Corner windows have been around for years, but until recently they were expensive novelty items rarely used in residential construction. Although they're still expensive, at least three major wood window manufacturers now offer corner windows in their catalogs of standard products (see manufacturers' list at end of article). It may be only a matter of time before you're asked to install one. These windows use either bent or mitered insulated glass units in a typical wood frame. The catalogs give no structural details beyond pointing out the need for a cantilevered structural header designed by an engineer to prevent the window from carrying any load. This article provides such a header design suitable for several common framing conditions. Design Assumptions Design
