Windows That Do It All: The Battle between Wood and Vinyl
Most builders and remodelers divide their services across two general categories: exterior and interior work. Makes sense, save for one sticky gray area—windows. Windows are the one part of a home that aren’t either/or. They’re both an interior and exterior piece, and as a result, have to pull an unusually wide array of duties:
- Protection from the elements
- Energy efficiency
- Interior lighting
- View of the outside world
- Curb appeal
- Interior beauty
That list tells the story of one of the biggest challenges people face when buying home windows. They struggle to reconcile all the roles of the windows without sacrificing beauty. Though vinyl is widely known to have superior performance to wood, it’s hard to deny that wood is the better-looking of the two. And because windows play a huge part in the beauty quotient of a home, both inside and out, it’s so hard to walk away from wood, especially if you’re replacing wood windows that add character to your home. Let’s just say that if windows were a family, vinyl would be the smart kid, and wood would be the pretty one.
But what if you could have both?
There actually is a third kid in that family, one with both the brains and the looks. This “kid” is our very own Artisan Window, a unique hybrid of wood and vinyl. You won’t find these anywhere but Frey. Its technology allows wood and vinyl—which normally expand and contract at different rates with temperature changes—to expand and contract together. No adhesives or fasteners are needed, so there’s no pocket for moisture build-up behind the wood, which faces the interior of the home, while the heavy lifting is done by the vinyl, which faces the exterior of the home.
As builders and remodelers, we are always keen on products that can pull double-duty, performing well and looking gorgeous. That’s why we pulled ahead of the curve on the vinyl versus wood conundrum. Take a look at our Artisan products to see what all the fuss is about!
