Any homeowner should know the answer to this: hard wood windows or soft wood windows which will last longer and why? Windows in a home are essential to its comfort and its energy efficiency. Repairs to them are costly even if done as a do it yourself project.
Do you know the difference in a hardwood tree versus a softwood? Many of us have a general idea, but the facts are fairly complicated. The 250,000 species of 'hardwood' trees greatly outnumber the 650 or so types of 'softwoods', in the biological sense. However, softwoods are plentiful in the northern hemisphere, grow fast, and are a material easy to shape for building materials.
Soft wood comes from coniferous trees - again mostly, since some evergreen trees do not conform to this pattern. It is generally easier to work with than the hard variety and is plentiful in the northern hemisphere. It grows rapidly and is therefore a more renewable resource than slower growing deciduous trees. However, it may dry to be harder than most if not all hard wood. Yew is an example of a softwood that dries with incredible strength and durability.
Coniferous trees, evergreen and having needles rather than broad leaves, give us the softwood used extensively in building. Although these products can be made out of hardwood, such as maple, they will be more expensive and not generally available in mass produced units.
In evaluating a wood for suitability for windows, a homeowner will have to factor in the initial cost as well as the expense of maintenance over the years. A maple window will be durable and attractive but may be prohibitively expensive for most home building projects. A pine window may be affordable at first not as long lasting even with routine care. Redwood, a softwood product, resists the effects of sun and weather better than many other woods with no protection at all.
The care a window unit receives will matter probably as much as the wood it is made of. Allowing the paint on a window to chip or peel, or not repairing damage that causes the wood to splinter, will shorten the life of any wooden board. Taking care of wood exposed to the stresses of sun, heat, cold, and moisture is a necessary part of getting the maximum life out of your windows.
To make a decision about hard wood windows or soft wood windows which will last longer and why, you need to balance the initial cost with the expense of time and money involved in proper maintenance. Do you have more time than money? If so, choosing a mass produced softwood window and caring for it diligently might be better than getting custom windows made of hardwood that might last a few more seasons before needing restorative care.
Do you know the difference in a hardwood tree versus a softwood? Many of us have a general idea, but the facts are fairly complicated. The 250,000 species of 'hardwood' trees greatly outnumber the 650 or so types of 'softwoods', in the biological sense. However, softwoods are plentiful in the northern hemisphere, grow fast, and are a material easy to shape for building materials.
Soft wood comes from coniferous trees - again mostly, since some evergreen trees do not conform to this pattern. It is generally easier to work with than the hard variety and is plentiful in the northern hemisphere. It grows rapidly and is therefore a more renewable resource than slower growing deciduous trees. However, it may dry to be harder than most if not all hard wood. Yew is an example of a softwood that dries with incredible strength and durability.
Coniferous trees, evergreen and having needles rather than broad leaves, give us the softwood used extensively in building. Although these products can be made out of hardwood, such as maple, they will be more expensive and not generally available in mass produced units.
In evaluating a wood for suitability for windows, a homeowner will have to factor in the initial cost as well as the expense of maintenance over the years. A maple window will be durable and attractive but may be prohibitively expensive for most home building projects. A pine window may be affordable at first not as long lasting even with routine care. Redwood, a softwood product, resists the effects of sun and weather better than many other woods with no protection at all.
The care a window unit receives will matter probably as much as the wood it is made of. Allowing the paint on a window to chip or peel, or not repairing damage that causes the wood to splinter, will shorten the life of any wooden board. Taking care of wood exposed to the stresses of sun, heat, cold, and moisture is a necessary part of getting the maximum life out of your windows.
To make a decision about hard wood windows or soft wood windows which will last longer and why, you need to balance the initial cost with the expense of time and money involved in proper maintenance. Do you have more time than money? If so, choosing a mass produced softwood window and caring for it diligently might be better than getting custom windows made of hardwood that might last a few more seasons before needing restorative care.
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Wondering about hard wood windows or soft wood windows which will last longer and the reasons why ? All you need to know on sash window refurbishment now in our complete sash window renovation London overview.
