Buying Aluminium Double Glazed windows – how good are they & how much do they cost?
Aluminium double glazed windows have come a long way in the last decade. Their improvements in appearance and performance have made them quite desirable for many homeowners.
Here we take a broad look at what is good (and not so good) about them and give you a guide as to how much it may cost to buy Aluminium windows for your home.
Why use aluminium for double glazed windows?
There are a number of good reasons to use aluminium to make window frames.
- Structural strength: This means you can have slimmer frames than when using timber or uPVC. More glass, less frame. It also allows for wider & taller frames so you can have a greater range of design options. Aluminium frames can be used where timber or uPVC may not be best suited.
- Durability: Aluminium does not degrade like timber and does not discolour like some UPVC frames can.
- Low maintenance: There is not a lot to do in terms of looking after Aluminium windows, just keep them clean.
- Lifespan: Aluminium double glazed windows can last for decades. Largely unaffected by the environment and unable to be damaged by insects, Aluminium frames will look great for a very long time.
- ECO friendly: Aluminium can be easily recycled over & over again. It costs way less in both monetary and energy terms to recycle aluminium than it does to produce the original metal.
One of the major advantages aluminium has over UPVC or timber windows is mentioned above. The structural strength.
Flush Fitting Aluminium Double Glazed Windows – coloured & wood-grain finishes.
Aluminium window frames can be significantly thinner than UPVC or timber, giving a slimline, sleek look to your home. There is nothing worse looking than a big chunky frame surrounding a small area of glass.
This advantage is even more pronounced for wider or taller openings.
Colour Options
Coloured Aluminium windows with woodgrain effect surfaces.
Most modern Aluminium window frames use RAL powder coat paints. This colour finish is applied during manufacture and creates a chemical bond between the surface and the colouring. The result is a colour that is amazingly fade resistant. It does not peel off, shrink or crack over time.
You can also have the surface colour with a wood-grain texture or even dual colours (one colour inside, another colour outside). The catalogue of colours available is huge. It’s not unusual to have a basic range of around 150 colours to choose from, with some suppliers offering even more.
Energy Efficiency
Inner & outer frame separated by thermal break.
Aluminium is a good conductor. This is an excellent property for many uses, but for double glazing, this is a problem. The last thing you want is a window that allows heat or cold to travel from one side to the other.
In order to deal with this problem, the frames have a built-in “thermal break”. A non-conductive material is used to physically separate the outer & inner frames. Effectively the frame is a “sandwich” and thus heat or cold cannot travel across the frame (see image below).
Design options
The most popular available designs are:
- Casement
- Sliding Sash
- French (windows & doors)
- Bifolding (windows & doors)
- Tilt & Turn (widows & doors)
However, you have a great deal of flexibility when it comes to bespoke aluminium window designs. The frames can be made into almost any shape and so can satisfy even the most “Avant Garde” design (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avant-garde).
How much do Aluminium double glazed windows cost?
A lot of things are going to have a bearing on prices, not least the size & design chosen. However, to give you a rough idea of what to expect, here are some prices to compare.
Casement window price guide
| Windows | uPVC | Aluminium | Hardwood |
| up to 4 | £1500 – £2000 | £2300 – £2500 | £2000 – £2500 |
| up to 8 | £3500 – £4000 | £4000 – £4500 | £4000 – £5000 |
| up to 10 | £4000 – £4500 | £5500 – £6500 | £5500 – £6000 |
| up to 12 | £4500 – £6000 | £6500 – £8000 | £6000 – £7000 |
As you can see, the cost of aluminium windows is higher than for uPVC and roughly about the same as hardwood windows prices.
- To compare aluminium windows prices for your home, simply request your free quotes here: GET QUOTES
