Mixing uPVC with timber windows

last year

Hi all - I'm renovating my 3-bed terraced victorian-era property right now. We're doing a loft conversion and rear extension.

In order to save on costs, I'm thinking of having all rear facing windows (i.e. loft juliet balcony, outrigger window, and original first floor windows) be uPVC (with the exception of the bifold doors in the ground floor rear extension) while the front facing windows (i.e. bay window and the two windows in the front-facing bedroom) be timber.

Am I committing some design crime here, or is this common and accepted practice?

Featured Answer

Angie

last year

It may be ok if they are new uPvC windows. We’re working round our house changing from uPVC to wooden sashes, and where you can see both at the same time the uPVC stands out as being very wrong for the house! We’re doing them a room at a time to fit the decorating schedule but after the most recent one we’re very tempted to do the kitchen windows and live with it until we refurb the kitchen. The wooden ones are absolutely lovely. But if yours aren’t visible both types together it should be fine, although you may well look at the uPVC and wish you hadn’t!

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Comments (8)

User
last year
Fine by me 😀
Nick M thanked User
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Nick M
Original Author
last year
interesting! my loft conversation will involve the usual dark grey dormer with outrigger sitting on top of the original brick house. For the loft - especially the outrigger - do people generally use uPVC (perhaps with the frame matching the cladding colour) or is timber still technically the best way to go for this part of the house?
Daisy England
last year
last modified: last year
I have timber windows on the front of my house (we are a joinery company) and have them treated every other year to keep on top of them.

On the rear of my house we have a garden room all the way across the back. Because we could foresee problems reaching over this we opt to have UPVC in an oak effect on the 3 windows across the back.

l have no regrets.

The timber windows look nicer and are much more expensive but the UPVC solves the access problem on the back of the house.
Nick M thanked Daisy England
Jonathan
last year
Personally I think it depends on the style not the material. Choose something that is consistent with the apertures and proportions of the original house. Pay attention to the glazing bars on the original windows to make sure it all matches visually.

My previous house was a Victorian house with all timber windows. One window was a mismatch and so I replaced it. Because it wasn’t side by side with a wood window and because it was going to be difficult to paint regularly I chose a UPVC sash window and no one ever noticed it was different.
Sarah U-S
last year
I think it will be fine. I’m also in a Victorian house and (mainly due to financial reasons) have slowly replaced windows with uPVC sashes as when we could afford them. We’re in a conservation area - so I paid attention to the finer details such as the glazing bars. I insisted on run through horns (many are stick-on). I also insisted on having no black plasticy bits around the edge of the glass (I hate seeing the thin black edges on uPVC windows!), and I paid extra for a slightly off white painted wood finish. Unless you physically touch them, it’s hard to tell that they aren’t wood!
Rae23
11 months ago
Sarah U-S what brand are your uPVC sash windows?
Sarah U-S
11 months ago
Hi - so sorry that I didn’t see your message sooner. I can’t remember the exact brand that we used however I’ve just done a quick google and found this one and vaguely think that it is this one: https://www.roseview.co.uk/products/ultimate-rose/. If it isn’t, the website shows you all the main features of the window that I mentioned that make it look authentic. I remember speaking with a quite a few window companies and this was the basis of my discussion. Anyone who was dismissive was dismissed 😂.

Mixing uPVC with timber windows

Angie

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