A window is a window, right? Once you've seen one, you've seen them all.

Although these may be things you've heard or perhaps thoughts you've even had yourself, unfortunately they are not reality. With the multitude of different window types, it's important to know the differences between them to ensure you make the best decision for you and your family. After all, windows and doors are one of the few home renovation projects that improve both the interior and exterior of your home.

One factor that plays a pivotal role in the various window options is what the window frame is made out of.

Roll Formed Aluminum Windows

For example, you wouldn't want a car made out of plastic or aluminum no matter how beautiful it looked, would you?

You need it to be reliable and strong, not flimsy and unreliable.

Wood Windows

Most of the windows we replace are wood windows. Yes, wood windows are aesthetically pleasing; however, the maintenance and rot of a wood window might have you thinking twice.

Wood Clad Windows

That brings us to wood clad windows.

Clad is simply an exterior covering placed on top of a wood window, and can be made out of various materials, like vinyl, aluminum, or fiberglass.

There are two different kinds of aluminum clad windows:

1. Extruded aluminum clad is about as thick as a quarter

2. Roll Formed aluminum is about as thick as a coke can

Is it good the wood is at least covered on the exterior? Yes. But at the end of the day, you must realize that it is still a wood window. And what does this mean?

  • The interior will need painting/staining and upkeep.
  • Insects can damage the wood.
  • Water can get behind the cladding and cause wood rot.
  • There can still be expansion and contraction issues.

Separation of the cladding in the corner

So what do you do if you like the look of a wood window but don't want to deal with these issues?

The Infinity from Marvin fiberglass window is a good solution.

Designed by a wood window architect, this window is made to look like a traditional wood window - without the upkeep and maintenance!

Plus, the Ultrex fiberglass is a strong material (8x stronger than vinyl, to be exact), which translates to thinner window frames and more daylight and bigger views.

The Infinity from Marvin's fade resistant Ultrex finish is available in a variety of colors including bronze and black! This means you won't have to paint your windows, but if you ever want to, that's not a problem.

Check out our short video below on wood clad window disadvantages:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMkkIJBkpBA

We understand there is a lot of information out there. It is our desire to make your window-shopping process simple and stress free.

For more information, give us a call at 770-888-1604 to schedule your free consultation!