DOORS&WINDOWS
A WINDOW TO
THE FUTURE
Exploring fenestration
materials of the
past and present.
» THE HISTORY OF
windows and doors dates back
to 12,000 BC when it’s thought the
Egyptians accidentally created glass beads and
doors were comprised from simple planks
of wood and hinges. Now, Nick Cowley,
managing director of PVCu and composite
window and door manufacturer Euramax,
looks at the changing materials used in the
industry.
Before the luxury of glass was widely
introduced in the 1800s, paper and animal
hides acted to prevent cold air from coming
in. Doors, on the other hand, have been
made from wood since the first century and
materials have evolved over the years to make
them stronger and versatile.
From traditional wood and aluminium
to the modified materials we see today,
the industry is constantly exploring new
materials.
WOOD AND ALUMINIUM
Wood has many features that has made this
material ideal for windows and doors. It is
strong and secure, environmentally friendly
and offers a natural aesthetic. While wood has
been a popular material for windows and doors
for thousands of years, it can become damaged
by changes in weather and temperatures,
meaning that frequent maintenance is required
to preserve quality. Furthermore, wood is
not thermally efficient, and the quality can
significantly degrade overtime.
From the 1970s, aluminium was introduced
as a stronger and longer lasting alternative
to wood. As well as being lighter and more
manageable to work with aluminium
soon became another material choice for
windows and doors manufacturers. However,
aluminium doesn’t provide thermally efficient
or aesthetically pleasing benefits of some of
the materials used today.
While wood and aluminium were the
most common fenestration materials in the
past, they both possess flaws that meant that
popularity has declined and the need for
newer materials has increased.
30 » M AY 2020 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
PVCU AND COMPOSITES
Discovered by mistake in the 1800s, it
wasn’t until the 1980s that unplasticised
polyvinyl chloride (PVCu) was considered as
a serious alternative to wood and aluminium
and it soon became one of the most desired
fenestration materials.
PVCu became popular for its versatility,
durability and thermal efficiency and as home
designs started to develop, homeowners
required suitable windows and doors to match
and PVCu became the likely choice.
However, while PVCu was favoured for
many years, the introduction of composite
windows and doors shifted the industry.
Composite products have become extremely
desired for their strength, energy efficiency
and design possibilities.
For example, as environmental concerns
have grown over the years, consumer demand
for windows and doors that can offer superior
energy efficiency has risen. Homes now need
to be more secure, both thermally and for
safety reasons, and a composite core is the
key. This core is what makes composite doors
difficult to force open and highly energy
efficient.
While the internal properties make
composite a desirable material, the external
appearance is equally important. The growing
interest in modern designs means that people
now want windows and doors that can
complement a modern home. Composite
windows and doors are ideal as they can be
designed in a range of colours and finishes,
like the woodgrain finish windows and doors
from Euramax.
Though materials are constantly changing,
the importance of meeting industry
regulations remains the same. Windows
and doors need to meet performance and
material standards in order to comply. For
example, British Standards Institute (BSI)
regulations BS EN 12608-1:2016 applies to
the fabrication of PVCu profiles for windows
and doors and BS 8529:2017 specifies the
requirements for the design, construction and
performance of composite doors.
IS THE FUTURE HYBRID?
Although composites have many
benefits, the material can be susceptible
to problems including warping, swelling
and discolouration. To combat this, one
material has been designed to overcome these
problems. By combining PVCu and composite
materials, hybrid materials provide the
trusted functionality of PVCu and the stylish
woodgrain finish of composite.
As hybrid materials are welcomed into the
industry as a new alternative for doors, this
material has the potential to replace composite
window frames too.
While aluminium proved that materials
didn’t need to be heavy to maintain strength,
it did pose some disadvantages on the energy
efficiency front. With the introduction of
PVCu, composites and now hybrid materials,
customers now have the option of aesthetically
pleasing, energy efficient, strong and secure
materials.
www.euramaxuk.com