Replacing Your Windows? Review the Advantages of Vinyl.

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

Replacement window frames come in a number of different materials and for some homeowners’ vinyl maybe the best choice. While clad-wood and fiberglass each offer a menu of finishes or custom styling, vinyl comes at a price that is hard to beat. Homeowners who need to replace old worn out windows, on a fixed budget should consider vinyl-frame windows as a suitable choice. If Woodland Windows and Doors didn’t think so, we wouldn’t include them among our selection.

Vinyl-frame windows first appeared in the 1970s when small manufacturers began to offer an alternative to wood windows. Vinyl (PVC) Poly Vinyl Chloride is a durable material that has gained popularity as a building material for a variety of purposes in recent years.

There are clear advantages to vinyl windows such as, less expensive than wood, don’t absorb moisture, don’t rot, don’t need to be repainted and offer improved thermal efficiency. However, just as a vinyl deck looks and feels like plastic and not wood, the biggest drawback for many homeowners upon seeing vinyl windows is that they do not have the character of wood.

So for durability and strength, low maintenance and energy efficiency, we give vinyl windows high marks. If you have an older home, many homeowners find it difficult to find a color that matches their style. Vinyl windows are not as strong as clad-wood windows, can appear thicker than other window types and can’t be repainted.

The relatively short 45-year history, compared to the history of wood windows provides us with only limited data about the long-term performance. How will these modern vinyl windows look and perform over time?

To bridge this uncertainty gap, it’s critical that the vinyl window you choose is certified by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and is made by a reputable well established manufacturer with a track record. This is what Woodland Windows and Doors did when we added a vinyl replacement window to our product line in order to meet the needs of every customer.

The Woodland Vinyl Replacement window meets the AAMA certification test and comes in a variety of profiles fit for classic homes. Our windows offer fusion-welded master frame and sashes, five exterior colors, energy efficiency features, tilt sashes, and come in double-hung, casement, sliders, awnings, and bow and bay styles.

We’ve put our name on the very best choice in vinyl windows in order to bring the best value to our customers.

Vinyl windows don’t have the 160 or more year track record of wood windows, but our selection, which Woodland will install with care, may make modern vinyl windows the right choice for you.

Replacing Your Windows? Review the Advantages of Fiberglass.

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

In last weeks post our aim was to sort out the confusing world of replacement windows.  Customers come into our showroom often confused because of all the erroneous information out there.  Our blog post focused on the advantages of clad-wood replacement windows, which most people consider the premium choice. Like the word premium means, homeowners who select clad-wood elect to pay a little extra for features they deem essential or aesthetically valuable. Fiberglass or composite replacement windows can offer a worthy budget alternative to clad-wood.

What is essential or aesthetically enhancing for one home, may not apply to another because homes and lifestyles differ. The two primary differences between clad-wood and fiberglass or composite replacement windows, are price and options. Wood-clad is more expensive than fiberglass or composite and may offer options that more closely suit your existing home. Still, what comes as a surprise to most people is that fiberglass or composite windows offer several options as well, like a wood interior for example or multiple paint finishes. Fiberglass or composite is the newest replacement window material to come on the scene at a price between clad-wood and vinyl.

All replacement windows categorized as either fiberglass or composite are not created equal however. One of the challenges when comparing these windows is that composites are not all-alike making it difficult to compare apples to apples. The make-up of the frame will differ considerably between manufacturers and models further confusing things. You’ll find any number of descriptions such as, a mix of wood sawdust or fibers and extruded PVC or thermoplastic polymer. You may encounter descriptions like, chemically bonded blends of wood and plastic resins or a blend of wood chips and recycled plastic.

Although the make-up of Fiberglass is simpler to understand, products can vary in strength and durability depending on the manufacturing process used to produce the window.

Generally speaking, Fiberglass scores higher for energy efficiency than composites, it is less bulky allowing more viewable glass openings, and it’s been on the market longer with a proven track record for performance.

Marvin makes a fiberglass replacement window that exceeds the standards of most fiberglass or composite windows on the market today. Infinity windows are made with Ultrex®, a pultruded fiberglass patented by Marvin that outperforms and outlasts vinyl, roll-form aluminum and other fiberglass composites. Marvin pioneered the fiberglass window category 20 years ago and has led the category ever since improving its product for a tough, long lasting and worry-free experience.

As a result of its superior strength, Marvin Infinity can create narrow profiles, which allow more visible glass area and expanded views than other similar windows. The acrylic finish is up to 3x thicker than competitive finishes, providing superior resistance to discoloring, scratching, and denting. Of course, you have the option of Low E glazing and other energy efficient options. Other options include, the Ultrex Fiberglass exterior with wood grain interior, which looks like real wood and is available in a casement, double-hung, awning or glider.  If you prefer an all-wood interior, Marvin Integrity series offers a wood interior combined with the Ultrex exterior. Both the Infinity and Integrity series offer a full Ultrex product as well.

