Standard vs custom window size

Enter a width and height to see whether it matches a common stock size or is a custom order — which drives cost and lead time.

Typical published planning values / code minimums — NOT a certified design or a compliance sign-off. Actual egress compliance and energy performance depend on your local building code (AHJ), climate zone, the exact product’s NFRC-rated U-factor & SHGC and the installation; confirm against local code and the manufacturer’s NFRC label, and consult a pro. Structural headers for enlarged openings, whole-building heat-load / HVAC sizing and code certification are set by code and a professional — not engineered here.
Your result
Size typeCommon stock size
Your size36.00 in × 60.00 in (96 UI)
BasisMatches a labeled common stock size

A 36.00 × 60.00 in window is a common stock size — cheaper and faster. The LABELED size list is a planning guide — confirm availability with the supplier.

Calculator inputs

in
in

Windows come two ways: stock (a standard nominal size a manufacturer keeps in production) and custom (built to a size you specify). Stock sizes are cheaper and ship faster; custom sizes cost more and take longer. Knowing which you need shapes both the budget and the schedule.

This reference checks your width and height against a labeled list of common stock sizes. A whole-inch size on the list reads as stock; a fractional dimension — the norm when a replacement is measured to an existing opening — almost always means a custom order, even if it is only off by a fraction of an inch.

Formula

A size is treated as a common stock size when it is a whole-inch width × height that matches the labeled stock list; otherwise it is a custom order. Fractional dimensions (e.g. 33¼ × 57½) are custom by definition.

Worked example

A 36 × 60 inch double-hung is on the stock list — a common stock size.

A 33.25 × 57.5 inch window — the kind of measurement you get from an existing opening — is not a whole-inch stock size, so it is a custom order.

What to check first & common mistakes

  • Replacements are usually custom. Insert windows are measured to the existing frame and ordered to the eighth of an inch, so most replacement windows are custom even when a similar stock size exists.
  • Stock lists vary by brand. The chart here is a planning guide; every manufacturer’s stock table is a little different — confirm availability with the supplier.
  • Rounding down. If you are close to a stock size, you generally size down (never up) to the nearest available unit and make up the difference with the shim gap — never force a unit into a smaller opening.
  • Cost and lead time. Custom adds to both. If the budget is tight and the opening allows it, a stock size can save money — carry the size into the cost-by-type estimator.

Reference table

Labeled common stock window sizes (planning guide — confirm availability with the supplier).

Nominal stock sizeUnited inches
24 × 36 in60 UI
24 × 48 in72 UI
28 × 54 in82 UI
30 × 36 in66 UI
30 × 48 in78 UI
30 × 60 in90 UI
32 × 48 in80 UI
32 × 54 in86 UI
36 × 48 in84 UI
36 × 54 in90 UI
36 × 60 in96 UI
36 × 72 in108 UI
48 × 48 in96 UI
48 × 60 in108 UI
60 × 48 in108 UI
72 × 60 in132 UI

Frequently asked questions

What is a standard window size?
A standard (stock) window size is a nominal whole-inch width × height a manufacturer keeps in regular production — for example 36 × 60 in. Stock sizes cost less and ship faster than custom sizes.
Are replacement windows usually custom?
Often, yes. Because an insert window is measured to the existing opening and ordered to a fraction of an inch, most replacement windows are custom — even when a close stock size exists.
Does custom cost a lot more than stock?
Custom sizes add to both price and lead time. How much depends on the line and the size; if the opening allows a stock size and the budget is tight, it can be worth choosing stock.
What if my size is between two stock sizes?
You generally order the nearest stock size that is smaller than the opening and take up the difference with the shim gap — never force a larger unit into a smaller opening. When in doubt, order custom to the measured size.