioned, not all vinyl windows are the same– you’ll run into many builder-grade vinyl windows but manufacturers are finding ways to engineer slim, designer-quality vinyl windows as well.

“I know I want JELD-WEN windows, what kind of advice can you give me?”

Congrats, you've narrowed down your choices! Many homeowners choose JELD-WEN every day. The most important recommendation we can make is working with someone who has a strong relationship with JELD-WEN and who has a top-notch installation crew.

Based on the reviews and in our experience working with many window vendors, having an established relationship the window manufacturer can make the process easier if you run into problems. Window dealers are able to navigate the process of ordering the right size windows and any additional materials or tools needed to complete your project.

We strongly believe that the installation is the most important part of your window investment. While homeowners can install, repair, and replace windows on their own we don’t recommend it because windows can be a challenge. The installation crew you work with should have plenty of expertise in window installation. Some of the negative reviews showed that there were gaps between the window frame and the wall opening, that’s not a window manufacturer problem, that’s an installation problem.

JELD-WEN Alternatives

JELD-WEN is a big name but it’s also got some major competition. Check out some of our related articles to see how JELD-WEN compares to major brands like Milgard and Andersen.

We’re also happy to throw our hat in the ring, too– if you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and are looking for a high-quality vinyl window options check out our window selection or contact us to talk about our vinyl windows, including our exclusive Brennan Windows.