Pella Imprevia is a fiberglass, Duracast® replacement window that is competitively priced. Although it’s available in multiple window styles, unlike Marvin Infinity, it is only available in fiberglass interior and exterior.

Fibrex Andersen 100 series is a nicely priced composite, which outperforms vinyl on most criteria.

To summarize, Marvin Infinity compares favorably to clad-wood for customers who want a maintenance free product and find a suitable window for their style home. It outperforms other products in the fiberglass or composite category in every way, durability, energy efficiency and design options. Stop into our showroom and compare for yourself because Woodland Windows and Doors offers a broad selection to give you the choice.

Our advice is that you get a quote for the basic replacement windows, because that will give you the budget for the necessities. Trying to juggle a matrix of options in your head can be overwhelming. Our quote will enable you to see all of the available options for the product you’ve selected. Take the quote home and add features of value to you. When you’re ready Woodland will be there.

Next week we’ll review Vinyl Replacement Windows.

Replacing Your Windows? Review the Advantages of Wood.

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

The surest way to use up two idle hours in a day is to Google ‘replacement windows’. After researching replacement windows for hours at home, homeowners come into our showroom more confused than ever. The last thing Woodland Windows and Doors wants to do is to add to the confusion, so we've pledged to make the subject understandable and help you make an informed decision about the option you choose.

Making the subject of replacement windows understandable begins easily enough, but informing customers about specifics that will make a difference for their application is our goal.

After talking about your home, the subject of replacement windows naturally progresses to the following categories.

Do you need a partial or full window replacement?

What material do you prefer, wood, fiberglass, composite, vinyl or aluminum?

This is the end of simple categories that make things understandable because your answer to the two questions creates a rubric cube of possibilities. Most salespeople will focus on explaining the differences between window materials, but we’re not like most because we know everything there is to know about the products available in the market. Woodland thinks it’s more helpful to focus on our customers’ home and explore the range of products that meet and exceed their expectations. Each product has unique attributes and options that go beyond the type of material, so our goal is to introduce our customers to the right products from the start.

Wood replacement windows are the preferred choice if you want to preserve the original character of your home. Woodland recommends clad-wood, not all-wood replacement windows. Even when a customer wants to perfectly match a historical window, we can recommend a product such as Marvin Signature Series, which can replicate an original custom milled window. In most cases however, clad-wood, which has an exterior layer of aluminum or vinyl to protect the frame from weather and minimize maintenance, is the best premium wood replacement window.

Marvin Ultimate comes in double-hung or casement styles and offers a superior clad-wood replacement window.

Wood interior finish options offer six different wood species including cherry and mahogany in six different stain choices. You have other options as well, painted, primed only or clear coat. Customers who select the primed only option can have the windows finished in their own custom color. 

The exterior of the window features an extruded aluminum clad-wood finished in commercial-grade anodized paint that resists fading or chalking. Customers can choose from nineteen colors or order a custom color. The anodized finish is said to be as hard as diamonds and is one of the most durable finishes made. The anodizing process places the aluminum in a chemically stable and non-toxic bath. An electric current is passed through the bath, causing the surface of the aluminum to oxidize and form a stronger coating than the original aluminum surface. The result is a surface that is resistant to abrasion, erosion, and ultraviolet light degradation.

Aluminum cladding can be rolled or extruded – the two are very different and Marvin Ultimate products have extruded aluminum cladding. The standard for roll-form aluminum components requires only a 0.9 mil finish thickness instead 1.2 mil coating required for extruded aluminum. Imagine a typical Midwest storm with hail and debris knocking against your windows and you’ll understand the difference in aluminum cladding. Roll-form can dent far more easily than an extruded finish, which is why Marvin stands behind a 20-year warranty against loss of adhesion, chalking or fading.

The double-hung tilt-wash style allows the sashes to tilt in for easy cleaning like many new windows and, unlike most manufacturers, the Marvin Ultimate casement window can also rotate inward, making both sides of the glass washable.

The sizes and styles are numerous, including multiple glass options most suitable to your home and your personal preferences. For example, Woodland most often recommends Low E1 for our northern climate because it blocks heat loss and reflects heat back into the room. Or depending on whether the window is a south wall, north wall, upstairs or downstairs, we may recommend another glazing option to take advantage of the sun’s radiant heat.

Woodland also carries other recommended clad-wood replacement windows such as Marvin Integrity as a less expensive alternative to the Ultimate or Signature for a highly custom design. We can also show you a comparison of top products like Andersen 400 Series or Woodwright and Pella  Proline (standard sizes only), Designer or Architectural Series.

Replacing your old windows can be as fun as selecting windows for a new home. So stop Googling and come in to our showroom where you can touch and feel the products.


Next week we’ll review the fiberglass replacement windows.