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Wooden windows or aluminium

7 years ago

I'm looking to see what the majority of people prefer as I'm undecided on what to put on a new build house. From the front it's going to have a traditional look with wood sash windows and stone surrounds. The back has a lot of glass with a glass gable and a couple of windows. I'm unsure whether to keep the back of the house the same as the front and have white windows to match or go more modern and have a light grey aluminium. I like both styles but am not sure if it will look strange haven't a different style at the back to the front. What do you think? Here's a drawing of front and back.

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PRO

4 Edge Design Ltd

7 years ago

timber windows are best there is a product called accoya it has a 50 year guarantee you can contact me for more information if you wish

carl

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Comments (13)

debbiboo
7 years ago
Either would look great but if it's a traditional look you want I'd definitely go with the wood. We just got aluminium bi-fold doors fitted and they are great but we were looking for a modern look. Hope this helps,

Deborah
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Hi Angie There was a [similar discussion on Houzz[(https://www.houzz.co.uk/discussions/upvc-vs-timber-windows-what-to-choose-dsvw-vd~3761852) before. The overwhelming opinion was go for timber, but timber is not for everyone! All very well if you can spend the money for them, as timber will be the most costly option however the quality of modern timber windows really is fantastic now. They are much more hardy, being sealed, coated and painted within the factory and utilising modern window features such as double/triple glazing and rubber beading rather than putty. They will be thermally efficient and look amzing. Being a natural material, timber is still subject to environmental conditions and eventually will need maintenance like regular painting (paintwork guarantees can be up to 10 years though). They may need to come out so that proper sealing of the joins can be achieved again, which will mean a larger expense than just slapping on a lick of paint. The material can be sourced from renewable forests although if not local you may wish to consider the carbon footprint etc. uPVC can look as traditional and authentic as timber, as a foil application will give the frames a very convincing wood grain effect. There are also options for joinery-style butt or mechanical joints, a deep bottom rail, run-through horns and external putty lines - it would take an expert to spot that it’s uPVC. This authentic appearence makes them conservation-area friendly. Environmentally, uPVC is recyclable and utilises an efficient manufacturing process that energy consumption and carbon footprint values compare favourably with other materials. Each industry has promotional videos extolling the virtues of their manufacturing process and why it is best :-) Obviously costwise, uPVC will be the cheapest (possibly three times less expensive or even less) They will require very little maintenance and offer all the benefits of modern materials such as easy cleaning etc. We don't provide aluminium sash windows as either our timber or uPVC offerings suit our customers, so it really comes down to cost and what your budget is. We have a timber and uPVC sash window side by side in our showroom - we love them both but you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference! Check out our website https://www.yesglazing.co.uk/ or if you are local to the South East, come and visit our showroom.
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I had the same issue, decided to bite the bullet and replace all the windows with aluminium like the shiny new extension. I think consistency is a key part of design, and I have not regretted my choice. I am too much of a stickler for detail not to become increasingly annoyed at the difference.
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Thanks all. That's really helpful. @bchillman5 - love your flush windows, and the astragal lines - what manufacturer are they? And you are right - it is a very similar look house, and I agree that the paler grey suits the stone better. So thank you - I am very grateful for this image. Very happy to have found this resource... now to move onto my interior design dilemmas!!
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Do they have to be tilt and turn windows? My mum had them in her house. The frames need to be wide to house the mechanism. I prefer casement windows.
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PRO
Wood Window Alliance
7 years ago
Yes, either would look great. Aluminium also looks very slick inside - some people prefer the feeling timber gives you of a piece of furniture. If you choose wood, make sure they're fully factory-finished, tested to meet British Standards and carry decent guarantees. They should last you a lifetime.
PRO
Lithouse
7 years ago
Hello Emma, first of all I do not represent windows suppliers, for this reason I have no intension to sell you specific windows type :) Secondly I am working as project manager and everyday discuss these questions with my customers who are building homes.

Mixing two different styles - traditional and modern may not work out very well. House is one object and it should stay in the same style.

Advantage of using aluminum windows is that vertical bars between glass partitions are very narrow. So you will have a lighter structure look.

