Wood-aluminum windows: pros and cons, prices and manufacturers
- construction
- Advantages disadvantages
- Prices
- To dye
- Manufacturer
- Windows from Germany and Austria
- Windows from abroad
Do you want to enhance the natural charm of your home through wooden windows, but also at the same time a durable and weather-resistant product ">
construction
Optimizing the wood window was preceded by consumer demands for weather resistance to water, UV rays and mechanical influences to reduce maintenance. The wood-aluminum window consists of the classic wooden frame, but this is on its outside, the weather side with special metal profiles, usually provided with aluminum. Thus, a wood-metal window is divided into three levels, the weather protection level, a functional level in the middle of the window and the decorative wood level.
Advantages disadvantages
The wood-aluminum window is essentially a wooden window, but the combination of aluminum and a weather-resistant outer skin has made it possible to combine the advantages of both materials. Due to their heat-insulating properties, some wood-aluminum windows achieve very good Uf values, up to 0.74 watts per square meter and Kelvin (W / m ^ 2 K) are possible here. The care of a wood-aluminum window is limited only to the interior, by cleaning with a mild detergent and the treatment of the wood with skincare or similar products. For outdoor aluminum, it is sufficient to remove any accumulating dirt.
advantages
- excellent thermal insulation properties ~ 1.1 W / (m ^ 2 K)
- good sound insulation values
- Long life due to good weather protection
- also suitable for passive houses
- great choice in terms of color, decor and wood species
- good absorption and transfer of condensate moisture
- cheaper than aluminum windows
- Installation can be subsidized by the state
- maintenance
disadvantage
- more expensive than pure plastic or wooden windows
- 30% more expensive than wooden windows
Prices
In terms of price, the wood-aluminum windows are to be found in the upper product range, but these are less expensive than pure aluminum windows. Species, glazing, opening mechanism and of course the size make the difference in price. Due to the good insulation properties it is possible to choose windows with double glazing instead of triple glazing, these are usually a bit cheaper. Even when choosing the right wood, you can turn on the price screw, from pine to eucalyptus and meranti to oak, the manufacturers offer a wide selection. Pine is the cheapest option and oak the most expensive.
With the KfW program 430, the state promotes the installation of wood-aluminum windows and 10.0 percent of the modernization costs, but only up to a maximum of 5000 euros. In order to receive the state subsidy one must submit an application before the installation and it may be installed only triple-glazed windows. In addition, an energy consultant must supervise the measures, if you meet these three points is no longer in the way of government support.
| glazing | opening mechanism | size | Prices |
| Double glazed | fixed Glazing | 600 x 700 mm | from 170 € |
| Tilt and turn windows |
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| |
| Triple glazed | fixed Glazing | 600 x 700 mm | from 180 € |
| Tilt and turn windows |
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|
For do-it-yourselfers who want to install windows themselves, there are price advantages when buying online from providers such as window shipping.
To dye
With wood-aluminum windows, there are many possibilities for individual design. Depending on the desired type of wood, the customer can choose from a variety of shades in which the wood shines later. When selecting the color for the aluminum, the color palette is even larger and offers all the usual shades. For metallic paints is to be expected with a small surcharge.
Manufacturer
The installation of high-quality windows into the home represents a real added value and contributes to the increasing popularity of wood-aluminum windows.
Windows from Germany and Austria
In Germany alone, there are around 6400 window manufacturers, who produced almost 12 million window units in 2016. Known German brands are Kowa, Pax and Unilux, but also the Austrian companies Gaulhofer and Josko are strongly represented in this country. Thanks to a sophisticated window technology, you do not have to worry about quality when buying a window, from Germany or Austria.
Note: Professional installation is far more important than choosing a reputable manufacturer.
Windows from abroad
If you are considering buying a window, for example, from Poland, then you must pay a lot of attention. A Polish window is cheaper than a German, but the qualitative differences in Polish windows are relatively large. The low prices result only from the low wage and living costs. Of course, there are also Polish windows that are also of high quality and in no way inferior to a German window, but for this you should spend a little more time researching reviews or posts from Internet forums.
When buying Polish windows, pay attention to the following points:
- warranty
- Uf values should not exceed 1.3 W / (m ^ 2 K)
- transport costs
- Time factor for possible repairs
Advantages of choosing a German window:
- Lower delivery times
- easier communication
- Installation, warranty and repairs are guaranteed
- sustainably produced by legal requirements
- high quality guaranteed
Sources: Pictures and the structure of the wood-aluminum windows
- Ift Rosenheim, Dipl.-Ing (FH) Thorsten Voigt, Modern wood-metal windows: Ift Rosenheim
- proholzfenster.de
