Black aluminum window detail against a white wall

Honest comparison

Crateworks vs Pinky's

Crateworks and Pinky's both make slim, glass-forward windows and doors, and they get there with different metals. Pinky's builds in steel, including an Italian steel casement system. Crateworks builds in thermally-broken aluminum, sourced direct. This page lays out where each one genuinely fits so you can choose on the merits rather than the marketing.

The honest split

Direct-sourcedCrateworksThermally-broken aluminum
Established brandPinky's
01Frame material
Thermally-broken aluminumSteel, and Italian steel on casements
02Rust and coating upkeep
None. Aluminum does not rustFinish must be maintained to prevent corrosion
03Interior door range
Sliding, swing, pivot, motorized pivot, folding, partitionsSmaller interior line
04Pricing model
Direct-sourcedShowroom and retail
05Thinnest possible sightline
Slim, not the absolute narrowestNarrowest, via Italian steel casements

Where Pinky's wins

Steel takes the narrowest sightline there is, and Pinky's Italian casement system is the clearest expression of that look. There is also a prestige to a solid steel frame that aluminum does not carry. If the absolute thinnest profile is the point of the project, that is theirs.

Where Crateworks wins

Aluminum does not rust and needs no coating upkeep, so it holds its finish in coastal and humid conditions where steel depends on the coating staying intact. It is lighter, which matters on large pivot and sliding panels, and it is sourced direct so an equivalent configuration typically lands below a showroom price. The interior range is also broader: sliding, swing, pivot, motorized pivot, folding, and partitions.

Common questions

For most interior doors and many exterior openings, yes. Crateworks builds the same slim, glass-forward look in thermally-broken aluminum instead of steel, sourced direct. Where Pinky's leans on its Italian steel casement system for the very narrowest sightlines, that specific look is theirs. For everything else, aluminum gets you there without the steel maintenance.
Aluminum does not rust and needs no coating upkeep, so it holds up in coastal and humid conditions where steel depends on its finish staying intact. It is also lighter, which matters for large pivot and sliding panels. Steel wins on the absolute thinnest sightlines and on a certain prestige. Aluminum wins on maintenance, weight, and price.
Crateworks sells source-direct, so for an equivalent configuration the price typically lands below a showroom brand. Exact pricing depends on size, glass, and configuration. Send your opening details and we will quote the specific job rather than guess.
Yes, and we encourage it. If you have a builder or architect on the project, share the configuration with them and loop us in. We quote and coordinate directly with trade, which keeps the spec and the install clean.

Real quote, real number

Compare a real quote.

The honest test is a like-for-like quote. Send your openings and spec, and we will quote it direct so you can put a real number next to any brand.

Request a quoteSee aluminum windows