I looked at lowes and home depot for brown vynil windows and they say they only sell white vynil windows. Why is that?

If I go to a random window place will they have brown vynil windows? This is for a coop and they must be brown. Can you gusy recommend a place?

 

A local building supply will be a better source than the box chains...

If you're looking for 'almond' or 'beige' the local stores should be able to provide them. If you're looking for a dark brown vinyl window - good luck. I don't even know if they're made by anyone. The three major suppliers I deal with where I work only off er the lighter tones...

 

It is dark brown. Looks black to me, but I am not good with colors. So dark brown and black will be hard to find?

That is funny because we have several buildings all with the same color scheme. So basically they put windows of the color that would be hardest to find in the future.

 

No pro here, but you can do a search on "dark brown vinyl windows" and come up with some companies that have the color.

As far as why it's not common (on the color), I read here:

http://www.kighthomecenter.com/build...ce_window.html

"A few manufacturers still make dark brown windows, but many have stopped manufacturing dark colors. Despite advances in formulation, vinyl is still more sensitive to temperature variations than other window materials, and dark colors absorb heat more readily than light colors."

 

I don't believe your going to have muck luck with a brown vinyl window. Dark colors do not hold up well in vinyl as they are subject to severe weathering caused by UV.

You can of course get Brown (Bronze) aluminum replacemt windows and wood windows with brown (bronze cladding) on the exterior from a variety of sources.

Where are you located ?

 

Are you certain that they are vinyl? Most of the bronze (what you call brown) windows made today are aluminum. They are available at most local window suppliers.

 

I am not sure they are vynil. I was just told that they were by an unreliable source. How can I tell if they are vynil. I am located in westchester, new york.

 

Let start with the basics, regardless of whether your windows go up and down, or side to side, crank out or are stationary, windows in general are made up of...the frame (which holds the sashes (the moving part),and the sashes (which hold the glass).

There is also an inside and an outside component to a window.

Excluding the glass, and some other mechanical components, some windows (frame members) are made of 100% wood, some 100% vinyl (plastic) and some 100% aluminum.

It is extremely rare for an aluminum window to be less than 100% aluminum or a vinyl window to be less than 100% vinyl.

Sometimes wood windows are what could be termed, hybrids. That is; they are wood on the inside and "something else" on the outside.

That "something else" is called cladding. Cladding can be made up of vinyl or aluminum and is often available in colors, ( typically white, various shades of tan, various shades of brown and sometimes even green, depending on the manufacturer. The cladding is a skin, that is bonded to the wood frame and protects the wood from the elements. How the cladding is bonded is irrelivent, just that it exists.

Several wood window manufactures make these types of windows including Anderson, Pella, Weathershield, and Marvin just to mention a few.

The first thing you need is to determine what you have. The forum could be more helpful if you could provide a photo of the inside of your existing window and the outside or at the very least describe the attributes of your windows in detail.

Someone in the forum will be able to identify the type of window you have , but not likely the manufacturer.

That should put you in the right direction.

Good Luck, hope this helped

 

You should be able to locate a window dealer that sells windows made of "Compozit C/G" (cycolac/geloy) which is similar to vinyl, but is actually an ABS plastic manufactured by GE.

Compozit windows can be made in dark brown because the plastic is stronger than vinyl. One sales demonstration involves boiling pieces of vinyl and Compozit in water. The vinyl becomes squishy and soft, while the compozit is very hot, but just as rigid as before.

 

Sddiy, you can tell if they are vinyl or aluminum by tapping on the frame of the window with a metal object like a key. The vinyl will sound dull and aluminum will have a louder sound. This is not a scientific way but you'll know. If you live in Westchester County, NY there are probably 2 dozen places to purchase the windows. Let your fingers do the walking under "Windows-Installation & Sales".

 

I banged it with a key but I can't tell what it is.
HEre are some pics.










These are called double hung right? And would you consider them one window or two windows side by side?

