We're currently under construction and are going with a vinyl product with a colorized exterior. Since we're starting from scratch, we're matching some colors on the house to what we've chosen for the exterior portion of the windows. Our home has a ton of windows and as such the window budget is pretty important. We ultimately couldn't substantiate the large additional cost of installing wood clad windows in the home. The design of our home skews more modern so it will hopefully make sense on the design side as well.

Our home will be finished around March next year, I'll come back with some more information once we're further along.

Thank you. Look forward to seeing the pictures.

When we moved to our new house, one of the first things we did was rip out all the horrid PVC-u windows and doors and replace them with factory-finished wood. It makes a huge difference to the look and feel of a building - not least inside. (And as a bonus, it's nice to know they are likely to last twice as long as PVC-u). We've had to do a bit of recoating on south facing windows at 7 years, but the others are fine. If I'd had a modern house, I would have used aluminium-clad. A bit more expensive, but almost maintenance-free and an even longer life. Don't be tempted to economise...

I was just looking into this because I have a spanish home and we're adding on. the builder wanted me to get Vinyl windows. I've decided that I cannot compromise the look of my home and not put the money forward to get clad/wood. I also started to look at homes that were for sale in the area and there really isn't a vinyl window that can pass aesthetically from my point of view. I tried to escape the idea of the 1980's vinyl and I just couldn't. I'm doing the Clad ext. and wood interior. Either Marvin, or Pella is what we're going to choose.

Yes it's really worth investing in wood. Nothing else looks or feels as good. It's really a question of priorities in your budget. At least nowadays you know you'll benefit from minimum maintenance and a good long life.

Have you looked at Andersen Windows? We have number of options available in various price points.

Run the other way form Pella. In a clad wood window they use the antiquated "Roll Form" aluminum cladding (think coke can) for the exterior.

A small update on our situation, house is looking to be finished in May and pretty much all of the windows and doors are installed. We ended up upgrading our two sliding doors to a fir product with clad exterior that matches the vinyl windows (architectural bronze). Those doors are a fairly large feature in our living room, and we felt like this was a good way to get some wood detail where it really matters.

Gina C ... Let us know if we can answer any questions you might have about Pella windows, or if you'd like us to help you get set-up with an In-Home Consultation. We'd be more than happy to help any way we can! Thanks! *SW - Pella Community Team

I'm joining this conversation now because we are building a traditional craftsman custom home now and I'm looking at windows. It's overwhelming. We do everything by consumer reports, but out local hardware stores tell us the complete opposite from CR. Not sure if that is to sell us their product or what. CR highly recommend the American Standard (Andersen 70 series) that Home Depot sells. Our local hardware store is trying to sell us on Andersen 200 series. Any advice on brands and/or wood vs. vinyl.

Hi eclark,

We just completed our home (see my comment above). We were between Anderson and Jeldwen. Ultimately chose Jeldwyn for reasons stated. Jeldwyn was not represented well on the internet but in truth when speaking with experts and homeowners it's a great product. We also used the JE vynal on 5 windows (44 Windows total) and love them as well

Ron S. thank you for sharing. The only place that sells Jeldwyn locally is Menards. I have looked into them, but didn't know a lot about them. I don't want to be cheap on my windows, but the local hardware stores are quoting me 4x's more per window.

Try finding a distributor that isn't a big box hardware store. That may be easier said than done depending on your location. Also consider contacting company directly through their website for a distributor. Jeldwyn vinyl was less expensive than Anderson 400 series. Both would be an awesome choice.

Andersen Windows also has a vinyl line, or our 100-Series product which is a wood-composite product (twice the strength of vinyl) and is priced considerably less than a wood clad product. Thing low cost/low maintenance. It comes in 6-different exterior colors and can be either white or sandtone on the interior. The reason our 400-series is more expensive that vinyl, is because it's a wood clad product. Ron is correct on going to websites to find local dealers. Thanks and let us know if we can be of any assistance. Our office can help direct you to a local dealer as well by calling 1/800-426-4261 https://www.andersenwindows.com/business/

I would suggest this.........rather than listen to the manufacturers and their sales pitches, go to the online forums for windows and replacement windows and find out what REAL consumers in real life situations have to say on the subject. All windows look nice, work smoothly and perform well in the showroom and the test lab but the real proof is how the work and last in the field.

Insulated glass always looses its' efficiency over time, pvc never lasts as long as metal, almost every window requires some kind of maintenance and no one window works perfectly in every situation. Do your research and don't rely on the opinions of those who have a dog in the fight - the info will always be skewed in their favor.

It's unfortunate that consumers will never be given all of the pertinent information from representatives needed to make an informed decision.

