Wood or uPVC windows in house by the sea?

Emanef

Hi all

I know the question of wood vs uPVC has been asked many times, but I can't really find any discussions for houses that are near to the sea, so thought I'd ask if anyone has any opinions or experience.

We're buying a house on the south coast around 500m from the sea and need to get new windows fitted. I spoke to one window fitter and he reckons you'd be daft not to get uPVC windows in a house that clsoe to the sea because with the salt in the air wood ones will need re-painting every couple of years.

However, he only sells uPVC, so he would say that!

Does anyone have any experience in this area?

The house was built in 1935, so it's old, but not a period one like a Victorian or Edwardian, so would have had wooden but fairly plain ones originally, but not sash. It currently has uPVC that has been in for over 30 years, but they're looking very dated and the wooden frames are rotten.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks

Fuzzyness

in our house by the sea, we went with powder coated aluminum frames. look nicer than UPVC and less maintenance/more resistant to the elements than wood.

Hoploz

UPVC.
I was going to say check it isn't listed, as lots of seaside stock like my own is old and listed but it obviously won't be if it's that recent!
Wish I could have UPVC, the timber single glazed sashes look lovely when recently painted but are draughty and require maintenance every 3-5 years.

princeofpounds

Aluminium, aluminium, aluminium.

Wood will be a pain. PVC can be ugly.

AdrianC

1930s could definitely be described as "period", and could easily be in a conservation area, or even listed.

You say it's 500m from the sea... but how exposed? That could be damn near the other side of a small town, or it could be staring down the teeth of every gale with nothing but some sand dunes for protection.

If you want wood, then go hardwood. The extra cost will quickly be repaid in life expectancy. There's no reason why wood can't be thoroughly storm-proofed, use sealed-unit glazing, and be just as efficient as tupperware.

Use marine-quality primers and paints - again, expensive, but longer-lasting. They shouldn't be hard to find locally, or buy online.

G_M

The fact that it is by the sea is hardly relevant.

Unlike wood, UPVC will need barely any maintenance. Wood always needs some maintenance, and yes, byt the sea the frequency will be increased.

However the real issues are

* is it a listed building?
* in a conservation area?
* in a street where UPVC will stand out from the other houses (which you might not want to do)?
* is the house of a style where UPVC might look unsightly?
* are you the kind of person who is concerned about appearance of a property?

If you do go for wood, pay the extra and use a hardwood, not soft.

KRB2725

You can get timber effect UPVC windows - google Residence 9. More expensive than UPVC but may be a good compromise.

keith969

Personally I'd go with good quality wood frames. I had them put in a house in Plymouth I used to live in, which was quite exposed. I looked recently and after 30 years they haven't been changed and look 'right' on an 1860's house.

Davesnave

I think you will only get advice here based on individual preferences, and, in many cases, limited knowledge.

All kinds of windows are probably possible, but the price point and your own willingness to maintain regularly, are two important factors which will make a significant difference. For example, UPVC comes in different qualities and profiles, so it is not a single product.