| |
|
|
 |
 |
One of the most frequently asked questions is "What's the best
type of window or door?" There is no simple answer. The best
material for a particular application depends on numerous factors,
including aesthetics, performance requirements, and budget.
Framing
The most common framing materials are wood, vinyl, and aluminum.
More recent introductions to the market include fiberglass and
a number of composites. |
|
| Wood offers good thermal performance and
natural beauty. Many manufacturers offer products in a wide
variety of species. Wood requires maintenance that other materials
may not, in that it might needs to be painted or stained periodically.
Most manufacturers of wood products offer a choice of aluminum
and/or vinyl cladding on the exterior to minimize such maintenance
requirements. Increasingly, wood window and door manufacturers
are incorporating "engineered" wood components, particularly
in non-visible areas, to enhance performance and achieve optimal
wood utilization. |
|
| Vinyl offers good thermal performance and
requires little maintenance. It is available in a choice of
interior finishes, including woodgrains and colors. Most vinyl
products incorporate rigid vinyl with multi-chamber profiles
for strength and insulation. Often corners in these units are
welded, creating a joint that is generally more resistant to
air and water infiltration than corners that are mechanically
fastened with screws. More recently, a number of manufacturers
have developed products using cellular vinyl. It generally
does not require painting, but can be painted another color
if desired. |
|
| Aluminum is stronger than wood or vinyl.
For this reason, it is still the dominant choice in architectural
and demanding commercial applications. Its strength also allows
framing widths to be minimized, allowing for larger glass areas
in aluminum windows and doors. Aluminum itself is a good thermal
conductor; therefore most aluminum window manufacturers offer
"thermal-break" products. In these designs, a structural
insulating material is incorporated between the interior and
exterior aluminum. |
|
|
Fiberglass offers strength comparable to aluminum
and insulating properties similar to wood and vinyl. It can
be provided in a variety of finishes and generally can be
repainted in the field. Fiberglass framing cannot be bent,
however, which means these types of products are generally
not available in round-top, elliptical, and other specialty
models.
A variety of other materials are also available from a select
number of manufacturers. These include steel, engineered plastics,
and wood/plastic composites.
|
|
Door Materials
Within the industry, door panels without any framing are referred
to as "slabs." Residential entry door slabs are primarily
manufactured in wood, insulated steel, and fiberglass. Vinyl
entry doors are also available, as are doors produced with other
composite materials. Sliding glass doors and many hinged glass
models are also produced in vinyl and aluminum. Interior doors
are most commonly made of wood. The most common feature a hollow
core and a molded door face or skin. |
|
Wood-Traditional wood doors feature "stile-and-rail"
construction. Vertical stiles and horizontal rails are joined
together with solid wood panels (or glass lites) to create a
single door panel. Today, stile, rail and panel pieces are often
made up of "engineered" wood. This is done to enhance
performance and/or achieve optimal wood utilization. Manufacturers
offer doors in a variety of wood species.
In addition to traditional stile-and-rail construction, a variety
of other methods are used to manufacture wood doors. The most
common type of interior door is constructed with molded (or
flush) high-density fiberboard skins. These are offered in a
variety of designs (re-creating the look of stile-and-rail construction).
Another option for interior applications is MDF (medium density
fiberboard) doors. These doors use solid pieces of engineered
wood that is routed to create patterns. [Insert engwood.jpg
to the right of the text] |
|
| Steel-Most entry or exterior doors sold
today are steel. A steel door slab features an interior and
exterior steel skin on both sides of a core made up of an insulating
foam surrounded by a wood perimeter to provide energy efficiency.
Steel door slabs are produced in a variety of solid panel styles
(again, recreating the look of stile-and-rail construction).
Steel door slabs often have a section cut out and replaced with
a door lite (or a decorative glass panel). Steel doors are available
in stainable versions to offer a woodgrain look. |
|
| Fiberglass-It has been around for many
years, but fiberglass had accounted for only a limited segment
of the exterior door market. More recently, it has grown in
popularity. Constructed similarly to steel doors, the fiberglass
composite skin in place of steel, these types of doors are also
designed to provide good energy efficiency and low maintenance.
They are now offered in stainable/paintable woodgrain and paintable
smooth panel options. One advantage of fiberglass is said to
be higher resistance to dings and dents. |
|
|
Glass, of course, is the most common material used
in windows and doors. Today, in addition to ordinary clear
glass, most manufacturers offer a variety of high-performance
and decorative options. Check out our Energy
Efficiency page to see links to a number of detailed sites
providing information on low-emissivity (low-E) and solar-control
glass, how these products work, and selecting the right options
for you. Check out our Safety/Security
page to learn more about window and glass options that provide
impact-resistance for enhanced protection from hurricanes,
as well as greater resistance to break-ins and other threats.
Recent introductions to the market are self-cleaning
and other low-maintenance glasses. Glass manufacturers have
recently introduced new coatings that can limit dirt build-up
on the exterior and reduce the need for cleaning windows on
the outside.
|
|
|
|
|
|
