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Wood: Wood is the standard material for residential windows. Well suited for a tropical climate. It can be painted or stained, and is strong and easy to work with. Peeling paint is more than an eyesore, it's a sign that wood is being exposed to weather, which will ultimately cause it to rot. A small number of high-end producers use rot-resistant species like teak, a properly maintained wood window could last hundreds of years.
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Vinyl: Vinyl windows are inexpensive, durable, and relatively energy efficient. They often look chunkier than wood or metal windows because vinyl isn't strong enough to be made into ultra-thin parts. The other problem is that the texture is unmistakably plastic. On the other hand, except for washing the glass, vinyl windows are virtually maintenance free.
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Steel: Steel windows are common in industrial buildings. While they have never been popular for residential use, they do appear in pre-war modernist homes, and basement windows set in wells. The advantage to steel is that it's very strong. As a result, glass area can be maximized since window parts can be made extremely thin. Steel is durable, but not maintenance free; it will rust if not painted. Steel is also a poor thermal insulator, so heat escapes through the sash and frame, while moisture condenses on interior surfaces.
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Aluminum: Aluminum windows have many of the qualities associated with steel windows, except these do not require painting,as they won't rust. Instead, aluminum windows are available with a number of anodized or baked-on finishes. The problem with aluminum windows, however, is that they aren't very energy-efficient. Aluminum is a good thermal conductor, so in cold weather heat drains out through the sash and frame, as moisture condenses on interior surfaces. Better quality aluminum windows are equipped with thermal breaks that separate the interior and exterior surfaces of the window.
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Fiberglass Fiberglass has been around for a long time, but it's a relatively new material for windows. Long used for items like boat hulls and auto bodies, it has an excellent record for durability. Fiberglass is strong, so hollow parts can be made without the stiffeners required for vinyl. This allows manufacturers to produce higher efficiency windows by filling voids with insulation. In fact, insulated fiberglass windows are even more energy efficient than those made from solid wood. The fiberglass windows are more durable when their cost is compared to similar windows made from other materials.
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Composite The sash and frame of a composite window are made from more than one kind of material. This allows the manufacturer to make the material fit the task. For example, the inside surfaces of the window might be made from wood, so it could be painted or stained. The outside surface, however, could be made from a more weather-resistant material like vinyl or aluminum. The classic example of this is a wood window with vinyl or aluminum cladding. A newer type of composite window has exterior parts that are made from a blend of wood chips and recycled plastic. These wood/plastic blends can be painted, but are impervious to rot if the paint fails.
Types of Glass for Windows
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