Pvc windows V's Wooden windows

mad m

Anyone have actual experience with having Pvc windows and then replaced them with either hardwood/pine or a combined alu-wood windows....

How are the wooden windows performing to the Pvc windows? I have Pvc at present but thinking of changing to wooden windows, while I'm getting an extension now...

blackiebest

My company manufactures and sells v. high quality timber windows and doors; you should know that before reading on:)

There is no comparison and PVC in general is a huge problem which thankfully is in the process of elimination and in the near future will be prohibited from use in non essential applications, like windows and doors.

That said there is varying levels of quality in PVC windows ranging from pure garbage (most commonly seen all over Ireland) to really very good quality and performance.

Timber is the most suitable natural material which to make windows and doors. Softwoods (pine) are most common, economical and also deliver a significant improvement in thermal performance. Hard woods, Oak, Sipo, Larch, meranti and Eucalyptus are more durable, less warm and more expensive.

How good wood windows are is like asking how good cars are! They are only as good as the materials, process, machines, profiles, and people employed to manufacture them, (Lada v's Lexus). There is good and crap on the market and the intelligent buyer will learn that while the typical buyer looks at bottom line, decides on cheapest, suffers the consequences and then comes on here whingeing.

Have a read here and PM me if you want further info, best of luck;

http://archive.greenpeace.org/toxics/pvcdatabase/productalt.html#w
http://www.ambassadoor.co.uk/whytimber.asp (Mod's, not my company)
http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/windows_0305.pdf
http://www.cibse.org/pdfs/Masif.pdf

The most relevant one is the last, so if you wnat to know your 'apples' read that doc:D

ircoha

blackiebest wrote: »

My company manufactures and sells v. high quality timber windows and doors; you should know that before reading on:)

There is no comparison and PVC in general is a huge problem which thankfully is in the process of elimination and in the near future will be prohibited from use in non essential applications, like windows and doors.

That said there is varying levels of quality in PVC windows ranging from pure garbage (most commonly seen all over Ireland) to really very good quality and performance.

Timber is the most suitable natural material which to make windows and doors. Softwoods (pine) are most common, economical and also deliver a significant improvement in thermal performance. Hard woods, Oak, Sipo, Larch, meranti and Eucalyptus are more durable, less warm and more expensive.

How good wood windows are is like asking how good cars are! They are only as good as the materials, process, machines, profiles, and people employed to manufacture them, (Lada v's Lexus). There is good and crap on the market and the intelligent buyer will learn that while the typical buyer looks at bottom line, decides on cheapest, suffers the consequences and then comes on here whingeing.

Have a read here and PM me if you want further info, best of luck;

http://archive.greenpeace.org/toxics/pvcdatabase/productalt.html#w
http://www.ambassadoor.co.uk/whytimber.asp (Mod's, not my company)
http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/windows_0305.pdf
http://www.cibse.org/pdfs/Masif.pdf

The most relevant one is the last, so if you wnat to know your 'apples' read that doc:D

Your post, much of which I dont have an issue with the general thrust thereof, needs to include that the storage, transport, site storage, fitting and maintanence of windows is an essential element of the process, timber windows are much less forgiving than pvc and this brings us back to an increasingly common theme here, the quality of workmanshi* on site.

blackiebest

You are so right. While all companies can have internal mistakes I would honestly put 95% of all problems we are asked to deal with down to horrendous workmanship, post installation damage completely down to 'tradesmen' who just have no respect for their clients money or finished product. We suffer some terrible sh*te work but in the changing economic climate and with resources such as these boards people should demand more. I seriously warn, in writing to all our clients, that post sucessfull install care for the windows is theirs. The amount of times I am asked to 'repair' my products is unreal, why? Just dont break it or do it wrong in the first place!My charges for 'repair's' are now reflecting how I feel about these situations. Does my head in and all paying clients should take NO SH*T from either sub or main contractors. Do it once do it right and NO SNAGS! It is possible and even easy once you plan the build and then build the plan.

You hit a nerve:mad: