Open up to beauty — beautifully

Sometimes the first thing you want to do when spring arrives is to open your windows. That first fresh warm air after an Ottawa winter is one of the sweetest experiences besides spotting the first robin or watching the geese return.

If renovation is also in the air, you might also think about replacing those windows. If so, you have a great many choices of materials, styles, configurations and finishes to choose from. Perhaps the most fundamental of these choices is the material that your new windows should be made of. Window materials present almost as many choices as window types and can include wood, wood clad, vinyl (PVC), aluminum and fibreglass. Vinyl (PVC) is becoming the most widely used material for windows, but wood has been a popular material for years.

Both offer all kinds of energy-efficient advantages, aesthetic beauty, and reliability. Ask your renovator what will likely work best for your home, and in concert with your renovation; but here are a few things to consider.

• Wood frame windows are classic. They can have beautiful millwork and design. Many people think they are elegant, with more than a touch of class. You can paint or stain them according to both interior and exterior design. They do need to be maintained, but the newer varieties don’t need to be painted every year.
• Wood frame windows are strong, and thermally efficient. But they’re usually more expensive, especially when you take into account their upkeep, and especially in humid areas such as bathrooms or kitchen. Wood is also environmentally sustainable.
• Vinyl windows are also beautiful, but they are less expensive, highly durable, and easy to assemble. They also have thermal efficiency. You can choose between a vast variety of colours, and because they need little maintenance, they have become a popular choice among homeowners.
• Vinyl isn’t perfect, though. Changes in weather can cause stress on them unless they are well constructed and designed. Also, the interior of the windows cannot be stained to match the décor in the room.

Windows are not the best place to skimp on price and there are many other materials available.

Study all the information you can from the companies who manufacture windows, and talk to your renovator about which kind would suit your new space best. Your professional renovator will ensure the windows are installed properly.

And then, let beautiful spring begin, outside and in.