Aluminium Clad Windows and Doors: What You Need to Know
Aluminium-clad windows take the thermal and structural advantages of engineered timber and add a factory-applied aluminium exterior that never needs painting. For exposed sites, coastal locations, and clients who want the best of both materials with minimum long-term maintenance, they are the most practical specification.
What aluminium cladding actually means
Aluminium-clad windows are timber windows with an aluminium skin applied to the exterior face of the frame and sash. The structural core remains engineered pine — which provides the thermal efficiency and dimensional stability. The aluminium cladding handles everything the weather can deliver.
This is not a composite profile in the engineering sense. The timber does the structural and thermal work; the aluminium does the weather work. Each material is doing what it does best.
Durability and corrosion resistance
Aluminium does not rust, warp, crack, or corrode in normal atmospheric conditions. The cladding is factory-applied — bonded to the timber before the window leaves the factory, not retrofitted on site. With proper hardware maintenance, aluminium-clad windows from Nordvest have an expected lifespan of 60 years.
For exposed locations — coastal sites, elevated positions, or buildings in high-wind and high-rainfall areas — aluminium cladding provides a level of weather resistance that is simply not achievable with exposed painted timber.
Low maintenance: what that means in practice
An aluminium-clad window eliminates the exterior maintenance cycle that painted timber requires. There is no repainting, sanding, or re-oiling of the outer frame face. Annual maintenance is limited to:
- Lubrication of hinges, stays, and locking hardware
- Inspection and replacement of weatherseals as required
- Clearing drainage slots and ventilation gaps
This maintenance burden is comparable to PVCu, but the product delivers thermal and aesthetic performance that PVCu cannot match.
Thermal performance
Because the structural core is timber, the frame provides genuine thermal insulation — unlike aluminium-only frames, which require a thermally broken profile to achieve competitive U-values. Nordvest aluminium-clad windows with triple glazing can achieve whole-window U-values (Uw) as low as 0.66 W/m²K, making them suitable for Passivhaus and low-energy builds.
The aluminium cladding is engineered to maintain thermal separation between interior and exterior, adding negligible bridging to the overall frame performance.
Colour options
Aluminium cladding can be powder-coated in any RAL colour. Anthracite grey (RAL 7016), black (RAL 9005), and white (RAL 9010) are the most commonly specified; the full RAL range is available for bespoke projects. The exterior profile is typically slim and clean-lined, suiting contemporary architecture well — though the same product works equally in traditional contexts where the cladding colour is matched to joinery or stonework.
All Nordvest window and door types are available with aluminium cladding: tilt-and-turn, top swing, side-hung casement, fixed frame, entrance doors, balcony doors, and sliding doors.
Suitability for coastal and exposed sites
Aluminium cladding is well-suited to coastal environments. Salt air is corrosive to many materials; aluminium's natural oxide layer provides inherent corrosion resistance, and powder coating adds a further protective barrier. For projects within close proximity to the sea, Nordvest can advise on appropriate hardware and sealing specifications for the exposure zone.
Aluminium-clad vs timber vs full aluminium: how to choose
The choice between timber, aluminium-clad timber, and full aluminium depends on the priorities of your project:
- Timber: Lowest embodied carbon, natural grain aesthetic, excellent thermal performance, requires periodic exterior maintenance. Best for heritage contexts, eco-conscious builds, and projects where exposed timber is part of the design intent.
- Aluminium-clad timber: Maintenance-free exterior, full timber thermal performance, 60-year lifespan, wide colour choice. The most practical specification for most new builds and self-builds.
- Full aluminium: Maximum profile slimness for large spans; requires a thermally broken profile; higher embodied carbon; excellent durability. Better suited to large commercial glazing than standard residential windows.
For most UK residential projects — self-builds, renovations, and new homes — aluminium-clad timber is the most balanced specification: it performs like timber and weathers like metal.