Vinyl vs. fiberglass vs. wood replacement windows
We sell vinyl. We do not sell fiberglass or wood, which is worth knowing before you read our opinion of them. So here is the straight version, including the cases where vinyl is the wrong answer for your house.
The short answer
Vinyl (uPVC)
The least expensive of the three and the lowest maintenance. It will not rot, will not need painting, and multi-chamber frames insulate well. A standard double-hung from us runs $565 to $777.
Best for: most Mid-Atlantic houses, and almost any whole-house replacement where budget is a real constraint.
Fiberglass
Costs more than vinyl. Its big technical advantage is that it expands and contracts at nearly the same rate as glass, so the seals take less abuse through freeze-thaw cycles. It can also be painted.
Best for: owners staying put for decades who want paintable frames and the longest seal life.
Wood
The most expensive and the best looking, particularly on older houses. It also needs refinishing on a schedule, and it will rot if water gets past the finish. Most modern wood windows are clad in aluminum outside to limit that.
Best for: historic houses, historic districts, and interiors where a painted or stained frame is the point.
We are not going to put fake numbers on fiberglass and wood. We do not sell them, so we do not have a live price book to quote from the way we do for our own windows. Get real quotes before you compare.
Where they actually differ
| Factor | Vinyl | Fiberglass | Wood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up-front cost | Lowest | Higher than vinyl | Highest |
| Maintenance | None. Wash it occasionally | Repaint only if you want a new color | Refinish on a schedule, inside and out |
| Rot risk | None. It does not absorb water | None | Real if the finish fails or flashing leaks |
| Thermal movement | Expands and contracts more than glass | Very close to glass, so seals see less stress | Low, but moisture moves it |
| Can be painted | No. Color is chosen at the factory | Yes | Yes, and it is expected |
| Dark exterior colors | Available, but they cost more. Black adds $350 on our flagship | Straightforward | Straightforward |
| Frame width | Thicker, so slightly less glass in the same opening | Can be narrower for more glass | Varies by profile |
| Historic district approval | Often refused on street-facing elevations | Sometimes accepted | Usually the approved material |
When vinyl is the wrong answer
Two situations come up often enough in our service area that they are worth stating plainly.
- Your house is in a historic districtSeveral districts we serve will not approve vinyl on a primary elevation. Georgetown is reviewed by the Old Georgetown Board, the rest of DC by the Historic Preservation Review Board, and downtown Frederick by its own commission. Rear and non-visible windows usually have far more latitude. Check before you order, not after.
- You want to repaint the frames laterVinyl color is set at the factory and cannot be changed. If you expect to repaint your trim in ten years and want the windows to follow, fiberglass or wood will do that and vinyl will not.
We would rather tell you this now than sell you something a review board makes you tear out. Our Washington, DC page and Frederick County page go into the local rules in more detail.
Which should you pick?
Vinyl if…
- You are replacing most or all of the windows at once
- Nobody is going to approve or reject your choice on aesthetic grounds
- You want to stop thinking about window maintenance entirely
- White, beige, black or a woodgrain interior covers what you want
Fiberglass if…
- You plan to stay in the house for decades
- You want the option to repaint the frames down the road
- You want the narrowest frames and the most glass in the opening
- The price gap over vinyl does not change how many you can do
Wood if…
- A historic district requires it on the street-facing side
- The interior trim is stained wood and the windows need to match
- The house is old enough that vinyl would read as wrong
- You are willing to refinish them on a schedule
A middle path people forget
Historic districts usually regulate what the street can see. If the front of your house needs wood and the back does not, you can do the front in wood through a specialist and the rear and sides in vinyl through us. There is no minimum order here, so a partial job is a perfectly normal thing to place. We have customers who order four windows.
Price the vinyl side of the decision
If vinyl is on your list, you can see exactly what it costs for your openings in a few minutes. No form, no email, no sales call.
Price your windows →