uPVCvsAluminiumvsTimber-lookAnHonestComparisonforPoole&BournemouthHomes

Aluminium conducts heat well, which is normally a problem for a window frame. A thermal break, a strip of polyamide inside the frame, solves it, and that's what allows aluminium's comparatively slim 47 to 59mm sightlines while still performing thermally. uPVC doesn't conduct heat as readily, so it doesn't need a thermal break, but its multi-chambered profile needs more wall thickness to hit the same U-value, which is part of why uPVC frames read visually chunkier, typically around 70mm.

Timber-look deliberately profiles a 70mm frame with a 58mm sash and the same chamfer and ovolo detailing you'd expect on real timber joinery, specifically to mimic that sightline. It isn't because the uPVC needs that depth to perform, it's a styling choice built into the profile.

Sightline width isn't just an aesthetic preference either. A slimmer frame means more actual glass for the same size opening, which is why aluminium often reads as the more contemporary choice on a bigger window or a set of bi-folds, where every extra centimetre of glass genuinely changes how much light gets in.

uPVC is the value choice and still the most common material fitted in the UK, low maintenance and reliably durable at 20 to 35 years. Aluminium costs more but lasts longer, typically 30 to 45 years, and its slim sightlines suit a modern extension or a coastal property once it's properly specified for salt air. Timber-look is a uPVC product engineered to look like painted timber joinery without timber's upkeep, which is why we price it close to uPVC rather than close to real wood.

PAS24 is worth understanding properly too. It's a whole-unit security test, not a single-component one: the frame, glazing and locking hardware are tested together as one system against simulated forced entry. Certification status genuinely differs by material in our own range. It's an optional upgrade on standard uPVC, tested as standard on both our aluminium systems, and available on Timberlook with uprated glass and hardware, not on the standard spec.

None of this means one material is simply 'better' than the others. It means each one suits a different property and a different priority. A straightforward family home replacing tired uPVC usually doesn't need to look any further than uPVC again. A period property in a conservation area often does better with timber-look, for the look and the planning conversation both. And a coastal or contemporary extension tends to suit aluminium, once it's specified properly for salt air. The honest answer to 'which is best' is almost always 'it depends on the house', which is exactly why we fit all three rather than push whichever one we happen to stock.