We currently have a huge problem with Jeldwen wood clad Windows. We have large amounts of wood rot on all 48 Windows. 11 years old. Now trying to replace with vinyl or dont really know what

@dabh94 Let us know if we can answer any questions you might have about Pella windows, or if you'd like us to help you get set-up with an In-Home Consultation. We'd be more than happy to help any way we can! Thanks! *SW - Pella Community Team

@dabh94. I recommend that you visit the on-line forums for replacement windows and/or home improvements and see what other homeowners have done and are doing. Relying upon the words promoted by the window industry to get the real story will get you only one side of the story.

There is a company here in the Tampa Bay area that has a TV ad that says, "If you home is more than 10 years old, you need new windows." Why in the world are windows being installed (or even built) that will only last 10 years? The marketplace is full of all sorts of disposable goods - are windows to be added to the list? If I'm going to spend over 10 grand for windows on my house, I certainly don't expect to be doing it again in 10 years. Is that what a window buyer can expect from all of the PVC windows on the market? If so, why would anyone (except "flippers" and low-budget builder/developers)) be interested in using them? It makes little sense to me other than to guarantee future sales.

Since "old growth" wood windows are pretty much gone from the picture, for my money, nothing beats a quality metal framed window - either steel or aluminum. By "quality" I mean ones that have a corrosion resistant finish that allows the longest life and UV resistant seal material for long life, also. Metal is the strongest and has the longest life expectancy. Also, if you opt for insulated glass units, make sure that the IGUs can be replaced when they lose their seal so that you don't have to replace the whole window.Keep in mind that IGUs lose their energy efficiency as they age (from 2% to 10% each year). Opting for single pane windows in conjunction with good exterior storm windows is another choice to consider. That way, your expensive windows will be protected from the elements and will last longer.

The key to making a wise choice is research, research, research. Being an educated consumer is the only way to make educated decisions. Best of luck to you.

@dabh94. I recommend that you visit the on-line forums for replacement windows and/or home improvements and see what other homeowners have done and are doing. Relying upon the words promoted by the window industry to get the real story will get you only one side of the story.

There is a company here in the Tampa Bay area that has a TV ad that says, "If your home is more than 10 years old, you need new windows." Why in the world are windows being installed (or even built) that will only last 10 years? The marketplace is full of all sorts of disposable goods - are windows to be added to the list? If I'm going to spend over 10 grand for windows on my house, I certainly don't expect to be doing it again in 10 years. Is that what a window buyer can expect from all of the PVC windows on the market? If so, why would anyone (except "flippers" and low-budget builder/developers)) be interested in using them? It makes little sense to me other than to guarantee future sales.

Since "old growth" wood windows are pretty much gone from the picture, for my money, nothing beats a quality metal framed window - either steel or aluminum. By "quality" I mean ones that have a corrosion resistant finish that allows the longest life and UV resistant seal material for long life, also. Metal is the strongest and has the longest life expectancy. Also, if you opt for insulated glass units, make sure that the IGUs can be replaced when they lose their seal so that you don't have to replace the whole window.Keep in mind that IGUs lose their energy efficiency as they age (from 2% to 10% each year). Opting for single pane windows in conjunction with good exterior storm windows is another choice to consider. That way, your expensive windows will be protected from the elements and will last longer.

The key to making a wise choice is research, research, research. Being an educated consumer is the only way to make educated decisions. Best of luck to you.

This depends on what is most important to you. Wood windows are lovely. But if you can spend the money on something more important to you, do that. Vinyl windows are great/energy efficient and there are a few color choices available. A lot of windows in your house will really add up. What is most important to you? There is not right or wrong answer, here.

OLD Post

@mingale, coming to this thread late. Would love to see your finished product if you have pictures! Are you happy with your vinyl and your clad products, and which do you prefer?

We are getting ready to start the building on a custom craftamam style home. O would love to see some completed projects showcasing window choices.

Here's some pictures of our completed house. Like I said before, we went with clad sliders upstairs, and vinyl windows throughout.

The house looks awesome! I love the windows, the simple trim and sills, solid panel wood door is great! Lots of great ideas to borrow:) thank you for sharing !

We had to replace our 15-year old wood windows this past year. This led to extensive research on my part and we were willing to spend whatever it took to get a high quality window. In the end we settled on Sunrise Verde vinyl windows with grilles between the glass. Our home was in a golf club community of custom homes, so aesthetics were very important.

Our windows turned out great and we sold our home in five days with two full-price offers. Most of the high-end homes are now going with vinyl or aluminum clad. I chose vinyl because I kept coming across people who had problems years later with aluminum clad. Sunrise had the most attractive window of any vinyl supplier and the cost was on average $600 a window installed.

