Hello everyone,
We recently visited the construction site of our general contractor. The house had gray windows on the outside, and my husband was immediately impressed.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we had to wait a bit before entering the house, and that’s when I noticed that the window handles were white. Then I looked at the windows from the inside – also white. I didn’t like that. For me, both the outside and inside being gray would not be an option.
It seems like almost every new build has gray windows these days. Is gray the new white now, or just a trend, and will the classic white windows make a comeback?
I like white, my husband prefers gray...
What did you decide on?
We recently visited the construction site of our general contractor. The house had gray windows on the outside, and my husband was immediately impressed.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we had to wait a bit before entering the house, and that’s when I noticed that the window handles were white. Then I looked at the windows from the inside – also white. I didn’t like that. For me, both the outside and inside being gray would not be an option.
It seems like almost every new build has gray windows these days. Is gray the new white now, or just a trend, and will the classic white windows make a comeback?
I like white, my husband prefers gray...
What did you decide on?
B
benediktr14 Dec 2020 20:19We initially planned for the 410 model but were able to upgrade to the 520 through the aluminum shell promotion for an additional cost of 2,000 euros. We chose the gray version for the interior. The exterior is in DB 703, which creates a really impressive effect. When the sun shines, the windows appear very bright due to the shimmer effect, but as the light dims, the windows almost turn black.
K
knalltüte14 Dec 2020 20:24@benediktr Very nice! Do you perhaps have detailed photos of the installation situation? (compressible sealing tape, taping, waterproofing, or even foam)
B
benediktr14 Dec 2020 20:32superzapp schrieb:
@benediktr Very neat! Do you happen to have detailed photos of the installation situation? (compressible sealing tape, taping, waterproofing, or even foam)I can gladly take photos over the weekend. In advance: A Heller Slice 3-layer compressible sealing tape was used by Heller, as there were significant subzero temperatures during the window installation, and this tape is weather-independent. The lower joint sealing of the PUR insulation strip was done with 2H window film VSK Duo. Roller shutter/blind boxes were additionally foamed. I am not currently aware of the foam manufacturer. Overall, as a layperson, the installation looks very neat to me. The window installers worked very carefully and without time pressure.
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Davidoff8615 Dec 2020 16:00exto1791 schrieb:
Also, with the film, you wouldn’t have any issues later on. I really don’t want to think about how all the windows will look in 10-15 years. We are currently looking at windows as well. We decided on uPVC windows, partly for cost reasons, but I would prefer them to be wrapped in anthracite, because white seems kind of boring to me. Is it really possible that the color or the film could peel off after 10-20 years? 😱
Davidoff86 schrieb:
We are currently dealing with the topic of windows as well. We have decided on uPVC windows—partly for cost reasons—but I would like them to be wrapped in anthracite foil because I find white somehow boring. Is it really possible that the color or the foil could peel off after 10-20 years? 😱 This is a very controversial topic—especially here in the forum.
We have been in contact with several window manufacturers in our area, and almost all of them advised against it. Our dealer, whom we have now chosen, doesn’t even offer foil-wrapped windows... He only produces windows with an aluminum cladding, as he doesn’t want to deal with all the issues that come with foils.
I’ll put it this way: There isn’t really long-term experience available yet. The foil tends to warp over the years due to weather, sun exposure, etc., which eventually makes the windows look less attractive—sometimes even terrible (our dealer showed us pictures of foil-wrapped windows after 5-10 years... really shocking).
Basically, it’s quite simple—like with many things nowadays: colored windows on the outside are very fashionable and becoming increasingly popular. Everyone wants them but preferably without paying extra—so they opt for the cheaper foil instead of the more expensive aluminum cladding. Similar to many prefabricated house providers regarding air-to-air heat pumps or various other topics, foil-wrapped windows are often presented as the ultimate solution, with no problems like warping happening over the years... :p
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Davidoff8615 Dec 2020 16:12That doesn’t sound good at all...
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