Replies

1. 
   shelternerd | Jun 28, 2008 07:05am | #1

   You have to be in the habit of leaving your windows open in the rain for this to be a real worry.

   Vinyl has a lot of durability problems and I wouldn't put it in any house I built but the new pultruded fiberglas windows from Intergity (ie. Marvin-home of bad service-expect a hassle) look like a good innovation.

   I'm still putting in the aluminum clad wood windows (from Peachtree with the easy-care self cleaning low-e glass) but I put them under 36" roof overhangs to keep them and the siding from getting wet.

    

   ------------------

   "You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."

1. 
   confused2 | Jun 28, 2008 04:42pm | #4

   Marvin Integrity's fibreglass is on the table, but they are limited in sizes, so several of my awnings need to be changed to casements, which bugs me. You are about the first  that I have heard say Marvin has bad service.

   I have been looking at the Weathershield /Peachtree ones, but they are brand new to my area in Canada and so far, I am less than impressed with the service? sales people, turn over of staff in 3 months. So future service is an issue for me.

1. 
   frammer52 | Jun 28, 2008 11:53pm | #5

   First I heard about bad service also.

   Personally I never had bad service from them.

2. 
   Ted W. | Jun 29, 2008 01:05am | #6

   so several of my awnings need to be changed to casements

   Hijack Alert! :)

   confused2, do you mean you sometimes use casement windows sideways as awning windows? If so, how well does that work?

   I just met with a customer today and that very issue came up. My concern is that the weather stripping may not be designed for shedding water in that direction, so were going with a different brand. Is my assumtion unfounded?

   Thanks.--------------------------------------------------------

   Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com

1. 
   confused2 | Jul 03, 2008 07:59pm | #9

   No, the awnings are not turned sideways, regular casements were substituted.

2. 
   BUIC | Jun 28, 2008 07:13am | #2

     Is the interior wood to be painted, stained, or clear coated?

     In any case, using exterior grade products will help a bit.

     Just try not to leave them open too much!   ;^)

     Personally I'm not a fan of vinyl windows, especially in a cottage.  They look "wrong" and rarely age well. 

     Best of luck...buic

3. 
   Scott | Jun 28, 2008 07:25am | #3

   As others have implied, roof overhangs and weather behavior are big factors here. We've got casements throughout the house that can all be left open when it rains, but we've got 2' overhangs and don't get typhoons.

   I don't think casements are necessarily any worse than other window types; an opening is an opening, and if you've got zero overhang and horizontally-driven rain, something's going to get wet....

   Scott.

   Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”

4. 
   JeffinPA | Jun 29, 2008 01:20am | #7

   Wood, with a good finish on it, wont get ruined in one or two rains.

   It takes sustained moisture over a period of time to destroy wood.

   With that said, what are your plans for the cottage.  Regular use, sporatic use?  etc.

   If you want inexpensive and value, vinyl is fine in my book.  I use vinyl windows all the time and rarely if ever get call backs on them.  I also use clad windows regularly and have had good experience with most of them.

   Fact is most windows leak anyway so whatever you do, I would make sure you build a sloped pan on the sub sill under the window so it drains away.

   In our local market, any home under about $500-$600K can get away with Vinyl windows and more expensive homes would be clad.  Not to say we dont see $300K homes with wood but I have also seen 900K homes with vinyl.

    

    

5. 
   mike_maines | Jun 29, 2008 06:22pm | #8

   Jeld-Wen has a proprietary wood treatment on all their "Custom Line" windows, called Auralast.  They guarantee against rot for 20 years.  Go ahead and leave 'em open.

   I'm not a huge fan of casements though for just that reason, preferring double hung or awnings so you can leave them cracked open.  Or use deep overhangs and don't worry about any of it.

1. 
   confused2 | Jul 14, 2008 03:51am | #10

   I looked into this, in Canada (my location) Jeld-wen does not have the Auralast. They use Hem-fir. I believe in the states, they use pine with the Auralast. Actually Jeld-wen has 3 different plants in Canada that produce 3 different products that are only available in each select location.