Choose aluminium for the slimmest sightlines and largest panes; choose timber-look uPVC such as the Residence Collection for the most convincing painted-timber appearance at a lower cost.
Written by Windows in the Lakes · A trading name of Home Glazing Ltd
This is a narrower version of the wider aluminium vs uPVC question, focused specifically on how aluminium compares with the premium timber-look ranges we install most, principally the Residence Collection. It matters because the two are often shortlisted together on the same project: a period cottage or Lakeland stone house where the homeowner wants a timber appearance but is weighing it against the performance and longevity of aluminium.
Both are excellent products used correctly. The decision usually comes down to how convincingly you need the timber look replicated, how large your openings are, and how much of the budget you want to spend on frame material versus other parts of the project.
Timber-look uPVC ranges like the Residence Collection use deep foil woodgrain finishes, sculpted horns and bolection mouldings specifically to replicate painted timber. Aluminium takes the opposite approach: a flat, precise, powder-coated finish with the slimmest possible sightline, which suits a contemporary or heritage-steel aesthetic rather than a timber one.
| Aluminium | Timber-look uPVC (Residence) | |
|---|---|---|
| Visual reference point | Slim steel-framed windows, contemporary glazing | Painted timber sash or casement |
| Sightline | Narrow, around 40-70mm visible face | Wider, around 70-120mm visible face |
| Finish | Flat powder coat | Deep foil woodgrain or solid colour |
| Glazing bars | Slim, minimal, more contemporary in feel | Deeper, sculpted, closer to period joinery |
| Material | Typical guide price |
|---|---|
| Timber-look uPVC (Residence Collection) | £950–£1,700 |
| Aluminium casement | £1,400–£2,600 |
Across a fifteen-window house, the difference between the two materials typically runs to several thousand pounds, which for many cottage and terrace projects is the deciding factor before appearance is even discussed. See our timber-look windows cost guide and our aluminium windows cost guide for a fuller breakdown of what moves each figure.
Both materials comfortably meet the Part L minimum U-value of 1.4 W/m²K for replacement windows, and modern aluminium and Residence Collection systems both typically achieve 1.2-1.4 W/m²K double glazed. Where aluminium pulls ahead is on very exposed elevations over a long ownership period: it does not expand and contract with temperature to the same degree as uPVC, and its powder coat generally holds colour for longer than a foil finish under sustained strong sun.
For most homes, particularly those not on the most exposed westerly aspects, this difference is marginal within a normal 25-30 year ownership horizon.
Aluminium's inherent rigidity allows larger panes and taller openings without additional reinforcement, which is why it dominates on extensions, barn conversions and any opening beyond typical domestic window sizes. Timber-look uPVC performs very well within standard domestic window and door sizes but is not the right choice for very wide sliding doors or oversized fixed panes, where aluminium is the only sensible option.
From a real Windows in the Lakes project
West Yorkshire · 32 windows · 4 doors
A live self-build programme with 36 openings across four elevations, all in newly dressed stone, several of them non-standard shapes — triangular gables and a full-height narrow light — with no tolerance for cumulative setting-out error across the elevation.
Early involvement with the builder to agree structural opening sizes, then a full measured survey of every opening after the stonework was complete and before manufacture. Georgian bar layouts were drawn as a set rather than window by window, so bar spacing aligns horizontally across each elevation, and the non-standard gable and side-light units were manufactured to survey.
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