The Andersens, Marvins, Pellas have all had their challenges, and I don't believe they offer a transferable lifetime warranty. Unfortunately spending more doesn't necessarily get you a better window. We got a transferable lifetime warranty with sunrisewindows.com, and I don't believe any of the aluminum-clad companies offer that kind of warranty. In another community in our area, the vinyl window distributor was replacing aluminum-clad windows after they had failed in about 10-15 years. When the vinyl does need to be replaced, replacing them is just a matter of popping out the old sash with the press of a couple of latches and adding the new one.

The installation is as important as the window. There are a lot of unqualified people installing windows. You'll want to talk with lots of the installers customers (the last five jobs they've done). I would also make sure that the company doesn't have any bad records on file with your state's general contractor's licensing board and the BBB.

We are now building a new home and will go with the Sunrise Windows again. I was scared to death of going with vinyl in our traditional custom home, but they turned out great and I wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

Last, many vinyl windows (especially those under $400/window) have a not so attractive sash. Sunrise looks the best to me followed by Okna. I hope that helps those of you researching windows. The attached picture is of our living room with the windows.

I know this is an old post but I'm going to put my two cents in for anyone who is still sitting on the fence.
I am in the process of building a home and have already had my windows installed (162 of them!! - including transoms). I love windows and a bright and sunny interior. I crave light. I knew exactly what I wanted (beautiful wood clad windows) but was unable to afford them because of the huge number I needed. Most of my windows are floor to ceiling and the budget just couldn't handle the windows I truly wanted. I had to purchase vinyl. I didn't like them in the showrooms, and I still don't like them after installation. My builder did his best trying to make them look better (with lots of added trim on the exterior and interior to give them a beefier look). There is no comparison between vinyl and wood. Just no comparison. Vinyl looks cheap from a mile away, inside or out. They are very flat with little dimension. You won't get a nice deep sill on your exterior like you would with a clad window. And the cheaper vinyl's low E glass gives off a horrible green tint that you won't get in higher quality glass. Many of the better windows have better VLT (visible light transmittance), which will make your rooms look brighter while still protecting your furniture and floors from UV rays.
I looked at Andersen and Pella vinyl and they were horrid (sorry to the reps who posted here :)). Whoever said the manufacturers show their best in the showrooms was incorrect (I will post a pic of the Pellas I saw in a showroom to prove that point...Andersen was only slightly better).
So, my advice would be that if you can afford it and can possibly compromise in some other area of your build, get the wood clad windows. They are beautiful and function much better.

I went with Sunrise because they have a great looking sash that has beveled edges and they use the same Cardinal glass as the Andersen 360. I need to find out about the window sill depth. I'm guessing it would be something they could install to have more depth. I agree that most vinyl don't look as good as wood clad, but Sunrise really stands out as an attractive window and I like the warranty and not needing to go through the terrible hassle of replacing windows in 10-15 years.

"And the cheaper vinyl's low E glass gives off a horrible green tint that you won't get in higher quality glass. Many of the better windows have better VLT (visible light transmittance), which will make your rooms look brighter while still protecting your furniture and floors from UV rays."

None of this has anything to do with the window manufacturer and is all about the glass manufacturer. Garbage brands all the way to fully custom all use the same major glass manufacturers and the glass is all the same. If you want to make a factuial statement at least have your facts strainght.

Marvin makes a fiberglass window that is probably nicer than any aluminum clad anything.

"Marvin makes a fiberglass window that is probably nicer than any aluminum clad anything."

Yes the Wood/Ultrex Integrity is a very nice window but there are aluminum clad windows that are nicer in my opinion. Albeit more expensive but definitely nicer.

millworkman....seeing is believing. There is a severe green tint that the better windows DO NOT have (not as severe), and they have better VLT. If you could provide information that shows all window manufacturers across the entire US use the same exact glass to make their windows, that would be great.

I did not say ALL. Dam near everyone uses the same 6 or 8 major glass manufacturers. The green coloring (not trult a tint) comes from the iron in the glass. perhaps the better windows you are looking at have LOW IRON glass in them This glass is considerably more money and NOONE use it as a standard automatically. 99.9% of the window manufacturers do not manufacturer there own glass. Most all do not even make ther own insualted glass units.

As far info to prove my point I am not the one coming on here making absurd statements as a fact. How about you provide data proving your point?

The higher quality windows use Cardinal glass. This is what Sunrise and Anderson 400 and Woodwright windows use. I'm not sure about Marvin. The cheap vinyl windows look horribly green -- probably because of who they use for glass. Yes--there are really only a handful of glass manufacturers.

