VLX 100 Arched / Custom Door

VLX 100 Arched / Custom Door in Tampa, FL | Lightwell Windows Tampa

An arched entryway changes how a home feels before anyone steps inside. The VLX 100 Arched / Custom Door is a CNC-bent aluminum door system built for Tampa homeowners who want a curved architectural statement without sacrificing structural integrity or energy performance. Lightwell Windows Tampa is an authorized ViewLux installation partner serving Tampa, FL and surrounding neighborhoods, which means you get factory-backed product support paired with local installation expertise. We handle the measuring, fabrication coordination, permitting, and installation so the finished door sits level, plumb, and square the day we leave. Call (850) 360-6785 to talk through your project.

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Product Overview – VLX 100 Arched / Custom Door

The VLX 100 is a custom-fabricated aluminum door system with an arched or curved top profile, and it’s one of the most requested specialty entries we install in the Tampa area. What sets it apart from a standard rectangular door is how the top rail is formed: the aluminum is CNC-bent to the exact radius you specify, not pieced together or heat-warped on site. That precision matters because an arched door has to bear its own weight across a curved span while maintaining a weathertight seal at every point of the arc.

We see this door specified most often on Mediterranean Revival homes in Hyde Park, Spanish-style builds in Palma Ceia, and contemporary custom homes in Beach Park and Davis Islands. It also works well on mid-century ranch entries where a round-top door replaces an outdated flat-header opening. The 0.098-inch wall thickness gives the frame enough rigidity to hold the curve without flexing, while the 2.56-inch profile width provides the structural depth needed for a door this size. Since every VLX 100 is fabricated to order, the maximum span is determined by your opening and engineered for your home’s wind zone. No off-the-shelf sizing here.

Homeowners choose the VLX 100 because it delivers the look of a handcrafted wooden arch without warping in Tampa’s humidity, swelling during summer rain season, or fading after a few years of direct sun. Aluminum holds paint and anodized finishes far longer than wood or fiberglass in this climate. And because ViewLux builds the door as a complete thermally broken system rather than a decorative arch kit, you’re not trading energy performance for curb appeal.

Technical Specifications

• Wall thickness: 0.098-inch extruded aluminum walls, sourced and machined for uniform thickness across the entire arched span.
• Profile width: 2.56-inch frame depth, sized to accommodate insulated glass units and multi-point locking hardware without bulking up the sightlines.
• Maximum span: Custom fabricated to order. Your arch radius and door width are engineered per your opening and the wind-load requirements for your Tampa address.
• Glass options: Clear, Frosted, Obscure, Low-E, Tempered, and Laminated. Glass packages can be combined, e.g., Low-E tempered or laminated obscure, depending on code and privacy needs.
• Finish options: Premium Black, Pure White, Anodized Silver, Bronze, Champagne, and Teak Wood. Powder-coat and anodized finishes are both available, so you can match existing window frames or go bold at the entry.
• Thermal break: Yes. The frame includes a structural thermal break and is NFRC-rated for energy performance, which matters for Tampa’s cooling season.
• Installation standard: Installed per AAMA 2400/2410 guidelines, with AAMA 812 low-expansion foam sealant at all perimeter joints.

Performance Features

Thermal Efficiency – Tampa air conditioning runs hard from May through October. The thermally broken aluminum frame interrupts conductive heat transfer through the metal, which keeps the interior frame surface closer to room temperature and reduces the cooling load around your entry. NFRC-rated glass packages add a Low-E coating to reflect solar heat while still letting in daylight.

Acoustic Performance – If your home faces a busy street in Seminole Heights or sits under a flight path near Westshore, laminated glass makes a measurable difference. The interlayer dampens mid-range frequencies (traffic, voices, barking dogs) far better than standard single-pane glass. Combined with properly sealed perimeter joints, the VLX 100 reduces the thin walls of sound you’d get with a lesser door.

Airtightness & Weather Seal – Every perimeter joint gets AAMA 812 low-expansion foam sealant during installation. This is a detail most contractors skip because it adds time, but it’s the difference between a door that seals and a door that drafts. The weatherstripping runs continuously around the arch, including the curved top, so there’s no break where air can push through.

Waterproofing – Tampa gets roughly 50 inches of rain a year, often in short, intense downpours. The arched shape of the VLX 100 actually helps here: water falls away from the curved top instead of pooling. The frame’s integrated sill design, drainage channels, and foam perimeter seal keep wind-driven rain outside even during summer thunderstorms with sideways rain.

Wind Resistance – Doors this size become a sail in a storm. The VLX 100 is engineered and installed to handle the wind loads associated with Tampa’s specific climate zone. Impact-resistant laminated glass is available if you’re in an area that requires wind-borne debris protection, and the frame’s 0.098-inch wall thickness gives the fasteners and hardware something solid to bite into.

Security & Hardware – A front door is only as strong as its locking points. The VLX 100 accepts multi-point locking systems that engage at the top, bottom, and center of the frame, spreading force across the full height rather than a single deadbolt. Tempered or laminated glass options add resistance to forced entry, and the anodized or powder-coated finishes won’t chip away around the hardware after repeated use.

