Fiberglass Vs Aluminum Clad Windows

There are an array of exterior colors to choose from and 4 interior which include white black dark bronze and pine.

Fiberglass vs aluminum clad windows.

To remove an old window and replace it with a 36 by 60 fiberglass window ranges in cost from 700 to 1 000 per window. I ve received quotes from pella and lincoln on aluminum clad and marvin for both fiberglass and aluminum clad. Some aluminum windows actually have wood inside aluminum cladding to act as a thermal break. Best of all it carries a solid warranty including glass protection for 20 years.

Some manufacturers address that required upkeep by cladding the wood with vinyl as is the case with andersen windows or aluminum. There are five main types of window frames. Aluminum wood clad vinyl and fiberglass. Fiberglass windows energy efficiency.

The result is a tough maintenance free exterior and a natural wood interior that you can paint or stain. Aluminum frame windows are inexpensive and durable but a bad choice from an energy efficiency standpoint. Vinyl windows come in a number of baked in colors as do fiberglass windows. Lincoln was about 15 500 pella was 18k and marvin was 12 200 for fiberglass and 14k for aluminum.

If you want the natural beauty of wood these aren t for you. Fiberglass frame windows are the best choice for energy efficiency. Aluminum s main weakness as a window material is that it is a poor insulator. Aluminum windows are more costly than vinyl but less costly than wood.

One of the major drawbacks that aluminum windows have always had versus their counterparts has been energy efficiency. But they are pricey. We carry andersen windows which are built with a vinyl exterior clad to resist water and seal out the elements. It should be noted that most wood clad frames use an aluminum or a fiberglass as the exterior cladding material each of these offers good long term value given a quality manufacturer and installation.

The architect series is an aluminum clad wood window with exceptional beauty. Fiberglass and composite windows cost more than vinyl windows and low cost wood windows. But fiberglass has the additional advantage of being paintable while vinyl windows are difficult to paint and maintain over the long term. Double pane fiberglass windows high end replacement project.

Marvin has been the cheapest to replace the windows doing either style. Aluminum is essentially unusable as window material in cold climates unless it includes a thermal break. Fiberglass windows come in a wide range of colors not found with vinyl windows. Fiberglass has a distinct advantage when it comes to coastal salt water corrosion.

Pella windows are available in 3 vinyl window series 3 wood window series including the architect series in both traditional and contemporary formats and impervia fiberglass windows.