How to choose fixtures

How to choose frames carefully and select only efficient and safer ones? The choice of windows and doors is a particularly important and delicate operation, since we are talking about components with multiple functions. There are still too many people who approach the choice of frames and windows for their houses with too much superficiality, choosing elements that are not suitable and not able to meet the minimum quality standards.

Among the main functions performed by windows and doors there is the protection of our spaces from cold, heat and bad weather. Moreover, windows and doors provide brightness to our environments and are essential for our comfort and privacy, by attenuating external noises.

In this article we will provide you with some important tips that will help you choose good and economical window frames. Continue reading our practical guide to the purchase of windows and doors.

Materials with which windows and doors are made

When you come across the main reviews and opinions regarding windows and doors, you will soon realize that there are many materials used to make these architectural components. It is also important to emphasize how the windows and doors can be made today with a material for the external section and another material for the internal part. Here is a brief classification of the main materials with which windows and doors are made today.

Wooden frames

Wooden windows and doors are probably the most suitable solution for those who are looking for the best windows and doors for thermal insulation. Until a few years ago, wood was still the main material used to produce windows and doors in our country. This material has unique characteristics and in some ways is still the best for the realization of frames and other components: in addition to the great aesthetic effect, wooden frames are equipped with important insulating properties, both from an acoustic and thermal point of view.

If you intend to opt for the purchase of wooden doors and windows, however, you must consider that this material requires a particularly accurate and careful routine maintenance, so as to preserve the wood for a long time. Wooden doors and windows require, in addition to a thorough cleaning, the need for repainting and application of impregnating product: these operations must be performed every year, if for example your home is located near a seaside resort. For the realization of this type of frames today we mainly use laminated wood: this material is composed of several layers that can ensure the structure great elasticity and non-deformability.

Returning for a moment to the subject of thermal insulation, we would like to point out that wood is able to guarantee higher standards than aluminum.

Aluminium frames

Aluminum is also commonly used for the production of frames: this material can boast high standards of resistance and non-deformability. A point of advantage compared to wood is determined by the fact that aluminum is a material that does not require major routine maintenance.

But the great advantage of this material is represented by the fact that, unlike wood or PVC, aluminum is able to preserve itself for a longer period of time, without having structural failures or the phenomenon of peeling layers. In fact, aluminum is a material that has been widely demonstrated to be almost indestructible.

Coming instead to the disadvantages that characterize this material, it is unfortunately necessary to emphasize how aluminum is particularly expensive. Since aluminum has a high thermal conductivity, in order to reduce this, nowadays frames are made with thermal break, that is, equipped with a series of chambers that interrupt the dispersion of heat typical of the material.

If you intend to buy aluminium frames you will certainly have to consider the high costs, but also the fact that these frames last longer than those made of wood or PVC.

PVC frames

PVC windows and doors are undoubtedly the most frequent purchase of the last years: more and more people decide to buy windows and doors made of this material. The main reason for the great commercial success of this material is represented by the fact that PVC has a very low cost, an absolutely modern aesthetic and absolutely respectable properties.

In terms of resistance we can say that PVC is able to resist longer than wood and less long than aluminum. Usually, during the production of these frames, a steel reinforcement is added to the sash structure, which prevents deformation caused by climatic changes. PVC is probably the best material for frames installed in houses located in seaside resorts, as it has a special barrier against saltiness.

PVC windows and doors require almost no maintenance. Today on the market there are models of internal wooden and external PVC frames: it is a product of great quality and in some ways unique in its kind, able to wisely combine aesthetic and climatic needs.

Steel frames

Another material commonly used for the production of windows and doors is steel: usually, in order to guarantee the highest performances, galvanized steel is used for the realization of windows and doors: this material is perfect to protect the product from bad weather conditions and to reduce maintenance operations to a minimum.

Steel windows and doors are elements that can boast many advantages, but also some disadvantages: the disadvantage of this material is represented by the fact that steel is not able to guarantee good standards of thermal insulation. To overcome this problem, the so-called thermal break is made, making this type of window suitable to perform the insulating function.

