Over the past years, uPVC or PVCu has become the main material for windows and door frames. Yet, there are some homeowners who prefer the wood because of the benefits of natural materials.
Let us walk you through 7 main reasons why timber beats PVCu:
- Wood looks nice on any property. There is a wide range of different types of woods, including maple, mahogany or oak. Besides that, you can paint or carve your wooden frames the way you like.
- Wooden frames are environmentally friendly because they have a negative global warming potential, meaning they are able to reduce the Co2 amount from the atmosphere, which PVCu isn’t.
- Wooden frames are longer lasting than PVCu. If you maintain your wooden frames properly, they can last for many years, while average PVCu lasts less than 30 years.
- Wood acts as a natural insulator, meaning it keeps the temperature of the house comfortable.
- Regular maintenance of wooden frames is very important, it keeps them attractive and helps them last longer. On the other hand, PVCu cannot be repaired easily and is not maintenance free.
- To create a PVCu window frame you need six times more energy than to create a wooden one. Also, more waste is created by PVCu than by wooden frames.
- The price of both wooden and PVCu frames varies depending on many factors. When it comes to wood, maple is the cheapest and mahogany is the costliest.
Why would you choose wood?
Many people are switching from wood to PVCu. PVCu doesn’t rot like wood, it’s cheaper and it doesn’t need painting. But, as we pointed out in our 4th reason timber beats PVCu, wood is a natural barrier to the cold and it outperforms PVCu. After the Second World War, many buildings were constructed using inferior materials, which gained wood a bad reputation. But when designed and engineered properly, wood is the best option.
Modern Day Truth
30% of around 12 million windows of all types which are sold in the UK each year, is from wood. 57% of those wooden windows is used by the public sector, while private is using 42%. Unfortunately, many people are bewitched by the belief that the PVCu is maintenance free, and maintenance of wood comes challenging. Also, the initial cost of the wooden frames can be higher that of other materials, but everything wood delivers, others don’t, so it is money well spent. Wood can be easily repaired and restored and once again, it is a natural insulator.
Cost
When you are looking at the price without thinking what brings the best value, PVCu windows come as the cheaper option. But when you look at the price and think about what these two options bring, PVCu is way pricey. Wooden windows will last at least twice as long and will add value to your home. The difference in the warranty is also noticeable, you will get a 10-year warranty for PVCu, and a 30-year warranty for wood. When it comes to energy efficiency, the truth is that both wood and PVCu are able to preserve the temperature, but wood is slightly better.
Another fun fact when it comes to the environment is that if you choose wood windows, you will save around 160 kgs of carbon dioxide. But the choice is up to you.
