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It is surprisingly hard to pin down what makes a luxury home. Some say that it is all about high-end materials and finishes. Still, others will identify the location as the key factor. Mountain-top retreats, beachfront homes, and rustic hunting lodges all compete for top billing as the height of home luxury. In truth, it’s a combination of location, materials, and amenities that make for a luxury home, and the homeowner’s choice of windows lies at the intersection point of all three considerations.

The windows of luxury homes will be what a wonderful location is viewed through. If beautiful views are not matched by quality materials, then views of snow-capped mountains might not be appreciated due to the cold leaking through them. If amenities such as how the windows open are overlooked, then beautiful spring and summer days may pass by without their weather being appreciated through open doors or windows. The best windows for high-end homes will offer beautiful materials, quality insulation, a choice of finishes, and functionality.

The Best Quality Window Materials

Materials matter when finding windows for high end homes

Obviously, glass is the best material for window panes, but there are a wide variety of materials used to make window frames. Traditional wood, plastics like vinyl, metals for aluminum and steel windows, and even sophisticated composite material blends. Some of the pros and cons of these materials can be seen below.

Wood

Pros

Cons

  • Natural and renewable resource

  • Easily worked into a wide range of different patterns

  • Good insulation value

  • Accepts a wide range of paints, and color can be changed over time

  • Widely available and inexpensive

  • Can be damaged by UV light

  • Requires maintenance to keep it in good condition

  • Can be damaged by insects and moisture

  • Can be warped by humidity, causing air leakage

Vinyl

Pros

Cons

  • Inexpensive and widely available

  • Little maintenance required

  • Resistant to moisture

  • Isn’t prone to corrosion

  • Resistant to insects

  • Can be damaged by prolonged exposure to UV

  • Does not accept paints or coatings

  • Performs poorly in cold environments

  • Non-sustainable

Fiberglass and Composites

Pros

Cons

  • Lightweight and durable

  • Fire resistant

  • High insulation value

  • Can be made with faux wood or other appearance

  • Accepts paint and other coatings

  • Can be very expensive

  • Can degrade under UV light if plastics are used

  • May use plastics or wood fibers that degrade or change positive properties

Aluminum

Pros

Cons

  • Lightweight and durable material

  • Recyclable and sustainable

  • Little maintenance is required

  • Can receive a wide range of coatings and match different styles

  • Can be insulated to improve performance as a thermal barrier

  • Corrosion resistant

  • Potentially expensive

  • Customization is rarely available

  • Aluminum is incredibly conductive, so heat transfer can be an issue

  • Can warp with changing temperatures

Steel

Pros

Cons

  • High strength and highly durable

  • Highly customizable

  • Low maintenance

  • Recyclable and sustainable

  • Can be made in a wide range of styles

  • Can be manufactured with an array of coatings

  • Steel can be painted later on in a home’s life

  • Can be insulated to improve performance as a thermal barrier

  • Fire resistant

  • Heavier than other alternatives

  • Can corrode if coatings become damaged

  • Custom steel windows can be expensive

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Generally speaking, steel and aluminum windows are some of the highest-quality windows on the market. They offer a great combination of sustainability and durability that make for some of the best windows for high-end homes that are available. The one area where they are less capable than their wood, plastic, and composite competitors is in natural insulative ability. Metals are naturally conductive, and aluminum is one of the best thermal conductors there is. However, this can and is easily corrected.

Insulated frames makes a huge difference in windows for high end home

The aluminum and steel profiles that make up the metal window frame are essentially folded into a frame to hold the glass panes. This creates an air gap that helps insulate the window. These intricately folded profiles also help prevent air leaking between the exterior environment, the frame’s interior, and the home’s interior. This insulative property that is a side effect of how these metal frames are made can be further enhanced with additional sealing and additional insulation in the frame to create fully thermally broken windows with unmatched energy efficiency. This combination of excellent properties and easily resolved drawbacks make metal framed windows the best windows for high-end homes. One simply has to choose between them and choose the best provider of metals.

Choosing the Best Windows for High-End Homes From The French Steel Company

When it comes to metal window frames, aluminum does have one drawback that cannot be easily resolved. Fabricating aluminum is a highly specialized skill, and it is seldom found in combination with a window glazier. This means manufacturing custom aluminum framed windows that are non-standard sizes or have a unique style is not going to be an option. If it is, then it will likely be both prohibitively expensive and a long time before the finished windows arrive to be installed. This means that steel frames will be the best windows for high-end homes due to their advantages and that the skills needed to fabricate custom steel and glass windows are widely available. However, one does need to choose quality steel from a reputable manufacturer.

The best windows for high-end homes frequently look to European styling as well as European materials.

Two European companies are globally famous for the quality of their metal window profiles. Italian company Secco Sistemi offers Italian doors and window designs to high-end homes and luxury properties around the world. Their incredible reputation for quality is nearly matched by FerroFinestra European steel door and window profiles from Swiss-Italian company Ottostum.

Precision hot-rolled, cold-formed, and laser welded steel offer some of the best steel for doors and windows. In the hands of a company that designs with skill, fabricates windows with craftsmanship, and then installs steel windows with studious care and diligent attention, steel from these manufacturers creates the best windows for high-end homes, bar none.

Getting Started With The French Steel Company

The best windows for high-end home offer clear views and clean sightlines.

The French Steel Company manufactures and installs elegant French Steel doors, windows, curtain walls, and other top-quality French Steel products. Our doors and windows don’t just enhance the appearance of your property, they also improve livability by providing energy-efficient solutions with modern thermal breaking technology. With offices in Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., we offer nationwide shipping and installation services, so you can enjoy the benefits of our products no matter where you are in the U.S.

For more information on the best windows for high-end homes, Contact Us today and let us help you transform your space with beautiful French Steel.

French Steel’s doors and windows transform both the appearance and livability of a home. Their beauty is more than skin deep, combining the durability and timeless look of steel and glass with modern thermal breaking that improves the efficiency of home heating and cooling.

For more information on how bifold doors are installed, contact French Steel to start planning your home transformation.

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