Types of windows: Plastic, wood, or aluminum? Recommendations/experiences?

Hello everyone,
we have had aluminum-wood windows for 40 years, still TOP and almost no maintenance effort with painting.
In our new building, we compared 2 houses from the house provider directly one after the other, 1 x white plastic and 1 x wood/aluminum with dark metal coating and light spruce wood inside, after that there was no question what we would choose. Just the living feeling alone is sometimes worth what you spend more, not to mention the occasional problems with plastic windows.
Regards
Willy54

Crazy how different the opinions are here. [emoji848]

What is your opinion on pure wooden windows? We are currently considering having pure oak windows installed. In most places, we also have an "overhanging roof" and even if there is occasional cross rain, we have thought through and have control over the water drainage situation in all areas.

The oak is very high in tannins and therefore quite resistant to rot. It is thus well suited for outdoor applications. My friend operates a fishing cutter professionally, oak planking on oak planking, built in Kappeln in 1951. It is still in good condition in the hull. Protect your wooden windows well. If you want to leave them natural, soak them with Owatrol oil until they are saturated. That is sufficient. If you want them colored, then use a window paint that contains the solvent turpentine. Dilute the first coat with turpentine at 50/50 so that it penetrates very deep into the wood. This is the basic protection. Then paint normally. Such windows can become very old. Karsten

With proper care, there is absolutely nothing against wooden windows. For our modernization, we decided on wood/aluminum, as we liked it best and it fit the budget. We wanted wood on the inside, which we had painted white, and outside as robust aluminum as possible. But also because it simply fits very well with the facade, the back is insulated so that we have a very modern building visually there, and in the front, the modern aluminum windows also give the old building facade (built in 1900) a great appearance.

But previously wooden windows were installed, they were at least 40 years old and still in great condition. However, this was probably some very durable tropical wood, as it was hardly possible to saw with the Fein multitool. They were only replaced because there were a few problems with some of the hinges and also a new front door had to be installed.

For us, the most important argument was low maintenance, and unfortunately, plastic is unbeatable in that regard. On the outside, it is foil-wrapped with a wood look, I don't think anyone has noticed yet, everyone always asks us why we chose wooden windows since they are so high maintenance. Inside, we actually only like white for windows and doors, although we are otherwise quite big fans of wood (parquet flooring everywhere...), plastic is simply the most practical there.

If you pay attention to high-quality brands, they also last about as long as aluminum/wood. And even if not... in 40 years, the technology will be so outdated anyway that you'll replace the windows... who knows what will be possible by then.