If you are considering hybrid windows for your property renovation or building project, you are making an investment in very high-quality and luxurious glazing. Hybrid windows offer the best of both worlds: low-maintenance aluminium on the outside and your choice of fine wood on the inside.
This combination of materials ensures optimal performance for new or replacement windows in your project. These windows and doors provide luxurious aesthetics, superior performance, high security, longevity, and excellent insulation. We have put together this helpful guide offering a detailed explanation of hybrid windows and their benefits.
What are Hybrid Windows?
Hybrid windows, also known as composite windows, combine more than one material. At CBP we are specialists in the sophisticated and technically excellent Internorm brand name and the contemporary and slimline Velfac range. Also available is the classically-styled Rationel Collection. Both outstanding brands feature high-quality powder-coated aluminium on the outside for protection and various wood options on the inside, from natural timbers to engineered versions.
Internorm goes even better, offering the option of aluminium outside with PVCu on the inside, providing another fantastic hybrid windows option in two materials.
These products are highly sustainable. Other hybrid windows might use glass and wood or PVCu, or a combination of PVCu and aluminium. The aluminium-wood combination is widely regarded as a higher-quality product.
Are Hybrid or Composite Windows More Expensive?
Several factors affect window and door prices, such as sizes, colour, and glass specifications and their functional requirement. Hybrid windows are more expensive than PVCu because of their superior materials, reputation, and design. They can cost the same or more than aluminium, again depending on the sizes, colours and specifications as some aluminium windows and doors do sit at the premium end of the market. So, it very much depends what type of aluminium product you are comparing hybrid windows with.
What are the disadvantages of Hybrid Windows
The only disadvantage to hybrid windows and doors is that they are not as slim as some of the current range of minimalist sliding doors and windows. This is not a drawback given the superior insulation, strength, and performance. Hybrid windows are not intended to provide a frameless or minimal appearance.
What are the Advantages of Hybrid Windows
Whether you choose our advanced Internorm range of windows and doors or the Velfac brand, the craftsmanship, design, and quality of hybrid glazing is instantly visible compared to even the best quality PVCu windows and aluminium.
The craftsmanship required to make your new hybrid windows is superior and akin to fine joinery, resulting in a more bespoke and hand-made product for you.
The best possible performance is another advantage to choosing hybrid windows and doors. The incredible insulation, triple glazing, solid frames, and fantastic sealing throughout is why these are the windows of choice in Scandinavian countries. The hardware quality is also superior, with luxurious and aesthetically pleasing window handles and other functional benefits, giving you doors that are great to live with and use every day in your home.
Are Hybrid or Composite Windows Worth It?
Choosing the right windows for your property depends on a range of factors. Beyond cost, hybrid windows certainly provide several advantages over wood, PVCu, or even the latest aluminium windows:
First is their lifespan. If you are building your ‘forever’ home and want to make the best possible investment in your new windows and doors, hybrid windows and doors typically have a lifespan of around 60 years.
The styling and design of hybrid windows and doors also make them less likely to go out of fashion, and its why architects and developers use them extensively in their building projects.
Strength is another great benefit of choosing hybrid windows. Aluminium is already a strong yet lightweight metal. Thicker and solid frames in wood without the hollow chambers of PVCu or aluminium windows. Put these two fantastic materials together and you get a very robust product.
One of the best features of hybrid windows is their warm-to-the-touch feel inside your home. Only wood windows have this impressive tactile feature.
Lifespan of Hybrid Windows
Most quality designers and manufacturers of hybrid windows estimate a lifespan of around 50-60 years, significantly longer than PVCu or aluminium windows. Only steel windows have a similar lifespan. The longevity of all windows depends on care, maintenance, location, and usage.
Why Hybrid windows are a smart investment
Hybrid windows are not just for high-end homes; they are designed to remain modern and adapt to changing design trends. The warm-to-the-touch feel of real wood inside and its styling make them especially appealing. Their superior manufacturing quality and premium materials makes them exceptionally long lasting.
About the Woods Used in Hybrid Glazing
Our Internorm and Velfac window ranges use the best parts of the wood trunk, offering a better appearance, especially when left natural and no painted. The unique grain of the wood adds to the quality, luxury, and individuality of each window.
Insulation Benefits of Hybrid and Composite Materials
Wood is an excellent insulator with low thermal conductivity. While other materials achieve low U-Values and Window Energy Ratings through hollow chambers, foams, gels, rubbers, brushes, and thermal breaks, the solid nature of wood does this naturally. Combined with high-performance glass, these windows offer superb U-Values, making them ideal for Passivhaus and eco-homes.
Modern Benefits of Aluminium or PVCu Windows
Hybrid windows may not be as slim as steel-styled or heritage glazing, but they come in a range of styles, including classical, contemporary flat profiles and flush designs. Advanced technology and glass performance also allow for slimmer windows and doors in these combined materials.
Maintenance and Security of Hybrid Windows
Maintenance is minimal, with aluminium on the exterior, which provides weather resistance and is available in over 150 colours. These windows and doors meet the minimal maintenance expectations of modern products. They are also very secure, tested to the latest standards, and have British and European certifications for security, energy efficiency, acoustics, and weather resistance. You get premium multipoint locking systems, secure window handles, safety glass options, and often triple glazing for an additional layer of security.
Visit our showroom to view our range of composite and hybrid glazing solutions
The large and luxurious CBP showroom in Corsham is the premier showroom in Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, where you can view our Internorm, Rationeal and Velfac products. We are proud to be leading installers and Premier Partners for the leading brands, a testament to our expertise and reputation and always giving you the best possible new doors and windows.