Not usually — and the gap widens the longer you own them. For most homeowners and property owners weighing up timber vs aluminium windows, timber is generally not the cheaper option once you look beyond the initial quote.

That said, "cheaper" is doing a lot of work in that question. The purchase price is only one of three numbers that matter, and the other two — what you spend keeping the windows alive, and how long they last before you replace them — tend to decide the argument. Below, we compare upfront cost, maintenance, lifespan, thermal performance, aesthetics, repair costs, and long-term value so you can judge which material best suits your budget, your property, and the style and durability you need.

The short price comparison

	Timber	Aluminium
Upfront cost	Higher, especially hardwood	Lower, though not cheap
Lifespan	60+ years if properly maintained	Up to 50 years
Maintenance	Recoating every several years	Occasional cleaning
Natural insulation	Excellent — timber is a poor conductor	Poor on its own; needs a thermal break
Frame slimness	Thicker sections needed for strength	Slim sightlines, more glass
Vulnerabilities	Wet rot, dry rot, woodworm, swelling	Minimal; powder coat can chip
Best suited to	Period, listed and conservation-area homes	Contemporary properties and extensions
End of life	Renewable, biodegradable	100% recyclable

What timber windows cost to run

The purchase price is the easy part. The commitment is the recoating cycle.

Timber needs its protective finish maintained, and once that finish fails, water gets into the grain and the frame starts to go. Typical guidance is to re-treat around 18 to 24 months after installation, then again every six to eight years — though modern factory-applied microporous paints hold up considerably better than the site-applied finishes of thirty years ago.

Redecorating a whole house is a real expense:

Number of windows	Cost	Time
4 – 5	£700 – £1,750	5 – 7 days
8 – 9	£1,400 – £3,150	7 – 9 days
10 – 12	£1,750 – £4,200	10 – 12 days
15 – 18	£2,600 – £6,300	12 – 15 days

The labour is the bulk of it. The old paint has to come off, two coats of primer go on, and three coats of finish paint go over that. It's slow, materials-heavy work, and painters' rates vary — expect to pay somewhere from £15 to £22 an hour, though rates in London and the south east run higher.

Four things push the figure up or down:

How many windows, and how big. Straightforward arithmetic.

The condition of the existing frames. If a frame has gone soft at the bottom rail, painting it is pointless. Rotten sections need splicing or the whole frame needs replacing, which is a different job at a different price.

Access. Anything above ground floor level may need scaffolding rather than ladders, which is safer and costs £500 to £1,000 depending on the height and spread of the property.

Where you live. Rates vary regionally, and delivery of materials to remote areas adds to it.

What goes wrong with untreated timber

Neglected frames rot. Wet rot is the common culprit in British weather, taking hold wherever water sits in an unprotected joint; dry rot is rarer but more serious, and proper maintenance preserves durability and extends service life. Woodworm can also get into softwood that's been allowed to stay damp. Once decay is established you're generally replacing the frame rather than repairing it.

None of this is inevitable. It's simply the price of the material — timber is organic, and organic things need regular maintenance to avoid decay.

What aluminium windows cost to run

Very little, which is the whole argument for them.

Aluminium has far lower maintenance requirements than timber, which is a big part of the appeal. Aluminium arrives with a polyester powder-coated finish applied in the factory to a RAL colour. That coating is the protection, and unlike paint on timber it isn't something you top up. There's no varnish, no annual treatment, no recoating cycle; aluminium windows require minimal upkeep and rarely need repainting. A wipe with a damp cloth and an occasional drop of oil on the hinges is genuinely the extent of it.

The frames don't warp, swell, rot or absorb water. They hold their shape through weather that would move a timber sash, and a well-made aluminium window will still be doing its job at 50 years old, which helps make them a more cost-effective option over time.

Repair costs

Item	Typical cost
Frame repair	£80 – £290
Coloured finish (over bare aluminium)	Adds roughly 10 – 15%
Specialist glazing (toughened, tinted, obscure)	Varies by specification
Insect screens	Priced per unit

What moves the repair figure:

• Size — larger frames need more material.

• Type — a fixed light is cheaper to fix than an opening one, and the price also depends on the window type and the hardware in it.

• Grade — builder's grade, mid-grade and high-end systems sit at different price points.

• Thermal specification — enhanced performance is an upgrade, and priced as one.

