Aliminium Window frames vs Timber

[Marej]

Wanting some feedback on replacing the timber window frames to aluminium ones.

I know that aluminium windows dont offer the same amount of airflow since they are sealed when closed, however I would make a conscious effort to make sure all the windows get opened regularly.

The change would be to eliminate the ongoing maintenance of timber frames - painting to be specific and they are very fiddly to paint really well.

The house is an older timber home, so aluminium would be out of character.

Does anyone have any other disadvantages of going aluminium, or other thoughts on the issue.

Thanks

[Maccachic]

Condensation and heat loss are issues with aluminium.

[One]

Assuming you're getting double-glazing, make sure you get thermally broken aluminium. Otherwise you get condensation on the aluminium frames. Ugh.

If you're prepared to spend a heap of money, companies like NK Windows do PVCu windowframes that look impressively like wood and perform a lot better than aluminium. Very nice stuff.

https://www.nkwindows.co.nz

[LevenRiver]

How often do the wooden frames need painting?

[DazRaz]

Even better, triple glazing. http://www.eurowindows.co.nz/whyeurowindows.html

[Bob Kane]

I've always thought it was bad taste to replace wooden windows with aluminium.
50s-60s weather boards, tile roof and aluminium windows - yuk!

[DazRaz]

Not seeing your point Bob. Looks good to me. http://www.eurowindows.co.nz/gallery-brick.html

Certainly the cheap 70's and 80's stuff didn't look great but no excuse for it looking bad now.

[blurt]

If you don't like the look of aluminium joinery on bungalows and villas etc, you can get uPVC joinery in the same style as the traditional wooden ones. I think it performs better as it doesn't conduct heat as well as aluminium.

The fact that the new joinery will be air-tight is a not a good reason to keep the old wooden joinery. A simple dvs type ventilation system can be installed and should be already installed in the typical investment flat regardless.

[One]

Not seeing your point Bob. Looks good to me. http://www.eurowindows.co.nz/gallery-brick.html

Eurowindows are another PVCu joinery provider. Those photos are of PVCu, not aluminium!

[hawkeye]

If you replace wooden windows in a character home with aluminium (or any of these other products) you are devaluing it in my opinion and making it harder to sell. It is so ugly!

Its like taking a nice antique set of drawers and sanding it down and putting new handles on it. Yuk.

[Maccachic]

Personally I prefer the low maintenance of Alumimium altho the PVCu ones look like a nice alternative. Will be replacing wooden windows in my place for something similar when the time comes.

I know when I was buying in Dunedin (2000 ish) Aluminium windows were more desirable than wooden.

[muppet]

Hi Marej
Check out these threads on aluminium windows.

http://www.propertytalk.com/forum/showthread.php?19599-Double-Glazing-Great-more-costs&highlight=aluminium+windows

http://www.propertytalk.com/forum/showthread.php?16636-Anyone-double-glazed-their-PPOR&highlight=aluminium+windows

http://www.propertytalk.com/forum/showthread.php?13081-New-Alluminium-windows-needed-Auckland-area&highlight=aluminium+windows

[Marej]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks so much for your replies. The motiviation behind this is maintenance and cost, and know the aluminium wont look as good as the timber frames, however the timber frames with peeling paint dont exactly have the wow factor either, and am sick of being at a painters mercy, hoping they do a good job, but within a few months find problems.

Looking around, there are lots of timber homes with aluminium frames and some with an additional timber framer around the perimeter of the window and that stands out more than the aliuminum frame, so might go for solution like this.

Thanks again.

[DazRaz]

Eurowindows are another PVCu joinery provider. Those photos are of PVCu, not aluminium!

I know. But the same look can be achieved with aluminium.

[Samuel]

Aluminium window frames are great and low maintenance, I have them at several properties.

I'd also recommend investigating stainless steel for the interior bathroom window frame as invariably you end up with water damage when several people are using it daily.