Choose timber for traditional joinery and a finish you can repaint. Consider thermally broken aluminium for slim metal profiles and less exterior decorating. Aluminium-clad timber combines a timber frame with an aluminium outer covering. Compare whole-window performance, the proposed appearance and maintenance access before deciding which construction suits your home.
What is the difference between timber, aluminium and alu-clad?
Timber windows have timber frames protected by a paint or stain system. An aluminium window uses metal profiles for its frame. In a modern thermally broken aluminium system, an insulating section separates the inner and outer metal profiles to reduce heat transfer. Aluminium-clad timber has a timber frame with aluminium fitted over the outside. Ask to see a frame section: photographs of the exterior alone can conceal that difference.
Schnauber makes made-to-measure timber windows and aluminium-clad timber windows. Our alu-clad range keeps timber visible indoors; the metal covering faces the weather. This comparison explains all-aluminium construction as another option on the market. It does not describe our alu-clad windows as an all-aluminium product.
| Decision | Painted timber | Thermally broken aluminium | Aluminium-clad timber |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indoor appearance | Painted or stained timber | Metal profile and finish | Painted or stained timber |
| Outside care | Inspect coating; redecorate when required | Clean finish; inspect seals and drainage | Clean outer covering; inspect joints and drainage |
| Frame appearance | Traditional joinery profiles available | Slim metal profiles available | Check the actual external cover profile |
| Warmth | Compare the complete window specification | Check thermal break and complete window specification | Compare the complete window specification |
| Future changes | A sound timber finish can be repainted | Colour changes need specialist advice | Internal timber and external metal need different treatment |
Which frame keeps a home warmer?
A material label cannot tell you how a complete window will perform. The Energy Saving Trust explains that high-performing windows are available in the main frame materials and that energy ratings assess the frame and glass together. Compare the whole-window U-value for the proposed size and opening style, rather than the glass-only value. A lower U-value indicates less heat passing through that specified assembly.
Timber is a natural insulator. Aluminium conducts heat readily, so the thermal break deserves attention when comparing metal frames. The Glass and Glazing Federation’s window guidance stresses the importance of a thermal break in metal frames. Request the proposed product’s own performance data and the installation detail for your property.
Check the glazing, seals and perimeter installation alongside the frame. More panes do not automatically make a quote the better fit: glass weight, daylight and opening hardware also matter. Our double versus triple glazing guide helps with that separate decision. Agree ventilation requirements at survey rather than assuming new airtight windows will solve existing condensation.
How much maintenance will each option need?
Painted timber needs its coating kept sound. Inspect the lower rails, joints and exposed faces for damage, and arrange local repairs before moisture can get behind the finish. Treat a decorating interval as guidance for a particular coating and exposure, rather than a promise for every elevation. A sheltered ground-floor window and a weather-facing upstairs window can need different attention.
Aluminium and aluminium cladding reduce the amount of external painting, but the windows still need care. Follow the product instructions for cleaning the finish, clearing drainage and maintaining moving parts. Avoid abrasive cleaners and ask the supplier how damaged coatings should be repaired. Low maintenance still includes inspection of seals and hardware; an outer metal cover does not remove every maintenance task.
For alu-clad timber, ask for separate instructions for the internal timber finish and the external aluminium. Check how the covering is attached and how water drains away. Before choosing for an upper floor, establish how you will reach the outside safely. Reduced decorating can be particularly helpful where access is difficult, but cleaning access still needs planning.
Which looks right on a Cambridge period home?
Start with the existing window proportions. Compare the opening method, meeting rails, glazing bars and the depth of the frame in the reveal. A sample corner helps you judge the profile more reliably than a colour swatch. For a traditional frontage, our heritage slimline windows are another specification to discuss; slim-looking glass and a slim-looking frame are different details.
Planning constraints can decide which changes are acceptable. The Planning Portal’s guidance for doors and windows identifies additional considerations for listed buildings and conservation areas. Check the position for your address with the local planning authority before ordering a change of material, profile or colour. A supplier’s heritage range does not itself establish permission for your home.
How should you compare timber and aluminium quotes?
There is no useful universal price winner without a matching specification. Opening size, opening style, glazing and the fitting scope can change the comparison. Ask both suppliers to price the same window schedule. Include access equipment, removal of existing frames, making good and disposal, so a low headline figure does not leave different work outside the quote.
- Record each opening’s dimensions and the proposed fixed or opening sections.
- Name the frame construction clearly, including whether aluminium means a complete metal frame or an external covering over timber.
- Request the whole-window performance data, glazing build-up and ventilation proposal.
- Compare the visible profiles, finish samples, handles and cleaning access.
- Ask for care instructions, warranty terms and the scope of installation and making good in writing.
As a practical comparison, consider an upstairs window facing an open garden. An alu-clad exterior may reduce repainting access, while painted timber may better match the other windows. Ask for both options against the same opening and glazing schedule, then compare the exterior detail and care instructions. This is a decision example, rather than a claim that either material always lasts longer or costs less.
How can Schnauber help you choose locally?
Our head office is at 44 Mill Road, Cambridge. Read our existing area guidance for Cambridge, Ely and Newmarket, then include your postcode when you enquire. Your property’s openings and exposure matter more than a general material ranking.
Use our contact and quote form to request a free survey and no-obligation quotation. Tell us whether you want traditional painted timber or timber with an aluminium exterior, and include photographs of the existing windows if you have them. We can establish the dimensions, specification and fitting scope before you commit to an order.