Color & Glass Options

The VLX 100 comes in six finishes, and the choice usually breaks down by architectural style. Premium Black is the current favorite for modern farmhouse and contemporary homes in Tampa’s newer builds. Pure White suits coastal and traditional homes and works well in neighborhoods like Bayshore Beautiful where white trim is standard. Anodized Silver gives a clean, industrial look that holds up with minimal maintenance and doesn’t show scratches easily. Bronze reads as warm and grounded, a strong match for Mediterranean and Spanish colonial homes. Champagne is lighter than bronze and less common, which appeals to buyers who want the entry to feel distinct. Teak Wood is a wood-grain powder coat that mimics the warmth of stained wood without the termite risk or repainting schedule that real wood demands in Florida.

On the glass side, Clear maximizes daylight and works best for covered entries or northern exposures. Frosted and Obscure provide privacy for front doors that face the street at close range, common in South Tampa’s bungalow lots. Low-E is the energy-performance upgrade you want if the door gets direct afternoon sun. Tempered glass is often required by code for large door lites, and Laminated adds impact resistance and sound reduction, which many Tampa homeowners pair with a Low-E coating in coastal flood and wind zones.

Installation by Lightwell Windows Tampa in Tampa

An arched door is only as good as the crew that puts it in. We’ve seen expensive doors fail within two years because the rough opening wasn’t right, the arch wasn’t shimmed correctly, or the installer skipped the perimeter seal. Lightwell Windows Tampa installs every VLX 100 Arched / Custom Door to AAMA 2400/2410 standards, which is the recognized benchmark for window and door installation in the U.S. Here’s what that looks like on site in a Tampa home:

We start with a pre-install inspection of the rough opening, checking the arch template against the actual framing to catch discrepancies before the door arrives. On old Tampa homes, especially in neighborhoods like Tampa Heights and Ybor City with original framing, this step catches out-of-square openings that would otherwise push the door out of alignment.

The door is set level, plumb, and square, with careful shimming at the arch to prevent any pressure points on the curved top rail. We then apply AAMA 812 low-expansion foam sealant at all perimeter joints, followed by the exterior trim and sill integration that keeps water moving away from the threshold. Every install ends with a water test on the sill and lower corners. Cleanup includes removal of all job site debris and a walk-through so you know how the locking hardware and weatherstripping are supposed to function.

One more point worth making: improper installation voids the manufacturer’s warranty on most doors in this class. A door that isn’t square can bind at the hardware, leak at the corners, or crack the insulated glass unit over time. We’ve repaired installs from other contractors where the door was beautiful and the installation was the failure point. Tampa’s climate, heavy rain, humidity, and salt air near the bay, doesn’t forgive shortcuts.

Frequently Asked Questions – VLX 100 Arched / Custom Door

What is the lead time for the VLX 100 Arched / Custom Door? Because every unit is custom-fabricated with CNC-bent aluminum matched to your specific arch radius and dimensions, lead time typically runs 6 to 10 weeks from final measurement to delivery at your Tampa home. We confirm the exact timeline with ViewLux when the order is placed. Call (850) 360-6785 early in your planning process so the door doesn’t hold up your project.

Does the VLX 100 qualify for energy tax credits? It depends on the glass package you select and the current year’s federal and Florida-specific incentive programs. Low-E glass packages with NFRC ratings are the ones most likely to qualify. We recommend checking with your tax professional, and we can provide the NFRC performance data for the exact configuration you’re considering.

What warranty comes with the Arched / Custom Door? The VLX 100 carries a manufacturer warranty that covers the frame, finish, and insulated glass unit, providing the door is installed by an authorized partner using AAMA-compliant methods. Lightwell Windows Tampa installs warranty-safe, which means we won’t cut corners that later void your coverage. Exact warranty terms come with the product documentation at time of order.

Can I customize the size? Yes. That’s the point of this series. The VLX 100 is fabricated to your opening’s exact width, height, and arch radius. We field-measure every opening in Tampa before the order goes to fabrication, and we’ll walk you through what’s structurally feasible for your home before you commit.

How do I maintain aluminum frames? Aluminum is low-maintenance compared to wood, but Tampa’s salt air and hard rain mean an annual rinse makes a difference. Wash the frame with mild soap and water, rinse the sill drainage channels so water keeps flowing out, and check the weatherstripping once a year. Avoid abrasive cleaners on powder-coated finishes. Call (850) 360-6785 if you notice any seal lifting or hardening around the arch.

Get a Quote – VLX 100 Arched / Custom Door in Tampa

If you’re planning an arch-top entry for a new build or replacing an existing arched door in Tampa, start with a conversation and a free on-site measurement. We’ll walk your opening, talk through glass and finish options, and give you a written line-item quote with no change orders down the line. Call Lightwell Windows Tampa at (850) 360-6785 to schedule your free estimate.

Written by the team at Lightwell Windows Tampa, authorized ViewLux installation partner serving Tampa, FL and surrounding neighborhoods.