At almost every survey someone asks us the same thing: is timber worth the extra over plastic? We make timber windows for a living, so read this knowing where we stand. The comparison below sticks to what we can defend.
Looks and character
Stand in front of a period house with plastic windows, then one with timber casements. The plastic frames sit flat and slightly too thick. Timber carries the proportions the house was drawn with. Conservation officers ask for timber for that reason, and replacing uPVC with timber lifts kerb appeal in a way you can see from the street.
Warmth
Wood resists heat loss on its own. Add double, triple, Slimlite or vacuum glazing and a made-to-measure timber window performs to a very high standard. Our Passive House range reaches Passivhaus-certified levels for owners who want the maximum.
Lifespan and upkeep
"Timber needs constant painting" described the windows of forty years ago. We treat every frame with waterproof sealants, strengthen it with LVL laminates and finish it with protective coatings in the workshop. The finish needs attention every 5 to 10 years. Pick alu-clad frames, timber inside with an aluminium shell outside, and external upkeep falls to almost nothing.
Security
Hardware decides security more than frame material does. Every window we make ships with multi-point locking in a precision-built frame, and a solid timber frame holds that hardware for the long haul.
Sustainability
Timber grows back. Ours comes from sustainably managed forests, and we keep the treatments and manufacturing responsible. uPVC starts as petrochemicals and ends as landfill.
Cost
uPVC wins on sticker price. Timber wins on ownership: frames you maintain instead of replace, kerb appeal that buyers pay for, and pricing we agree upfront with no hidden costs.
The short version
A tight budget on a modern property? uPVC does a job. If you care how your home looks and what your windows are worth in twenty years, timber is the better decision, and it has never asked less of its owner than it does today.