Choosing an aluminium window or door is mostly a question about the opening, not the product. The operation you need, the size of the opening, the exposure of the wall and whether a thermal break is required narrow the choice faster than any catalogue. This guide maps openings to series and lists the size limits that matter.
Updated: 15 October 2026RS Doors & Windows builds four series of aluminium systems: a residential non-thermal-break range, a commercial non-thermal-break range, thermally broken equivalents of both, and a narrow-edge sliding door range for large glazed openings. Each series carries a defined set of operations and a defined set of maximum sizes. The specification exercise is to match an opening schedule to those two lists.
Quick answer
Four series. RS50 and RS86 are residential non-thermal-break. RS100 is commercial non-thermal-break. RS60, RS85 and RS105 are the thermally broken equivalents of RS50, RS86 and RS100. RS138 and RS168 are the narrow-edge sliding door range.
RS86 covers most residential work. Fixed, awning, casement, sliding window, louvre, two- and three-track sliding doors and bifold doors.
RS100 covers commercial and apartment work. Adds curtain wall, four-track sliding doors and hinged doors.
Thermal break. A nylon insulating strip between profiles reduces heat transfer through the frame and supports dual-colour spraying, alongside our standard double glazing.
Size matters more than series. A fixed window in RS86 goes to 2800 mm high by 2000 mm wide, or 2400 by 2400 mm. In RS105 the same opening goes to 3500 by 2000 mm, or 2400 by 2900 mm.
How this guide was put together
This guide is compiled from the product classification and series documentation for our own ranges, the published size tables for each series, and the certificate and test evidence held for those products. The figures quoted here — timeframes, storage periods, delivery ranges, warranty periods and size limits — are the ones used in project quotations and warranty documents rather than marketing estimates. Where a figure depends on the individual project, such as final pricing, site conditions, or warranty conditions for coastal and custom projects, the guide says so and points to the signed document that governs it.
1. The four series at a glance
| Series | Thermal break | Typical use | Operations offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| RS50 | No | Budget-driven residential | Awning window, fixed window |
| RS86 | No | Residential houses, duplexes, townhouses | Fixed, awning, casement, sliding window, louvre, two-track sliding door with screen, three-track sliding door with screen, bifold door |
| RS100 | No | Apartments, commercial buildings, large warehouses | Fixed, awning, casement, sliding window, louvre, curtain wall, two-, three- and four-track sliding doors, hinged door, bifold door |
| RS60 / RS85 / RS105 | Yes | Thermally broken equivalents of RS50 / RS86 / RS100 | Fixed, awning, casement, double-hung, tilt-and-turn, sliding window, two-, three- and four-track sliding doors, hinged door, bifold door, lift-and-slide door |
| RS138 / RS168 | Yes | Narrow-edge sliding doors for large glazed openings and high-end residential | Narrow-edge sliding doors, with hidden or visible track |
2. Match the opening, then the series
A short sequence avoids most specification errors:
- Write down the operation first. Awning, fixed, casement, sliding, double-hung, tilt-and-turn, louvre, sliding door, bifold, lift-and-slide. The operation determines which series are candidates.
- Check the size against the series limits in the tables below, before discussing price.
- Check the wall. Exposure, height and whether the opening sits in a high-corrosion or bushfire environment change the requirements.
- Decide on thermal break. Double glazing is our standard glazing configuration; where frame heat transfer, condensation control or dual-colour finishes are also part of the brief, choose the thermally broken equivalent.
- Confirm the evidence. The proposed configuration should be checked against the certified models, sizes and design wind pressures in the Schedule of the AS 2047 certificate.
3. Size limits for the main series
The figures below are the maximum sizes published for the main series, expressed as height by width in millimetres. They assume the unit fits inside a standard shipping container without an open-top container. Where both dimensions are very large, an open-top container may be required and an additional cost applies.
| Series | Operation | Max height with max width | Max width with max height |
|---|---|---|---|
| RS86 | Fixed window | 2800 x 2000 mm | 2400 x 2400 mm |
| RS86 | Awning window | 2200 x 1000 mm | 2700 x 700 mm |
| RS86 | Casement window | 1800 x 1000 mm | 1000 x 1800 mm |
| RS86 | Sliding window | 1500 x 1200 mm | 1200 x 1500 mm |
| RS86 | Sliding door | 2300 x 1200 mm | 1200 x 2300 mm |
| RS105 | Fixed window | 3500 x 2000 mm | 2400 x 2900 mm |
| RS105 | Awning window | 2700 x 900 mm | 2700 x 900 mm |
| RS105 | Casement window | 2400 x 900 mm | 900 x 2400 mm |
| RS105 | Tilt-and-turn window | 2600 x 1200 mm | 1200 x 2600 mm |
| RS105 | Sliding window | 2000 x 1200 mm | 1200 x 2000 mm |
Two practical notes. First, the limits for opening sashes are calculated by area rather than by a single dimension. Second, the maximum size and the maximum panel weight are separate questions: a large sliding sash has a weight that the track and rollers must carry, which is why the narrow-edge range uses anti-swing rollers.