Most builders and architects just know about the suppliers at the building supply store. So you'll need to find a local dealer to see and buy the Sunrise windows or another brand called Okna.

I'm curious what is considered a high-quality brand for aluminum clad windows in case we go that route. Right now I'm probably going with Sunrise Restoration or Sunrise Verde windows. I have heard terrible things about Pella and JeldWen and saw online people also having warranty issues with Marvin Integrity. If there's a proven aluminum-clad window that will hold up longer than 15 years, I'd love to know.

Thanks!

Millworkman....Umm...I think you did write "all". To quote your post ....."Garbage brands ALL the way to fully custom ALL use the same major glass manufacturers and the glass is ALL the same". I don't know what "all" means other than all. And really, there's no need to get in a tizzy here.

It's good to argue. Regardless of the build quality of the window I think fiberglass is a better material because it doesn't conduct heat. I've seen some pretty nice aluminum clad windows however

Is Marvin the only manufacturer of fiberglass windows or is there another company you recommend?

No I don't know of any other brand of fiberglass window. I'm not totally sure, but I think the whole system was developed by Marvin and might be proprietary. I think most mass production windows and doors are pretty terrible it's just that Marvin is a lot less terrible than a lot of the others. For wood windows as a side note I worked with Duratherm from Maine on a huge order and they really came through with helping us figure it all out. They make really nice mahogany windows.

Andersen does make a Fiberglass Window; our A-Series (It has a fiberglass sash, with our Fibrex frame, and is wood on the inside). We also have our 100-series that is an all Fibrex window (Wood Composite); and compares well with fiberglass windows. Val - Our warranty is fully-transferable and is no -prorated. We also do not require the owners to register their warranty, nor do we charge a fee for the warranty to be transferred. We do have an extruded aluminum wood-clad window that you can certainly expect to get more than 15-years out of, if properly cared for. You might want to check Sunrise' warranty again, based on your statement above. It does not appear that it is fully-transferable:

"When transferring the warranty, the second property owner will be entitled to a 50% discount on the cost of a new insulated unit, should the original become defective as a result of the above reasons. ".

Pella offers high performing, low-maintenance fiberglass windows that have the quality look of painted wood. Our durable, patented fiberglass composite can withstand extreme heat and subzero cold. And, they are highly energy efficient.

http://www.pella.com/windows/fiberglass-windows/

Well that's cool. I guess everybody probably makes a cover glass window line. Metal condenses moisture to itself so it is rough on the surrounding materials. Fiberglass doesn't conduct temperature as much so it won't sweat moisture around as much as the sun goes up and down

Ugh........

This is so much more fun than Facebook

Wow. . .after all this discussion I'm still confused as to which brand of window to select! We are embarking on major remodel / new construction of our home and plan to install wood clad casement windows. I've been comparing brands, visiting showrooms and speaking with reps for the past for 5-months and have narrowed the field to: Anderson E series, Pella Designer series, Marvin, Windsor Pinnacle, and maybe JeldWen EpicVue/Siteline. Feedback welcome!!! We are seeking a solid quality, wood clad casement windows and doors with a more contemporary feel, reasonably priced, and are suitable for moderate Northern California weather. Any thoughts?

(We are not interested in vinyl because of the overall look. Also, all of our existing Anderson wood/vinyl and Simonton vinyl windows have oxidized dramatically making them impossible to keep clean.) No more vinyl for us. Thank you in advance for any feedback. - DJ

After following this long discussion in the past year, we decided to go with Anderson 100 composite for bedrooms and their Eagle series fiber glass for living room and other places where appearance matters. We just moved in the new house last month. So far, very happy with the selection. I like the Anderson 100 because of their option to have different colors for interior and exterior.

One minor complain about their 100 series. The screws on the inside along the window frame are too obvious to me. I think they should have a way to hide those marks better.

Denise Jardine - One thing you might try on your existing Andersen Windows is Softscrub with a scotchbrite pad or very light steel wool with Softscrub. We hope you choose Andersen for your next project as well. Please feel free to private message me, if you have any specific questions or if you need anything else. Thank you! Terri

Has anyone considered Sierra Pacific vinyl windows? Sierra Pacific aluminum clad?

We are building an addition with 1 1/2 story wall of windows and sliders. Currently set to use Anderson 400 but architect recently suggested looking at Sierra Pacific. Any comments on quality comparisons?

Ron s ... how did those jeldwen doors work out and how did you color match? We have Marvin sliders and are trying to decide on a window manufacturer for the room one over.