There are several materials available if you’re looking for high-quality replacement windows, and one option that combines traditional aesthetics with modern functionality is the wood-clad window. Using a classic look and texture but infusing additional practical capabilities makes these window options ideal for many homeowners.
At Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors, we’re happy to offer a wide selection of wood-clad windows to clients throughout Utah. What exactly is a wood-clad window, why is this format so popular today, and why might these be the right choice for your window replacement needs? Here’s a primer.
Wood-Clad Window Basics
For those unfamiliar with the material, wood-clad windows are those that use traditional wood for their interior surfacing, but then aluminum on the outside for additional protection and performance. This allows the traditional look of wood to shine through, while increasing durability and weather resistance in one fell swoop.
It’s kind of like taking a classic car that you love, but then adding some fuel-efficient tires to really increase your day-to-day enjoyment – an analogy that will make sense once we go through all the specific benefits of wood-clad windows, which follow in our subsequent sections.
Simple Aesthetics
First and foremost, wood-clad windows are some of the most beautiful windows on the market today. Using real wood for the interior surfacing gives these windows a classic and inviting look that will add appeal and comfort to your home’s interior, while also increasing its value.
Many people who live in historic homes or homes designed with traditional aesthetics prefer their windows to match this historical theme, and wood-clad replacements can be used to create that same effect. They are also perfect for homes in more modern styles where the owners want to get rid of brittle plastic windows but don’t want to give up on the exterior design elements that give them curb appeal.
Durability and Efficiency
Along with providing a classic look, wood-clad replacements are also some of the most durable and energy-efficient windows on the market today. The exterior aluminum layer helps protect the wood from damage, while also deflecting heat to keep the internal temperature consistent regardless of external weather conditions.
This means that during winter months, there is less chance for your wood interiors to crack or warp because of harsh temperatures, and it also means you have less work to do when trying to cool your home during the warmer months. Wood-clad replacements are energy efficient, easy to clean/maintain, and can even help reduce exterior noise for a more peaceful environment.
Noise Resistance
Did you know that in addition to helping with insulation and blocking temperature loss throughout the year, wood-clad windows also help reduce exterior noise inside your home? This is another example of how these replacements blend the most practical aspects with beautiful design, which can often lead to higher resale values for homeowners when it’s time to make a change.
Especially if your home sits near a source of noise, such as an airport, a highway or train lines, wood-clad replacements will help reduce the amount of noise inside your home to create a more peaceful living environment. You can leave them open in your bedroom when it’s time for bed and not have to worry about an obnoxiously loud truck going by outside, helping you get a better night’s sleep!
Sustainability
Perhaps best of all for some homeowners, wood-clad windows are extremely eco-friendly. Wood, as you may already be aware, is a renewable resource with an extremely low carbon footprint, which means it helps reduce your impact on the environment during every stage of its lifecycle.
While that’s already a great advantage of wood-clad replacements, it does not end there – since these windows are also made from aluminum, they’re perfect for LEED credits. The aluminum can be recycled an infinite amount of times without losing any quality, and that means you can add extra points to your LEED checklist when replacing all existing windows in your home with wood-clad replacements.
Customized Appearance
Because wood-clad windows can be either painted or stained quite easily, they can be personalized to match the style of your home while still adding exterior durability and energy efficiency. For instance, if you want to go with a black window frame but maintain the look of wood interiors, you could opt for stained windows while painting the exterior in either white or gray – an example that should make it easier to visualize how these replacements can be customized to your particular style preferences.
If you already have historical windows in your home that you’re replacing because of damage or wear-and-tear, wood-clad replacements actually make it quite easy for you to match the existing style. This means they won’t stick out like a sore thumb among your other windows and take away from the overall appeal of your home.
Return on Investment
ROI is a vital consideration for many homeowners replacing their windows, and wood-clad options do very well here also. They’re known to typically return up to 85% of the initial cost of installation over a 20-year period of time, thanks to their durability and energy efficiency.
This makes them one of the most durable replacement windows on the market today, able to withstand all kinds of natural disasters very well while also reducing your carbon footprint through heating/cooling costs. And because they perform so well in these two major areas, they also maintain their resale value when it’s time to move on to a new home.
So if you’re considering wood-clad replacements for your own needs, there are plenty of reasons why these windows are some of the best options available. For more on these or any of our other window or door options in Utah, contact the pros at Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors today.