4. Where each operation is usually used
- Awning window. Top-hinged, opens from the bottom. It ventilates while shedding rain, which is why it suits rainy conditions and higher wall positions.
- Fixed window. No operation, maximum glass area and view. Used where ventilation is not required, such as high walls or feature glazing.
- Casement window. Hinged sash that opens outward with a crank or handle. Can be configured as a pair for airflow control.
- Sliding window. Horizontal sliding panels, suited to tight spaces where a swinging sash would obstruct. Double glazing improves acoustic and thermal performance.
- Double-hung window. Two vertically sliding sashes. RS83 is non-broken; RS105 is the thermally broken version.
- Tilt-and-turn window. Opens inward as a casement or tilts at the top. Popular on higher-level commercial projects because both modes open inward.
- Louvre window. Glass louvres operated by lever or crank for adjustable airflow, or fixed aluminium louvres for ventilation and privacy.
- Sliding door. One or more large glass panels on a track. Available with two, three or four tracks depending on the series.
- Narrow-edge sliding door. A 22 mm meeting stile and large glass area, with a hidden track for interiors or a visible track where cleaning access matters.
- Bifold and lift-and-slide doors. For full-width openings to alfresco areas, subject to the series limits and the structural review of the panel weight.
5. Performance and evidence
Several products have been tested by Intertek and meet the physical performance requirements of N3, with some products reaching N4. An energy report issued by an Australian energy agency is also available for the range. Where a project needs a specific result, the report or test document can be provided.
Glazing is a separate evidence chain: single and laminated glass supplied for our systems is manufactured to AS/NZS 2208, and insulating glass units to AS 4666, by our glass supplier. The AS 2047 certificate covers the products listed in its Schedule; it does not establish window energy ratings. The standard behind that certificate, AS 2047, sets out the performance requirements for windows and external glazed doors in buildings, and the Schedule is the part of the certificate that defines which products, sizes and design wind pressures are covered.
What is the difference between RS50, RS86 and RS100?
RS50 is a budget-driven residential window series with awning and fixed windows. RS86 is a residential and light-commercial series with the widest set of residential operations. RS100 is the commercial series, adding curtain wall, four-track sliding doors and hinged doors.
Which series are thermally broken?
RS60, RS85 and RS105 are the thermally broken equivalents of RS50, RS86 and RS100. They use a nylon insulating strip between the profiles to reduce frame heat transfer and support dual-colour spraying, alongside our standard double glazing.
What is the largest fixed window in RS86?
Up to 2800 mm high by 2000 mm wide, or 2400 mm by 2400 mm, within container-loading limits.
What is the largest fixed window in RS105?
Up to 3500 mm high by 2000 mm wide, or 2400 mm high by 2900 mm wide, within container-loading limits.
What are the RS138 and RS168 series?
They are the narrow-edge sliding door range, using a 22 mm meeting stile and large glass area, with a hidden or visible track option.
Is double glazing standard across the range, and how does it work with a thermal break?
Yes. Double glazing is our standard glazing configuration across the range (manufactured to AS 4666 by our glass supplier, with single or laminated glass to AS/NZS 2208 available where a project specifies it). Double glazing improves the glazed unit, while the nylon thermal break in RS60, RS85 and RS105 reduces heat transfer through the aluminium frame itself; the two work together where higher thermal and acoustic performance is required.
How do I know a proposed size is achievable?
Check it against the published maximum size for that series and operation, and confirm with the project team whether an open-top container would be required, since that adds cost.
What performance evidence is available?
Several products have been tested by Intertek to the physical performance requirements of N3, with some reaching N4, and an Australian energy report is available for the range.
Version history
- v1.1 — 15 October 2026: client review revisions. Restored the full 5-step sequence in section 2 (missing from the v1.0 review copy). Reworded the glazing FAQ and aligned the quick answer, section 2 step 4 and the thermal-break FAQ so that double glazing is stated as our standard glazing configuration across the range, while the nylon thermal break addresses frame heat transfer and dual-colour finishes.
- v1.0 — 13 October 2026: first published as a draft for review.
About the publisher
This article is published by RS Doors & Windows, the customer-facing brand of Australia RS Doors & Windows Pty Ltd (ABN 59 629 271 227). RS is an Australian-registered aluminium window and door supplier with showroom and service locations in Sydney (Belmore), Melbourne (Clayton) and Adelaide (Marleston). Local consultation, measurement, delivery, installation and after-sales services are provided in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide; for other Australian locations RS supplies product only, and installation can be discussed on a project basis.
Our published AS 2047 evidence — StandardsMark certificate SMK40453 and the scope set out in its Schedule — is available on our certification page, and completed projects across Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide are listed in our project showcase.
Last updated: 15 October 2026.