Wood was the most common building material until recently. This material is widely used in window manufacture and is available in a variety of shapes. What is concerning is that excessive deforestation is affecting the survival of the plants and animals that live in these forests. There are materials that can prevent forest destruction. These are incredibly durable materials that are inexpensive and have properties that wood does not. Plastic is one example of a modern alternative window building material. Plastic has evolved as a substitute to wood after a long history of development. As a result, an increasing number of consumers are opting for plastic window installation over wooden window installation. Let’s look at the benefits of plastic windows against wooden ones.
Plastic windows are inexpensive and thermally insulating
Although wood is a natural thermal insulation material that reduces heating and cooling losses, it requires ongoing maintenance. Sanding and painting wood to preserve it from the effects of external causes has become a time-consuming and costly task over the years. Plastic windows are also very good thermal insulators. It inhibits heat loss and lowers heating and cooling costs as a frame material. Despite the fact that both plastic and wood are heat insulators, plastic has a significantly longer lifespan and requires less care. Of course, plastic is significantly less expensive than natural wood, and pricing is frequently the primary criterion for selecting windows. Even the cheapest hardwood window costs 1.5 – 2 times more than a comparable plastic structure. And using more pricey wood species merely takes it to new heights. Plastic windows successfully combine excellent quality and low cost, making them a popular choice among many purchasers.
Plastic is not subject to atmospheric influences
Wood is an organic material, which means it is complex in composition, porous (prone to gathering moisture), and fearful (unprotected) of fire, water, sun, fungus with rot, wood-boring beetles, air exposure, and so on. Damp wood warps, causing warped frames to seize and widen. Heat/cooled air escapes through them, raising energy bills and introducing drafts and wetness into the home. Imperfect wooden frames degrade and allow insects and pollutants to enter, causing irreversible damage. At the same time, if you achieve the durability of a wooden euro-window by making several layers of different impregnations (ultraviolet protection, water repellents from moisture, fire retardants from fire, fungicides from microorganisms, bioprotective agents from insects, etc.), several layers of water-repellent glue inside the timber, stains, varnishes, colors on the outside, then we are simply not talking about any advantages of natural, environmentally friendly and breathable wood! And this should be done on a regular basis! Even after this, the tree may break, become gray, or warp. Unfortunately, the difficulties of apartment ventilation will not be solved with a wooden frame in a window that has been transformed into plastic by the window maker. Plastic windows are not affected by weather or pollutants, and they do not fade or deform as a result of everyday variables such as smog, pollution, acid rain, and salts. They do not rust or crumble, nor do they scratch or peel. As a result, plastic windows will last for a very long time.
Plastic freely takes complex, detailed shapes
The ability to make complicated shapes, such as wood carvings, is a significant asset of wood. If you work with wood, you’re presumably aware that it goes through a delamination stage before it splits. This is a watershed event in the intricate skill of modern window design. Wooden windows have limitations that must be considered in every window system to prevent water from blowing through and leaking into the cracks that commonly emerge during window operation. Furthermore, the metal elements that support the doors are difficult to conceal and eventually jam. As a result of the disadvantages of the wooden profile, numerous industries shifted to plastic.
Plastic allows you to choose any design
Plastic windows are popular because they may be used in any home design. Plastic window producers have long used lamination and other methods to appeal to the most irrational aesthetes. Plastic windows may be nearly any style, color, pattern, shape, and configuration – this allows you to simply choose a window that will showcase your distinctive, original design, which is quite valuable in our age of individuality supremacy. Furthermore, the window can appear different from the inside and outside of the structure, completely harmonizing with its image both within and outside the room. There are plastic windows with wood imitations, which are very appealing to admirers of wood aesthetics. The wonders of technology allow for such perfect imitation of a wooden pattern that it is impossible to tell whether the windows in front of you are wooden or plastic at first glance. Furthermore, plastic windows provide a variety of options for protecting an apartment from burglars and hooligans while maintaining its beauty, ranging from super-durable materials and fortified windows to specific fittings.
For clarity, all conclusions from this article are summarized in a table:
| Criterion | Plastic windows | Wooden windows |
| Weather resistance | Very high | High |
| Durability | Decades | Some years |
| Labor intensity of maintenance | Low | Average |
| Heat and sound insulation | High | High |
| Design | Large selection of finishing options | Several finishing options |
| Fire safety | High | Low |
| Environmental friendliness | All hygienic approvals are available | All hygienic approvals are available |
| Price | Acceptable | High |
In some consumer qualities, plastic windows have advantages over wooden ones; in others, windows made from these materials are on the same level. As you can see, the choice is obvious!
