Mon–Sat · 9am–7pm
Home/Guides/uPVC vs Wooden Windows: The Cost Picture
uPVC vs Wood · Profile & Brand

uPVC vs Wooden Windows: The Cost Picture

How do uPVC and wooden windows compare on cost? The honest answer involves more than the purchase price.

How they differ

Timber windows look beautiful and have real character, but wood absorbs moisture — so it swells, warps, and eventually rots. It also needs regular painting or sealing to hold off that decay, and termites will target it.

uPVC absorbs almost no water, so it won't swell, warp, or rot. It needs no painting, and termites have no interest in it.

How they compare

Look for this

  • Purchase cost depends on timber grade and spec
  • Wood needs repainting every few years
  • Wood may need rot and termite treatment
  • uPVC has no ongoing maintenance cost
  • Lifetime cost usually favours uPVC

Our honest take

Comparing purchase prices alone misses the point with timber. A wooden window carries a recurring cost — painting, sealing, treating — for as long as you own it. uPVC's cost essentially stops at installation.

Questions

Frequently asked

Are uPVC windows cheaper than wooden ones?

Purchase cost depends on timber grade and spec. But wood carries recurring costs — repainting, sealing, rot and termite treatment — for as long as you own it, while uPVC's cost essentially stops at installation.

What's the lifetime cost difference?

Timber's ongoing upkeep accumulates over decades; uPVC has none. That usually favours uPVC over the window's life.

Is teak worth the extra?

Teak resists decay better than softer timbers, but it still needs upkeep and still attracts termites — and costs considerably more.

From our range

What we make

uPVC Sliding Windows

Multi-track windows that need no swing space.

uPVC Casement Windows

Side-hung sashes for full airflow and the tightest seal.

uPVC Performance Systems

Double-glazed acoustic and thermal windows.

Related Guides

You might also need

Related guides covering this topic from other angles — different products, applications, or contexts.

Talk to the maker, not a middleman

Tell us your openings and we'll measure on site, advise, and give you a real quote — factory-direct from our Pannimadai works in Coimbatore.