8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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                                    FORM 8-K

                                 Current Report
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934


       Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): April 26, 1999



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                                  NORTEK, INC.
            (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

      DELAWARE                    1-6112                    05-0314991
(State or other jurisdiction  (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer
    of Incorporation)                                         I.D. Number)


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              50 Kennedy Plaza, Providence, Rhode Island   02903-2360
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices)    (Zip Code)


                                 (401) 751-1600
                Registrant's Telephone Number including area code








Item 5.     Other Events

     On April 26, 1999,  Nortek,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  issued a press release
announcing it had completed the acquisition of three businesses from Caradon plc
of the United Kingdom: Peachtree Doors and Windows, Thermal-Gard and CWD Windows
and Doors.

     A copy of the press  release  issued by the  Company  on April 26,  1999 is
attached hereto as Exhibit 99 and is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

      (c) Exhibits.

          Exhibit 99      Press release issued by Nortek, Inc. on April 26,
                          1999.









                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended,  the  registrant  has duly caused this Current Report on Form 8-K to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                           NORTEK, INC.

                                           By: /s/Richard J. Harris
                                           -------------------------
                                           Name:Richard J. Harris
                                           Title: Vice President and Treasurer

EX-99

                          [Letterhead of Nortek, Inc.]


Richard L. Bready, Chairman
Richard J. Harris, Vice President and Treasurer
(401) 751-1600

IMMEDIATE

            NORTEK COMPLETES THE ACQUISITION OF THREE NORTH AMERICAN
                            OPERATIONS OF CARADON plc

          Purchase Includes Peachtree Doors and Windows, a Well-Known
              National Supplier of Premium Window and Door Products


PROVIDENCE, RI, April 26, 1999--Nortek,  Inc. (NYSE:NTK), today announced it has
completed the  acquisition  of three  businesses  from Caradon plc of the United
Kingdom: Peachtree Doors and Windows, Thermal-Gard and CWD Windows and Doors.

Peachtree Doors and Windows, based in Norcross,  Georgia, is a national supplier
of premium residential windows,  entry doors and patio doors that targets custom
and  high-end  home  markets.  Peachtree  adds a strong  consumer  brand name to
Nortek's window business.  In addition, it manufactures and sells entry doors, a
product line which Nortek  currently  does not offer and which will allow Nortek
to offer a more complete package to builders.

Thermal-Gard,   based  in  Punxsutawney,   Pennsylvania,   manufactures  premium
replacement  windows,  patio doors and  sunrooms,  primarily for the eastern and
mid-western residential markets. The Thermal-Gard product line enhances Nortek's
market  leadership  position in the  lucrative--and  growing--vinyl  replacement
window market.  In addition,  Thermal-Gard  manufactures  and sells sunrooms,  a
product line which complements Nortek's vinyl replacement window businesses.


                                   - m o r e -





CWD Windows and Doors,  headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, is a leading provider
of complete window and door systems for new homes in Western  Canada.  CWD gives
Nortek a solid entrance into the Western Canadian new-construction market, which
is currently  very strong,  and which should help expand  Nortek's  sales in the
western part of North America.

Richard L. Bready,  Nortek's  Chairman and Chief Executive  Officer,  said "This
acquisition  aggressively expands our North American presence in the windows and
doors marketplace.  These companies will be added to Nortek's Windows, Doors and
Siding Group, which already includes some of the country's leading manufacturers
of quality windows, patio doors, vinyl siding and vinyl-siding accessories.  The
business  units in this group have built a reputation  for offering  high-value,
low-maintenance   building   products  for  residential  and  light   commercial
applications in both the new construction and the repair/remodeling markets."

Nortek is a leading international  manufacturer and distributor of high-quality,
competitively  priced  building,  remodeling  and indoor  environmental  control
products for the residential and commercial markets.  The Company offers a broad
array of products for improving the environments where people live and work. Its
products  include range hoods and other spot ventilation  products,  heating and
air  conditioning  systems,  wood and vinyl  windows  and  doors,  vinyl  siding
products, indoor air quality systems, and specialty electronic products.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform Act of 1995.  Words  such as  "expects,"
"anticipates,"  "intends,"  "plans,"  "estimates,"  or similar  expressions  are
intended to identify  these  forward-looking  statements.  These  statements are
based on the  Company's  current  plans and  expectations  and involve risks and
uncertainties   that  could  cause  actual  future  activities  and  results  of
operations   to  be   materially   different   from   those  set  forth  in  the
forward-looking  statements.  Important  factors that could cause actual  future
activities  and results to differ include the  availability  and cost of certain
raw materials (including among


                                  - P a g e 2 -





others steel, copper,  packaging  materials,  plastic,  resins,  glass, wood and
aluminum)  and  purchased   components,   the  level  of  domestic  and  foreign
construction  and  remodeling  activity  affecting  residential  and  commercial
markets,  interest  rates,  employment,   inflation,  Y2K  readiness,   currency
translation, consumer spending levels, operating in international economies, the
rate of sales growth, price and product liability claims. The Company undertakes
no obligation to update publicly any  forward-looking  statements,  whether as a
result of new information,  future events or otherwise. For further information,
please  refer to the  Company's  reports and  filings  with the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission.


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