A tilt and turn window does two things with one handle. Turn it partway and the top of the sash tips inward for ventilation with the window still latched. Turn it fully and the whole sash swings inward like a door. It is the European pattern, and it solves two specific problems better than a casement does.
What do the two positions actually do?
The tilt position gives secure background ventilation. The turn position opens the window fully inward for cleaning or escape.
Tilt is the one people use daily. The sash tips in at the top by a small amount, air moves, and the window is still latched into the frame at the sides and bottom. You can leave a room aired without leaving it open to anyone outside.
Turn is the occasional position. The sash swings right into the room, which puts the outside face of the glass within arm's reach.
Where are they genuinely worth it?
Upstairs, on anything above ground floor, and on any window you cannot safely reach from outside.
Cleaning the outside of an upstairs window normally means ladders or a pole. With a tilt and turn you open it inward and wash it from the bedroom. In an apartment or a dormer that is not a convenience, it is the only practical option.
The tilt position is also the honest answer to ventilation in a bedroom you want aired overnight without leaving a window openable from outside.
What are the downsides?
The sash swings into the room, and the mechanism is more complex than a casement's.
Inward opening means the space in front of the window has to stay clear. A deep sill full of plants, a bed pushed under the window, or a blind fitted inside the reveal all interfere. Blinds in particular need thinking about at the measure rather than afterwards.
The multi point mechanism is also more to maintain than a simple hinge and stay. It is well proven hardware, but there is more of it. Our <a href="/windows/casement/">casement windows</a> page covers the simpler alternative.
Can you mix tilt and turn with casement?
Yes, and mixing is usually the sensible answer rather than committing the whole house to one.
The common pattern is tilt and turn upstairs where cleaning and secure ventilation matter, and casement downstairs where you can reach the outside anyway and the room layout suits an outward opening sash.
Both come in the same frame finishes, so a mixed house still reads consistently from the street.
Windows carry a ten year warranty against defects.
How it works
We call out, measure the space and talk through what you want. Our designers draw it in 3D so you see the finished piece in your own room, and you get one complete itemised quote within two working days. Nothing is ordered and nothing is charged until you say yes.
One team for this and the rest of the job
The same team that makes this fits it, and we also do kitchens, fitted wardrobes, internal doors and windows. If more than one thing needs doing, it is one contractor, one schedule and one point of contact rather than four. See the rest of our work.
Frequently asked questions
Do blinds work with tilt and turn windows?
They need planning. Blinds fitted inside the reveal can foul the inward swinging sash, so the blind type and fixing position get decided at the measure.
Are they more secure than casement?
The tilt position is secure background ventilation, which a casement cannot offer. Both are fitted with multi point locking.
Are they more expensive?
The hardware costs more than a casement's. Whether that is worth it depends on the floor and the window, and we will give you a straight view at the measure.
What areas do you cover?
Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. The design visit is free and there is no obligation.