WOODEN WINDOWS vs PVC WINDOWS

Everyone of us has faced the question, whether to spend a bit more and buy something that is good, or to spend less and acquire a lower-quality product. If the product is a screwdriver that resembles a corkscrew after the first workday, then you can simply throw it away. But if we are talking about windows that cost a 5-digit sum, things are not as simple. We will follow with a comparison between PVC (plastic) windows, and German type (tilt & turn) wooden windows, to see if the higher cost of wooden windows is worthwhile.

Density of Material

Hogs induced by the less rigid construction of plastic windows are an everyday worry for the owners of houses and flats. Especially dark windows that are situated on the southern and western sides of buildings, under the impact of intensive sun, are a cause for a headache. Deformation of the less rigid profile of plastic windows cannot resist the heat and pressure from the gasket. This results in changes in the shape of the window, accompanied by a significant loss of thermal insulation. Large expandable windows and balcony doors add to the problems related to sagging, such as passage obstructions and hogs, that make using the windows especially inconvenient.

Wooden windows of quality laminated timber are durable; they preserve their shape and comply with all demands for windows during many long years.

Changes in Colour

In a few years you will notice that the climate of our temperate zone has not had a good influence on the appearance of the external side of a plastic window: the windows that were originally white, have acquired a yellow or grey complexion. You also cannot escape the colour changes on the inner sides of plastic windows, which almost magically attract filth due to static energy. With each passing year it becomes more difficult to remove the filth that is stuck to the window jambs and sashes, because the dirt penetrates the pores of the material, and cannot be removed even with the most efficient cleaning agents.

Static filth does not accumulate to the jambs and sashes of wooden windows, and dust is easily removable. If quality soaking products, elastic and „breathing“ paints are used, the appearance of wooden windows will stay unchanged for decades in case of light colours, and a bit less in case of dark tones on the western and southern sides of the house. Moreover, if the appearance of wooden windows should need some tweaking or restoring, then all you need is an investment of a couple of hundred Estonian crowns, and some hours of creative tinkering to make your windows look like new again. There is no such option for plastic windows.

Safety

Due to the elasticity of material and the less rigid profile of plastic windows, it is relatively easy to bend them open. Large expandable windows and balcony doors are especially convenient for unwanted visitors to get in. The laminated timber used for making wooden windows is rigid and durable, guaranteeing a higher degree of safety for your home, in addition to their longer life.

Appearance

The choice of profiles for plastic windows is small, and the available colour scale narrow, to say the least.

Wooden windows offer significantly more choices for home-owners. Those who appreciate the beauty of natural wood can first select the material for their windows, be it wood from local forests or from exotic countries.

In addition to the choice of material, the technologies used by the manufacturers of wooden windows allow to use an endless amount of interesting profiles and finishing styles to fit openings of various shapes. For example it is significantly easier to manufacture wooden windows that are round, crescent, and other different shapes.

Finding the best colour is only limited by your power of imagination.

In addition to paints you can also choose between varnishes of various levels of transparency, stains, or oils that bring out the unique beauty of this exclusive material.

Wooden windows can also be produced without finishing for those who want to apply the finishing themselves. 

Options for Usage

Plastic windows can only be used in ordinary conditions, while there is a considerable amount of possibilities for using wooden windows. Wooden windows are a perfect fit for sauna, while plastic windows should be kept as far as possible from such place.

Plastic windows are more convenient for smaller openings because of their less rigid profile, while wooden windows of larger proportions can be manufactured, and they could still be expandable.

It is also possible to produce wooden fireproof windows, that are compatible with EI30 class demands and passive windows. Thermal insulation of passive windows is almost two times better than the thermal insulation of standard windows.
Wooden windows can be produced with extension jambs for log houses and to solve other special cases. 
It is possible to install an aluminium cover profile for wooden windows that are already in use. This is an option for renovating wooden windows, instead of repainting them.

Plastic windows are approximately 50% cheaper than wooden windows, and this is their only known advantage.

I know many buildings with facades decorated by wooden windows that are more than a century old. Do you know someone who knows someone whose plastic windows have endured for more than 15-20 years without any problems? Before deciding to buy, remember this comparison.

We wish you right choices!

P.S. Read about the “economizing tricks” of wooden window manufacturers HERE!