Wooden classics, now scornfully referred to as joinery, due to their whimsical care, has given way to plastic with double-glazed windows. But then euro-windows appeared - a new development, which brought the frames from wood to a higher level. And if earlier tightness was a key parameter when choosing windows, now it has turned into a secondary, mandatory characteristic. Because of this, it has become much more difficult to dwell on one of the options.
Design features
Joiner It is a simple frame made of solid wood, to which glass is attached with wooden glazing beads. Over time, this design can be deformed, especially if it is made of raw wood or a curved handyman. This case is complemented by the simplest fittings, limiting the number of frame positions. The only change affected the locking system - now instead of the usual latches, mortise rotary locks are increasingly used.
Plastic the material itself is pretty cool. To compensate for this, the frame from it is made with voids, each of which is a heat-insulating pillow. But such windows gained popularity not because of the structure of the frame, but thanks to the double-glazed windows. Indeed, a sealed unit of two (and later of three or more) glasses made it possible to reduce the thickness of the entire window without losing its operational characteristics. The package inside the frame is fixed without backlash (rattling from sound waves has disappeared) using glazing beads on the locks. Moreover, in addition to the spacious window sill, which you could only dream of before, plastic eliminated the need to wash the inside of the windows. And the accessories not only allow the use of various ventilation modes, but also in combination with gaskets eliminated the need to increase the tightness of the structure in the cold season. Now all you have to do is adjust the “winter-summer” setting, pushing the wings closer to the frame with a few movements of the screwdriver.
Eurowindow - The logical result of attempts to combine the advantages of both predecessors and eliminate their disadvantages. The wooden frame supplemented with gaskets is much warmer and stronger than the plastic one. To prevent it from “leading” over time, not an array is used, but glued beams - the fibers of adjacent layers are directed in different directions, due to which it was possible to increase the strength of the structure. The double-glazed window in the frame is fixed with the same glazing beads on the nails, which makes it difficult to replace it if necessary. But the accessories are completely borrowed from plastic analogs, thanks to which it was possible to get rid of the seasonal hassles of sealing typical for woodwork.
Heat, sound insulation
The main drawbacks of the classic woodwork are the poor adhesion of the glass to the frame and the poorly expressed sealing circuit. The latter is difficult to implement due to seasonal deformations of the structure from the array sensitive to temperature extremes and humidity. As a result, the ubiquitous noise and dust easily penetrate the house along with street air.
You can increase the tightness and soundproofness of "ordinary" wooden windows by simply gluing the joint of the glass with the frame with silicone sealant and complementing the design with sealing rubber bands along the contour.
The plastic variation is devoid of such drawbacks - it practically does not expand with a temperature difference, which allows to ensure the tightness of the window due to the complex contour of the seal. In combination with a double-glazed window, this made it possible to provide decent heat and sound insulation. Frame of wooden euro warmer than plastic. But taking into account the fact that the largest window area is glass, the final difference in the thermal conductivity of the structures is insignificant.
Outward signs, variety
Wood is a natural material that has accompanied humans for many millennia. Like everything natural, it emits special heat, uncharacteristic for materials of artificial origin. And this is not about tactile sensation (although the wooden frame even feels warmer to the touch), but about subjective perception when looking at the window. It is for this reason that unsightly plastic is increasingly hiding under a layer of laminate. But not a single coating, no matter how perfect it may be, can reproduce the entire completeness of the structure of wood fiber. So from the aesthetic point of view, PVC will always lose, despite the wide variety of color and textured design solutions.
The only flaw in wood is its limited flexibility. Therefore, arched openings from it can be made only for large enough windows. But the various broken contours, which in plastic are very fragile, are successfully implemented in a tree without losing the operational characteristics of the window.
Environmental friendliness
The persistent stereotype that the natural is always safer than the fruits of the chemical industry is no longer relevant. At least in relation to the windows. After all, PVC under normal conditions is an absolutely inert substance. And there is no lead in it for at least 20 years, with regard to Chinese fakes. And in order to breathe in fumes of plastic, it is necessary to set it on fire, which is rather difficult - this substance melts, but does not like to burn and fade.
Natural, environmentally friendly, the tree is very poorly resistant to all kinds of rainfall, temperature extremes and insects. To extend its service life, you need antiseptics, insecticides and coatings. And this is without taking into account the glue in the Eurobar. The result is the same chemical industry, only applied on a natural basis. The only positive thing is that it is also safe until it burns. And taking into account the increasing refractoriness of the impregnation, the window is more likely to simply become charred than to be compared to stove firewood. So in terms of environmental friendliness, all options are equal.
Service life, strength, durability
With proper care, plastic can "stand" for about 40-60 years, wood, depending on the breed, up to 90 years. It is on this that buyers are focused on by marketers. However, double-glazed windows are designed only for 15-20 years of operation, and fittings and even for 10-15 years (high-quality). And since these elements are the same for both types of frames, and their replacement often leads to damage to the rest of the structure, there is no fundamental difference between the durability of the options.
As for the strength of products, wood wins. Some windows, because of their size, cannot be made even using reinforced PVC - the structure will turn out to be "walking" and, accordingly, quickly deteriorating. A clean array also has “overall” limitations. But the eurobar allowed to increase the maximum window size by about 10%. And this is without loss of strength.
Difficulties in operation and maintenance
Plastic is attractive because in order to clean it, it is enough to occasionally wipe the frame with a damp cloth. True, this will not save the decorative coating - precipitation and ultraviolet will gradually discolor it and render it unusable. But pure PVC will delight owners of pristine beauty for decades. Only accessories with gaskets still have to be used at least 2 times a year.
With a tree, everything is a little more complicated. If the inner surface of the frame can maintain its aesthetics for many years, then the coating on the outside will need to be updated every 1-2 years. At least varnish.
When there is no desire or opportunity to care for the outside of the frame, you can install euro-windows with aluminum plates. Aesthetics will suffer slightly, but the durability of the window will not depend on the hard work and acrobatic abilities of the owners.
Cost
Familiar to many woodwork will cost about 2 times cheaper than PVC windows. True, in its improvement will need to invest a little more money and effort, but still it will cost less. If we are talking about comparing plastic and euro-windows, the average difference will be 30% (the latter are more expensive). But PVC coated with laminate will cost only 20% cheaper than a wooden analog.
Conclusion
The question "wood or plastic" is slightly incorrect, since there are several options for wood. With regard to the carpentry, one can say the following: it breathes, rings and does not close well for moments. All these shortcomings are removable, which makes the option viable. Comparative cheapness becomes a pleasant bonus for the upcoming difficulties of operation - for someone this is a decisive argument.
When comparing wooden eurowindows and PVC, the special advantages of any of the options cannot be distinguished. Both are equally tight, durable, practical. But they are unequal in terms of aesthetics, so you can take a course on it.
Leave Your Comment