Plastic not so fantastic

[lhatkins]

Just came across this, Plastic not so fantastic as was doing a little research on replacing my fasica boards and soffits on our house.
Interesting reading. Still i'm in the plastic camp, sanding and painting wood every 12 months is not my idea of fun.
Personally I think its case of the "old folk" being wary of new materials.

 

[penance]

If wood is properly maintaned it 'will' outlast PVC. (it doesnt need to be done every 12 months if done correctly in the first place)

Wood that has lost its nice looks can be sorted easily. Plastic not so.


Give me proper materials from sustainable source anyday.

 

[amazingtrade]

I have a UPVC window it cost less than £400 including fitting and its been great I've had it for more than a year now and I've had no problems with it. The wooden double glazed bathroom window is not as good for keeping the noise out.

Having said that the windows at the front of the house are 100 years old and there is nothing wrong with them, they need a good paint but they are not rotten. They have not been painted since 1984 either.

 

[lhatkins]

If wood is properly maintaned it 'will' outlast PVC. (it doesnt need to be done every 12 months if done correctly in the first place)
Wood that has lost its nice looks can be sorted easily. Plastic not so.
Give me proper materials from sustainable source anyday.

I don't doubt that, but its the maintance issue I have a personal problem with, ok every year is probably an extreme, but wood has other problems, it swells, like a front door I used to have, any miosture in the air and you'd never get the door open, but in the winter a gale would blow through it, useless.

No problem with using wood inside, internal doors things like that, but outside it rots so quickly if left untreated.

Funniest thing I've seen recently is PVCu Fence panels, I mean really?! even I'd not go that far, ok so I need to throw on some preserver once a year, but I don't need to be accurate or have scafolding to do it. and fence panels are cheap to replace, thing like windows, etc are not.

as for Sustainability, plastics can be recycled AFAIK.

100 years old AT? really, heck that's dam good going,

 

[amazingtrade]

I don't doubt that, but its the maintance issue I have a personal problem with, ok every year is probably an extreme, but wood has other problems, it swells, like a front door I used to have, any miosture in the air and you'd never get the door open, but in the winter a gale would blow through it, useless.

No problem with using wood inside, internal doors things like that, but outside it rots so quickly if left untreated.

Funniest thing I've seen recently is PVCu Fence panels, I mean really?! even I'd not go that far, ok so I need to throw on some preserver once a year, but I don't need to be accurate or have scafolding to do it. and fence panels are cheap to replace, thing like windows, etc are not.

as for Sustainability, plastics can be recycled AFAIK.

100 years old AT? really, heck that's dam good going,

Yep the whole house is bult with red engineering bricks and hard wood for the windows. Most the houses on my block still have the original 1906 windows.

I'll try and get a picture of the detailing on them, its quite amazing considering its a terraced house.

 

[Tenson]

In my experience I would much rather have anything in, or outside the house made out of a material I can work with if I should need to fix, replace or add anything. I think wood is a great material and if used correctly, doesn't have many problems at all.