Which windows to choose: plastic or aluminium?
At the stage of designing a house, many of us wonder whether to choose aluminium or PVC windows. The answer is not straightforward. It all depends on the budget you have, the effect you want to achieve, and the properties you care most about.
This article will tell you the strengths and weaknesses of both options and provide tips to help you choose a particular solution.
PVC windows – popular plastic windows
Not so long ago, everyone started to replace old wooden windows with plastic windows. The popularity of PVC windows has not waned since then.
PVC windows – advantages
An unquestionable advantage of PVC windows, which accounts for their popularity, is their low price and thus high availability. Most manufacturers and probably all dealers have plastic windows in many different variants on offer.
With the large selection of systems, you can choose the parameters to suit your needs. You can choose dedicated systems for energy-efficient houses, providing excellent thermal insulation, or standard solutions, cheaper but also warm enough. PVC is naturally a good insulator, better than aluminium.
uPVC windows with an aluminium cladding are a modern solution for demanding customers. The system protects the windows from weather conditions while maintaining an appearance that matches the interior design. The aluminium cladding can be painted in a variety of colours to match the design of the external facade.
Another advantage of plastic windows is the possibility of using a variety of finishes. Windows can be painted in any RAL colour (although each manufacturer has a palette of standard colours that they sell more readily and more cheaply). In uPVC windows, laminates – especially woodgrain – are often used in addition to spray-painting. In terms of the colours that can be used, uPVC windows win out over aluminium ones.
PVC windows – disadvantages
As the name itself suggests, plastic is a plastic material and its rigidity is limited. It is not possible to make very large constructions from PVC; for glazing projects of significant size, aluminium window joinery is recommended. PVC windows also require a steel core to ensure sufficient structural rigidity.
uPVC windows also have a relatively low resistance to heat. It also depends on the colour used, but all uPVC windows without an aluminium cladding carry a certain risk of deformation and problems with use with long-term exposure to strong sunlight. Dark-coloured windows are more prone to this.
Polyvinyl chloride windows are more susceptible to mechanical damage. Careless handling can result in scratches, even at the assembly or production stage.
Aluminium windows
Aluminium joinery is less commonly used in single-family housing but it is very common in public buildings, especially for large glazed areas, such as shop and restaurant fronts. As joinery in residential construction is now more often based on large-scale structures, the popularity of aluminium windows is also growing significantly.
Aluminium windows – advantages
By choosing aluminium windows or aluminium patio doors, you can create large structures with profiles of small thickness and with large glazing areas. The natural rigidity of aluminium guarantees greater design possibilities than with PVC windows.
Aluminium windows are far more durable than PVC windows and thus can be used for a longer time. The hard coating has greater scratch resistance and any surface scratches are easier to mask. Aluminium also has better weather resistance.
Aluminium windows – disadvantages
The aspect in which aluminium windows perform worse than PVC windows is the heat transfer coefficient. Aluminium windows have poorer thermal insulation than plastic ones if both have the same size and are fitted with the same glazing.
Hint: what to keep in mind
While PVC has better thermal insulation than aluminium, this is of less importance in larger structures as the window’s properties are largely determined by the glazing. So if you need large windows, the best option is to choose aluminium profiles with triple glazing to protect against heat loss.
If you have a limited budget, insufficient for aluminium windows, and you want rigidity and resistance, you should invest in uPVC windows with an aluminium cladding.
When planning your window budget, you should consider the additional cost associated with blinds, shutters, refleksol systems and mosquito nets. These are useful accessories and they should be taken into account at the design stage so that you can hide the roller shutter box under the plaster, make the power supply to the control systems invisible, and purchase windows together with protection systems in a set. By purchasing all products from one manufacturer, you save time and money and reduce logistical needs associated with transport and installation.
Whether you choose plastic or aluminium windows, you should consider warm installation; it is an investment that pays off over the lifetime of the building.
It is not worth going for a lower price at the expense of quality. If you can choose between two manufacturers offering windows in the same system at different prices, you should find out what stands behind the price. Perhaps one of the manufacturers is substituting recommended, safe solutions with cheaper ones to tempt you and you will suffer the consequences of this choice for years. Remember that windows are an investment for the long term and a small percentage difference in price can make a big difference to quality. Talk to our consultants!
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Advice on selection
The sales representative at the company selling the windows should not impose anything on the customer, but they will easily advise whether plastic or aluminium windows are more cost-effective for a particular project. Your consultant has selected window joinery for many projects so yours will not be difficult for them either.
Draw on the knowledge and experience of experts. Your consultant will appreciate that you have prepared for the interview and have some knowledge about windows, but their role is to present the options, help you make a choice, and accompany you all the way through to production, installation, and initial use.
