Window Materials

Replacement Window Materials

Your home style, habits, comfort and ease of operation are all important when you decide what windows to choose. There are some other even more important considerations however and those have to do with thermal insulation, level of maintenance, durability and replacement window cost.

While the type of the window certainly affects the later, it is the material used by the manufacturer that makes the real difference. Following is a list of short descriptions of the most commonly used replacement window materials. If you need some further information just click the relevant link.

Vinyl Replacement Windows

Vinyl replacement windows are made primarily of polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC. As all other materials, vinyl has both advantages and disadvantages but if we have to pinpoint the most important feature then we should say – it is cheaper to use vinyl for window frames.

Aluminum Replacement Windows

Aluminum replacement windows have great durability and strength. Unlike steel windows they don't rust and need not be painted. In fact many window manufacturers produce them with a variety of finishes baked on the surface of the frame. Aluminum however is a good thermal conductor. This is the reason for the lower thermal efficiency levels of the aluminum windows.

Fiberglass Replacement Windows

Fiberglass is widely used for the making of boat and auto parts. Windows made of fiberglass are strong and very durable so they can hold large expanses of glass. In addition to that they provide one of the best thermal efficiencies among all other types. Their major drawback is their price - similar widows made of other materials would be cheaper.

Wood Replacement Windows

Wood replacement windows are the most popular type of windows for domestic use. Wood is easy to form and fit into a custom shape, it is strong and quite durable if properly painted. It is also a very good thermal insulator and its price is reasonable for the quality of the final product. The real downside of an wooden window lies with maintenance. You probably know that wood windows can and should be painted regularly.

Steel Replacement Windows

Steel windows are mostly used in big industrial or office buildings. As a material steel is very strong which makes it possible the use of narrow frames holding great expanses of glass. There is a certain number of drawbacks however which make this material less popular for domestic windows. Steel windows should be painted regularly or they will rust.

Composite Replacement Windows

There are many benefits to installing composite windows in your home. The producers designed this type of windows in order to make use of the strengths of different materials. For example some of these windows have wooden frame for better thermal insulation that is clad in aluminum or vinyl material for greater durability and strength.