 

They're aluminum. Yes, they are called double hungs, provided you can lower the top sash. If the top sash is fixed, they would be called single hungs. And you have 2 windows that have been common mulled (joined together to form one common unit.) If the windows would be removed, they would both come out together and you would have one big rough opening.

 

kool thanks. Since they are aluminum they should be easy to replace right? What kind of price am I looking at for two sets of these double hung mulled windows? Materials and labor. I'm looking for the most energy efficient I can find for the winter for as little $$$ as possible.

 

Any kind of window is easy to replace.

Prices vary widely depending on what type of window you decide to purchase. MissTFried mentioned various kinds. You can install any kind you want. Personally, I'd stay away from aluminum framed windows if you live in a cold climate.

You say you have 2 sets of double mulled windows. If I understand you correctly that means you want to replace a total of 4 windows in two openings, where each pair would need to be mulled together.

If you'd like to stick with double hungs, an average price might be roughly $600 per window, material and labor. So 600x4 = $2400. But prices vary depending on what you want. A Pella window with all the bells and whistles might be closer to $1000 each. So 1000 x 4 = $4000. And you could get some cheap window for much less- maybe $300 per window. This should give you an idea of what the price range is.

If you want energy efficiency, you should get low-e or low-e2, depending on what's advisable for your climate. Triple glass is sometimes an option. Argon or Krypton gas fill is also an option that increases the glass performance.

Personally, I think wood windows feel warmer to the touch than vinyl windows, but in theory, their r-value per inch is about the same (1.2 / 1.3 per inch).

 

Well I can't use vynil, since it needs to be dark brown. So I either get all alluminum windows or maybe wood windows with dark brown alluminum cladding on the outside.

I guess now its time to get out there and find a contractor. Anyone ever use www.BidClerk.com and can recommend it? It seems like a good idea, but maybe it sucks in practice.

 

Maybe you missed what I mentioned earlier about "Compozit C/G" (cycolac/geloy). It's another option you could consider. But a custom sized aluminum clad wood window would probably be much easier to find.

 

Anderson makes a color called Terratone which is a dark brown.

 

The compozit c/G looks like an interesting product but a search on line indicated that Thermaline does not have a dealer anywher near NY. the closest was KY an MI and then points west

 

Now that you know that they are aluminum and that you must put in windows that conform with the others in the co-op, it's very simple. Go to the yellow pages in Westchester and you'll find plenty of dealers. You'll be looking at about $300.00 per single window installed.

 

I'm not sure if it's still current, but windowanddoor.net has a news article dated 2002 that mentioned a supplier in PA. I suppose if the guy has to stick with the same kind of windows it's a mute point. A snipit of that article appears below:

Winchester To Produce Windows for Thermoview

February 2002

ThermoView Industries, Inc., reports that Winchester Industries, Inc., Saltsburg, PA, will begin manufacturing a new line of windows incorporating composite resin materials. An agreement between the two firms allows ThermoView, which markets replacement windows, doors, and other products in 16 states, to expand the availability of the Compozit window technology.

 

Just got a quote for $1800 for 4 lowe with argon gas windows.

The brand name is Crystal. I just want to know if this window manufacturer is reputable?

 

Crystal windows are OK. It's a common window sold in the New York area. The price depends on the model window and the type of installation. If you have aluminum or steel windows that have to be removed, then the price is OK.

Who did you get the quote from?

 

Yea it is aluminum windows that are being replaced. I got it from Ross Windows. A place in new rochelle.

 

My 2 cents: I would DEFINATELY go with vinyl and low-e. I know there is dar brown out there. I've actually touched Paradigm's and it is very rich in color. GL

 

Ross has been around for a long time. The price is about average for Westchester.

 

i sell vinyl windows and i know that amsco windows makes a bronze vinyl window. it is white on the inside and bronze on the outside. the only drawback to bronze vinyl is that if it gets scratched hard enough it will scratch off the bronze layer and will be white underneath.