Wooden Vs uPVC windows

[AlyssumandHelianthus]

Were having our windows replaced. The quote for wood is nearly twice the amount as for the same rough 'look' in uPVC. The wooden have a better u value (1, rather than 1.2). We can afford to do the wood. Wwyd?

Wooden every single time.

I literally would not buy a house that have UPVC windows. Even the more expensive ones look dreadful.

Wood every time. I too would not buy a house with upvc - they are just horrible in every way ..

UPVC every time. I would not buy a house with wooden windows because of the upkeep.

We have UVPC windows that look like the crap old single-glazed wooden ones they replaced. I challenge anyone to tell from outside the house that they're not wood. You literally can't tell until you touch them!

I wouldn't buy a house with recent wooden windows as I couldn't be arsed with the upkeep.

Only twice as much seems good to me. I'd have imagined it to be far more than that. I've got UPVC windows as I imagine most people have and they are fine, it's not something I think about too much although I can clearly see wooden ones are more attractive.

I know someone who has applied for UPVC windows to be put in on a listed building...

I agree with pp about UPVC. I too wouldn't buy a house with wooden ones for the same reason. There's not a lot of difference (or any other besides that ones wood and the other isn't) unless you're a snob. No one can tell mine aren't wooden.

It’s not snobbery. If you have an older house (everything pre-war, and still the vast majority of our building stock) then your house will suffer if you seal up the building with upvc windows.

I'm in the same situation and am using wood.

The reasons I don't like UPVC are:

Ecologically horrible
I don't like the idea of emissions from PVC in the house
You can't easily change the look in the future if you want to (you can easily paint wood different colours, not so with PVC)
Less insulating
Will always date more

Yes, wood is more maintenance but a well maintained wooden window will last a very very long time.

I can answer this question! I live in an old Victorian house. I replaced all the windows 7 years ago. The front ones were wood, the back upc to save some money.
Regret the plastic ones all the time. The insulation is far better on the wooden ones, both for noise and temperature. The wooden ones are a joy to open and close and they look better.
I thought that getting premium plastic ones would be ok but I do regret it.

'....a well maintained wooden window will last a very very long time.'

Er......my new double glazed wood windows lasted less than ten years before significant rot occurred in the frames, and were replaced (by UPVC). A new wooden (timber Sapela) front door lasted less than seven years, before I could stick my finger into it like a sponge cake.

Modern timber is poor quality compared with the Victorian stuff.

Personally I much prefer wood. The answer is really dependent on which price bracket your house falls into. Sticking upvc windows in a period property in a desirable area would be foolhardy as you'll drop value of your house. In an ex-council terrace people will want the easy cheap option.

We have wooden windows. I would never, ever have them again. The maintenance is a total pain. Having to paint them periodically, sanding, filling etc. No thank you. Will replace with UPVC the instant we can afford to.

Oh gosh! I'm ping ponging around even more now!
After reading @BigBundleOfFluff 's post I thought I'd decided on the wood, but the idea of them rotting and needing to be replaced in less than 10 years is very off-putting.
Thank you everyone for your input on this - far too boring to try chatting to mates about!!

Yes they can. Even the so called ‘heritage’ UPVC windows are generally glaringly obvious. If you buy good quality wooden windows they will outlast UPVC if you bother to do basic maintenance.

I would be very wary. We were going to replace our upvc with wood, started with the sliding back door. Replaced with oak. Used a reputable local company. The quality of wood right now is low, and with more than you'd expected to have to do in maintenance i don't think these doors will last 10 years, the way they agreed in the first 6 months was shocking. I think the markets are so geared towards the popularity here of knocking down and refitting everything so the quality just isn't there. We didn't skimp on these doors. All our other replacements will be upcv.

then your house will suffer if you seal up the building with upvc windows

Our house isn't "sealed up". Our windows have trickle vents.

Having lived in houses with wooden windows I wouldn't want them again. Our UPVC windows are still going strong in our 27 year old house but the wooden velux windows aren't.

I once spent an entire summer repainting our wooden Georgian style windows. Never again.

I’ve read some crazy things on this site over the years but “ I don’t like the idea of emissions from pvc in the house” has got to be one of the best 🤣😂🤣😂

We caved in and replaced with uPVC as we couldn't justify the cost (more than double) to replace our existing wooden windows and frames like for like.

I don't regret it. The finish looks great and it's wonderful not to have to be doing constant rounds of checking for rot, treating them, splicing/filling and repainting.

If wood rots within 10 years something is very wrong. We've owned Edwardian houses with the original windows! Properly sourced and installed wood can easily last 100 years.

If I could afford wood and was staying, I would get wood. uPVC off-gases for a long time and is therefore less healthy in terms of indoor air quality, apparently? Also they do just look more rubbish.

My house was built in 1904. I have the original wooden door and original box sash windows at the front. Upvc ruins the internal climate of older houses by not allowing them to breathe and , at least in my opinion, is extremely ugly, ecologically unsound and architecturally inexcusable

It is apparently a component of poor indoor air quality, there has been quite a bit of research done recently I think, I have also read this.

If you don't mind the maintenance wood every time.

I have decent quality uPVC in a design that matches the original windows. I still don't like them, but I live in an area where it rains a lot so thought the best option.

If I could afford it and the maintenance I would get wood. I kept the original front door though, which is still going strong at 100 years old.

Upvc ruins the internal climate of older houses by not allowing them to breathe

Not if your windows have trickle vents in them, as ours do @Lilybetsey. Not all UPVC windows are ugly IMO.

I think the clue is in the fact that they were Edwardian. I don't think modern houses with wooden windows use the same quality wood these days.

I really don't understand the snobbery about UPVC. I just want windows that don't need looking after. I also don't think that good UPVC windows look awful.