Galvanized Steel Window Well Covers

What a window well cover actually does

An uncovered well is a bucket. Snow drifts into it, leaves rot at the bottom, gravel washes in off the yard, and every bit of it ends up sitting against the window frame. A cover keeps the well clear and keeps the hole from being something a person or a pet can drop into.

• Keeps snow, leaves and blown-in debris out of the well
• Stops water collecting where it can reach the window frame
• Closes off an open hole in the yard
• Keeps animals out of a well they cannot climb back out of
• Still passes daylight into the basement room
• Cuts down how often the well has to be cleaned out by hand

How to choose a window well cover

Measure the well, not the window

A cover sits on the well, so the well is what you measure. Take the outside width along the wall and the outside projection at the deepest point. If the well came from us, the size is in the product name and you can order the matching cover straight off it.

Steel or aluminum

Steel frames are heavier and cost less. Aluminum frames weigh noticeably less and will not rust. If the cover is going on and staying on, steel is the sensible buy. If somebody is lifting it off regularly to open the window or clear the well, the weight difference is worth paying for.

Open mesh or polycarbonate

Expanded steel mesh on its own keeps debris and people out while letting rain drain straight through, which suits a well that drains properly. Adding a clear polycarbonate sheet keeps rain and snow out of the well entirely. That is the choice to make if water reaching the window has been a problem.

Think about how often it comes off

Anything that has to be lifted every time you open the window gets resented quickly. Be honest about how often that will happen before you pick a frame material and a size.

Check the well is square first

Old wells bow outward over the years under soil pressure. A cover cut to the nominal size will not sit flat on a well that has spread. Measure what is actually there rather than what it started as.

Cover sizes we stock

Steel covers are built in 21 sizes, matched to the wells we make.

• Widths from 36 to 88 inches
• Projections from 12 to 30 inches
• Frame welded steel with expanded steel mesh infill
• Polycarbonate available as an option on every size

If your well is an odd size or has spread out of square, we can quote a cover to fit it. Send us the measurements.

Buying covers direct from the manufacturer

Covers are fabricated in our own plant in southeast Calgary alongside the wells, so the sizes line up and there is no distributor in between. We ship to every province and territory in Canada, deliver locally around Calgary, and pickup at the plant is free.

Covers are flat and wide, so they travel as freight rather than parcel. They arrive curbside on a liftgate truck and somebody needs to be there to sign for them. Rates and delivery details are in our shipping policy.

Need the well as well as the cover? Browse the full range of window wells, or start with the egress ready sizes if the window is in a bedroom. Prefer a lighter frame? See the aluminum covers.

Fitting the cover

Covers rest on the top edge of the well rather than bolting to the house. On an exposed site it is worth anchoring them so wind cannot lift the cover off. The right method depends on what the well is made of, since steel, concrete and block all take different fixings.

Keeping it clear

Mesh collects leaves in autumn. Clearing it takes a minute and keeps water draining the way it should. Galvanized steel needs nothing else. If a polycarbonate sheet has gone cloudy or cracked after a hard winter, it can be replaced without buying a new frame.

Common questions

What size cover do I need?
Measure the outside width and outside projection of the well itself. Covers are sold by well size, so a 48 by 30 well takes a 48 by 30 cover.

Will a cover make the basement darker?
Expanded mesh passes most of the light through. A polycarbonate sheet passes light as well, though it will pick up dust and need an occasional wipe.

Can somebody still get out in an emergency?
The cover has to be removable from inside the well without tools. Check this on any cover you fit to a bedroom egress window, because a cover that cannot be pushed off defeats the point of the well.

Steel or aluminum?
Steel costs less and is the stronger frame. Aluminum weighs less and will not rust. If the cover comes off often, go aluminum.

Do you make covers for wells you did not build?
Yes, as long as we have accurate measurements. Odd sizes are quoted individually.

More on measuring and fitting is on our questions page.