Aluminium v UPVC

[Johnsmith]

Hi, am installing some (double-glazed) French doors as well as a (double-glazed) conservatory-type roof over an extension. Need them to be white. The options are white PVCU or (I believe) painted white Aluminium. There seems to be a lot more PVCU around than Aluminium.

Is there any difference (they both look very similar) and would anyone recommend one over the other?

Appreciate any advice.
Thanks.

 

[biffvernon]

Use wood. Paint it white.
If you want it to last longer than PVC use oak and linseed oil paint.

 

[Johnsmith]

Biff, has to come down to cost and simply can't afford it
i've had a quote for both to be made from hardwood and it works out at approximately double.

 

[biffvernon]

Oh well, enjoy the pleasure of cheap oil while it lasts.

Apparently the age of a door in Westminster Abbey has been determined to be about 1000 years.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4743899.stm

If you divide the price of the door by the number of years it lasts you find that oak is much cheaper than PVC. Unfortunately you have to pay and your descendants enjoy the benefit.

 

[Johnsmith]

Fair point.

Now I know that this must sound like blasphemy to you but do you have a view on which you would go for (if you were absolutely forced to!) between PVCu and aluminium?

 

[nstreet]

Is there any difference (they both look very similar) and would anyone recommend one over the other?
Thanks.

We replaced our painted aluminium ones with upvc last year. The paint had started to flake off and we also used to get a lot of condensation on the metal frames. Apparently the thermal break isn't that efficient on the aluminium windows.

 

[oilman]

Biff, has to come down to cost and simply can't afford it
i've had a quote for both to be made from hardwood and it works out at approximately double.

Have a look at biff's website, he's quite a gen kiddie. You might change your mind. What wood is the "hardwood" you have been quoted for? I'll guess it's a tropical hardwood. I feel sure this is priced for a mug market, whereas someone using temperate hardwoods may give you something affordable.

 

[masona]

Agreed with others, if it was me, I would go for timber roof joists with the glazing bar which is made of aluminium with the upvc cover strip to clip in on top to hold the twinwall polycarbonate sheeting. I'm thinking along the line it maybe awkward to treat the bar at the top if it's made of timber to get to safety but still have timber joists appearance inside.