Steel frames are also elements with great anti-burglary properties: frames made of this material are 100 per cent safe.

Fiberglass frames

An evolution in the field of window and door frames production is represented by fiberglass (or thermo-fiber) frames. This material will probably replace PVC completely in the next 20 years. Windows and doors made of PVC are nowadays equipped with a steel reinforcement: this additional component increases their heaviness, also increasing the presence of thermal bridges, losing the natural thermal insulation capabilities that characterize PVC.

On the other hand, fibreglass is a 40% lighter material than PVC with steel reinforcement: with fibreglass it is also possible to save 40% of heat loss compared to standard PVC.

The glazing of a fibreglass window is also characterised by minimal frame dimensions and is able to guarantee 25 percent more natural light. Another strong point of fiberglass windows is their minimalist design and almost no need for maintenance. We can say that the only disadvantage of this material is represented by the higher price compared to PVC.

Further valuable advice for the purchase of door and window frames

Having finished our journey to discover the main advantages and disadvantages of the main materials used to produce windows and doors today, here are some more tips and suggestions for the purchase of windows and doors for your house.

If you intend to buy aluminum frames, our advice is to prefer thermal break aluminum for large windows and doors. Thermal break aluminum is also the ideal solution for those who love minimal design and are looking for an element that requires little maintenance. However, it is worth remembering that thermal break aluminum is characterized by slightly lower performance than PVC and has a higher price than the latter.

A very appreciated solution in terms of materials for frames is represented by wood-aluminum: this compromise is perfect for those who love the inimitable aesthetic effect of wood and have a large budget. Wood-aluminum frames cost about 30 percent more than classic aluminum frames.

As for PVC, it is certainly the most suitable material for those who want to buy quality windows and doors while keeping initial costs low. Our advice in this case is to prefer white PVC frames with a height of less than 230 cm. As said before this material can boast important thermal properties and is characterized by its great lightness. PVC's weak point is the fact that this material is more subject to deformations and therefore requires periodical adjustments.

Finally, those who decide to buy steel frames will benefit from a unique product, characterized by particularly thin profiles. However, it is good to remember that a high budget is necessary to buy steel frames.

As in all purchase needs, also as far as frames are concerned, the definition of the budget you have at your disposal plays a very important role. Another aspect that greatly influences the choice of windows and doors is the geographical location of the property and the size of the windows and doors.

Sometimes differences in the performance of different materials are not so important: in general we can say that one of the best combinations is certainly represented by frames made of wood on the inside and aluminum on the outside. Laminated wood is undoubtedly the perfect material for the realization of a window or door frame: wood is able to give a sense of warmth and comfort to the domestic environment: it is also true that with the action of atmospheric agents and in particular of the sun, wood tends to deteriorate very quickly. For this reason, the external part of the frame made of aluminum is the right compromise.

In this way you can have frames that, seen from the inside, highlight the natural beauty of wood and that, with the external aluminium frame, can benefit from the maximum tightness.

Installation of a window frame

When choosing the most suitable window or doorframe for your needs and requirements, you must never neglect the installation aspect: in a certain sense we can say that the installation of a window or doorframe can be worth 75% of the frame itself. Often it can happen that on the sides of the frame there is condensation or even mold.

The installation of a window or doorframe must be carried out in a workmanlike manner in order to guarantee perfect thermal and acoustic insulation. In this regard it is good to remember that during the winter season inside the home the air is heated and is warmer than outside. In this condition, the warm air of the house tends to penetrate between the counterframe and the frame, giving rise to the presence of condensation.

To avoid this phenomenon it is necessary to carry out the installation of the frame in a careful and precise way: it is better to entrust this operation to a highly qualified technician with great experience in the installation of windows and doors.

In any window or door frame, the aspect related to thermal insulation is always very important to minimize the loss of heat to the outside during the cold season. The loss of heat from the inside to the outside is defined thermal transmittance (value indicated with the letter U).

With reference to this value, choosing the windows and doors of the house becomes even more of a difficult task, not only in relation to the efficiency calculations of the window and door frame but also because of the different types of materials that can be alternated in the frame structure.