PVC, wood or aluminium: which window frame to choose
We make PVC windows, and it would be odd to claim the other materials are bad. They simply do different jobs, and in some cases we are not the right choice.
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In business since 1997. The quote is free.
PVC
The most common choice in Estonia, and for good reason. A PVC profile is hollow inside, divided into chambers, and the air in them acts as insulation. It does not rot, needs no painting and copes with Estonia's swings in humidity without trouble.
The downsides, honestly: you cannot repaint PVC a different colour ten years on, white profile changes shade slowly over time, and in a listed building it will almost certainly not be approved.
Wood
It looks the best and feels the nicest, especially on the inside. Laminated timber is every bit as warm as PVC. In a historic building it is often the only option allowed.
The trade-off is upkeep. The outside needs refinishing every few years, or sun and rain take their toll. And the price: a wooden window of the same size usually costs noticeably more than PVC, sometimes one and a half to two times as much.
Aluminium
Metal is the strongest and stiffest, so it is used for what PVC cannot do: shopfronts, curtain-wall glazing, very large sliding doors, and structures in public buildings.
On its own, aluminium conducts heat extremely well, which is bad news for a window. So residential aluminium windows use a thermally broken profile: two aluminium sections joined by a polymer insert. It works, but it costs more than PVC.
Wood-aluminium
The compromise: aluminium outside to take the weather, wood inside where you see it. Minimal upkeep, a warm look, and the highest price of the four.
How to choose
- An ordinary flat or house, where you want a sensible balance of price and warmth: PVC.
- A historic building, a heritage protection zone, or you simply want real wood on the inside: wood or wood-aluminium.
- Very large glazed areas, a shopfront, a facade: aluminium.
We make PVC windows and also supply wooden and aluminium products. If something other than PVC suits your project better, we will say so. +372 5555 1682.