Repairing is normally the cheaper route. It's only when the frame or the sealed unit is beyond saving that it makes more financial sense to replace windows.

The thing most comparisons miss: thermal performance

Here's where the received wisdom gets it backwards.

Timber is a natural insulator. Its thermal conductivity is very low, which is why a solid timber frame delivers excellent insulation and performs well without any help. Aluminium is the opposite — it's an excellent conductor of heat, which is precisely what you don't want in a window frame.

Modern aluminium windows solve this with thermal breaks: polyamide barriers separating the inner and outer sections of the frame, interrupting the path heat would otherwise take straight through the metal. It works, and it works well — good aluminium systems achieve whole-window U-values comfortably inside current building regulations, with some triple-glazed systems getting below 0.9 W/m²K.

But it's worth knowing that this performance is engineered rather than inherent. A cheap aluminium window without an effective thermal break will underperform a decent timber one. When you're comparing quotes, ask for the whole-window U-value and double glazing specification, not the centre-pane figure — that's the number building control cares about, and the one that reflects the frame. Quality timber windows can exceed UK building regulations for thermal efficiency, and better energy efficiency makes them more energy efficient over time, which can save homeowners on energy bills long-term.

The aesthetic question

This is where most people actually decide.

Timber belongs on period homes and traditional homes. Georgian sashes, Victorian casements, cottage windows in a stone opening — traditional timber is part of the architecture, and a plastic or metal replacement reads wrong immediately. If your home is listed or sits in a conservation area, timber may not just be preferable but required. Modern timber windows can also be custom-made to suit different style preferences and painted or stained in various colours for traditional homes.

Aluminium suits contemporary buildings, modern extensions, and modern properties. Because the metal is strong, the sections can be far slimmer than timber needs to be for the same span, giving it clean lines, more glass, and less frame. On a large opening that difference is dramatic — a rear extension with aluminium glazing looks like a wall of glass in a way a timber equivalent never will.

Neither material is better. They're answers to different questions.

So which is better value?

If you're keeping the house a long time and you want the lowest total cost of ownership, aluminium wins on the key differences in upfront cost and maintenance, though both materials have their own distinct advantages. Lower purchase price, a maintenance bill close to zero, and half a century of service.

If your property calls for timber — architecturally, or because the planners say so — then the maintenance is simply part of the deal, and well-maintained timber windows will outlive aluminium ones for better long term value. Historic timber windows can exceed 150 years when repaired and maintained over generations. Specify engineered laminated timber with a factory-applied finish rather than solid softwood, keep the recoating cycle, and they'll repay the effort.

The expensive mistake isn't choosing one over the other. It's choosing timber and then not maintaining it. For embodied carbon, timber and aluminium windows are about 85kg CO₂e and 161kg CO₂e respectively

For more on specification and installation, have a look through our blog — or browse our range of aluminium windows if you've made your mind up.

FAQs

Which is cheaper to buy, aluminium windows or wood windows?

For wooden windows vs aluminium windows, aluminium windows are usually cheaper upfront and are a popular choice for buyers who want a lower initial cost and low maintenance. Timber can be slightly higher at the point of purchase, but aluminium is often the lower-cost option over the long term because it is durable and easy to maintain.

Do aluminium windows last longer than timber windows?

Both aluminium and timber windows can last over 40 years, but if treated properly after installation, timber windows can have a longer lifespan and often last over 60 years when properly maintained. Current timber products also pair that longevity with modern performance, including updated standards for insulation, security, and everyday ease of use.

Are timber windows worth the investment?

Not always in the long term. While quality timber window frames do need more upkeep because they’re exposed to the elements, they’re often a worthwhile investment thanks to their lifespan and repairability. In the long run, they’re generally considered a long-term investment and can also help make homes more energy efficient.

Why are aluminium windows more expensive to buy?

This is largely down to the cost of materials used to make aluminium frames, and one of the distinct advantages buyers pay for is their lower maintenance. However, they are cheaper in the long term. They don't require maintenance in comparison to other window frames and come with a lot of other cost-saving benefits, although specification differences and other factors can also affect the price (as we already discussed).

How much does it cost to install aluminium windows?

It costs between £150-£495 to install an aluminium window, and installation costs can vary depending on the size. On average, an aluminium window costs around £340 in the UK, which is a useful guide for buyers planning new windows.