Wooden windows definitely will have thicker bars, depends on windows profile and producer but can be about 5 cm wide. We have developed one project in Chamonix France. We had long discussions, because house was facing Mont Blanc mountain and owners wanted to see most of it. In the end we went after wooden frame windows, and we were happy with the result. Here is the photo:

Also you can find more photos of aluminum and wooden windows in my article about different window types.
Emma Beckwith
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you for your comment. I think this is why the architect wants to go alluminium to get the most of the outlook through the glass with thin frames. I can see the reason but I think it should look the same and be in wood. My husband agrees with architect so I'm having trouble trying to convince them. One thing I'm not sure about though, the house is a rendered finish so I think white wood at the back might look a bit stark, the front has stone surrounds so is broken up. I'm not keen on a wood finish either so would go for painted wood.
Daisy England
7 years ago
I would have a timber finish and I'd not paint it. It's painting these windows that takes preparation time when re-painting. If you have a hardwood or semi hardwood timber you can apply a coat of finish (look at SX70 as it offers sun protection) so when you need to re-coat them it's a very quick sand over and a brush application.

My decorator does my house every other year to keep on top of it and it only takes a day to do the front of the house which is a large bay window, downstairs loo, 3 bedrooms and the fascias. We have timber effect PVC on the back as we have a verandah all across the rear of the house so it is difficult to gain access.

Don't have one colour on the front and another colour on the back. Perhaps consider timber front so you get kerb appeal and PVC on the back if you want to cut down on maintenance.
Jonathan
7 years ago
I don't think it matters if you put one product on the front and something different in the back- after all you are not repeating the stone mullions on the back.
I do think you should play around with some of the alternatives at the front as currently the proportions don't work- if you are having sash windows then they will be equally divided and the top and bottom panes of glass will be the same size and you need to treat each window the same with a vertical bar dividing the wider windows.
Given the depth of these windows you might also consider Edwardian style windows with a top fanlight- again this would have been repeated across each window.
Emma Beckwith
Original Author
7 years ago
The windows in the drawing don't show the sash style I wanted. It's like this style. Not sure Edwardian style is modern enough for the style house I wanted.
PRO
Croydon Window Company Ltd
7 years ago
Hi Emma, Aluminium will look modern and sleek. Mixing traditional and modern will still work well. Please do take a look at our projects for ideas.
PRO
Lithouse
7 years ago
Hello Emma, coming back to our discussion. If you do not like to see wooden texture and if you do not want too much maintenance - then I would advice wooden windows with aluminum cladding from the exterior. No maintenance and you can choose any colour. I do not know how does it work with your suppliers, but usually wooden windows with aluminum cladding are cheaper than aluminum.
PRO
Sieger® Aluminium Systems
7 years ago
Having white timber windows to the front and upper floors and modern aluminium frames to the rear ground floor is a very common design feature to both new homes and extension spaces.

Aluminium frames tend to be popular on new builds due to their low maintenance and colour fastness over time.

Below are some images that show grey aluminium frames on the same elevation as a white timber frame so you can see the effect of them used together.

Hazelwell Road · More Info

Heslop Road · More Info

Langham Road · More Info

Rosegarth · More Info

Although if you wanted to use aluminium for their low maintenance but maintain a white finish you could opt to have the aluminium frames finished white like the below projects:

Berry Way · More Info

Highland Road · More Info

We have a large aluminium window and door showroom at the Sky House Design Centre in Amersham. Let me know if you would like to arrange a visit to see these frames in person.

Rebecca

Hedgehog Aluminium

01494 722 882
Marc Afonso
4 years ago
I would suggest wooden windows for period house as for me aluminum suits more for new build or industrial properties. Especially that wood and aluminum comes at similar price tag. Just found a site with the prices for you to look up Wooden windows. Good luck!
PRO
DHW Joinery
3 years ago
Totally agree with 4 Edge Design Above - wood windows are ideal, and Accoya is a great choice. If you are based near Yorkshire, get in touch for some advice? - David H Wright Joinery, Yorkshire

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