Types Of Windows By Material

Windows can be classified into types based on the material they are made of.  This determines how long they last, how suited they are to climate and how strong they are.

Windows are typically made of the following materials:

• Wood
• Aluminum
• uPVC and other plastics
• Glass fibre-reinforced plastic (GFRP)

By window material, what is meant is - the frame. Generally, the infill is glass, but it can be made of other transparent materials like polycarbonate. Nowadays it is easy to buy window frames from online stores like trying to buy Vinyle windows online.

Aluminum Windows

Aluminum is a strong, light material which is ideal for windows. This material does not shrink, expand or warp in contact with moisture, like wood. Aluminum is easy to both join and cut. It may be anodized or powder coated in the factory thus avoiding the need to ever paint in its lifetime. It is also resistant to corrosion.

One minus point with this material is that it rapidly conducts heat and so loses heat in cold climate. A solution is to design window sections with a layer of non-conductive material or thermal break which stops flow of heat.

Aluminum is fashioned into extrusions in the factory. Extrusions have same cross-sections throughout their length. It is made by melting ingots of the material and pushing this via a die which provides desired cross-section.

Accurate Glass is a company that manufactures and retails top quality glass and aluminum products like windows. Main reason for popularity of aluminum windows is because they are attractive, light and low maintenance.

Wooden Windows

Wood has been used for windows since ages. It is easily available, easy to work on and a poor conductor of heat. Its main drawback is that it is damaged by moisture (warps or jams). It also needs polishing or painting for maintenance. Wood was cheap and abundant till mid 20^th century but is today  expensive and hard to procure. Hence popularity of wood is on the wane.

Upvc, Vinyle And Other Plastics

Plastics are becoming more popular in residential windows. They are light, do not decay, shrink or warp and have good finish with low maintenance.

But plastics are weak in comparison to steel or aluminum. Therefore, plastic windows are re-enforced with galvanized steel, hidden in plastic tubing. Plastics are not resistant to UV light which causes it to change color or crack.

Accurate Glass is a company that provides Vinyle window solutions which are of high quality and affordable. They are the best sources for Vinyle Windows in Massachusetts.  Vinyle windows are a cheaper option than most other types.

Steel Windows

Steel is very strong enabling narrowest window frames. But it gets damaged with moisture contact so it must be galvanized. It is also a good conductor of heat and so windows must have thermal breaks.

Glass Fibre  Re-Inforced Plastic Windows (Gfrp)

A new version, they are made of high quality plastics which are re-enforced with glass fibres providing stiffness and high tensile strength. Thus they have good qualities of both plastic (good finish, no corrosion, no warping) and metal ( low weight, high strength).

These are the major kinds of windows available in the market.