How we supply it: uPVC windows are arranged through a partner fabricator who measures, quotes, makes, fits and bills them and pays us a referral commission. We pass on your drawing so the fabricator can plan sizes early, then the finished openings are measured after plastering.
In one line: A uPVC window is a window whose frame and sash are made from unplasticised polyvinyl chloride profiles, usually reinforced inside with galvanised steel and fitted with gaskets and multi-point locks.
uPVC or aluminium?
| Point | uPVC | Aluminium |
|---|---|---|
| Dust and rain sealing | Very good, gasketed | Fair in basic sliders, good in system sections |
| Noise reduction | Good, better with thicker glass | Lower in basic sliders |
| Heat through the frame | Low | High unless thermally broken |
| Near the sea | Does not corrode | Needs good anodising or powder coat and stainless fittings |
| Frame slimness and very large openings | Thicker frames | Slimmer, larger spans |
| Upkeep | Wipe with soap and water | Clean tracks, check coating |
What a uPVC window is
A uPVC window is a window whose frame and sash are made from unplasticised polyvinyl chloride profiles, usually reinforced inside with galvanised steel and fitted with gaskets and multi-point locks.
The profile is hollow, divided into chambers. More chambers and a thicker wall mean a stiffer, better-insulating frame.
Window types
| Type | How it opens | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Sliding (2 or 3 track) | Panels slide past each other | Bedrooms, living rooms; third track for mesh |
| Casement | Side-hinged, opens outward | Best sealing, full opening for air |
| Tilt and turn | Tilts for air, turns to open fully | Upper floors, easy cleaning |
| Top-hung ventilator | Hinged at the top | Bathrooms and kitchens |
| Fixed | Does not open | Staircases, light panels |
Sizing the openings
A common planning rule in Indian building bye-laws is window openings of at least one-tenth of a habitable room's floor area. A 12 × 12 ft room then needs at least 14.4 sq ft of window.
Order after plastering so the fabricator measures the finished opening. Windows made to drawing sizes before plaster often need packing or cutting.
Checks on profile and fitting
- Ask for the profile data sheet: wall thickness and number of chambers.
- Look at a cut sample: galvanised steel reinforcement should run inside the main frame and sash profiles.
- Check that corners are fusion-welded cleanly, with no gaps.
- Open and close every sash: smooth rollers, even gasket pressure, locks engaging at every point.
- After fixing, check the frame-to-wall gap is sealed and the drainage slots on the outer track are clear.
Handling and protecting frames
- Fix windows after plastering and before final painting, with the protective film left on.
- Peel the film soon after painting; film baked on by sun is hard to remove.
- Store frames upright under cover with nothing heavy stacked on them.
- Clean with mild soap and water only; solvents attack uPVC.
Window mistakes
- Fixing before wet trades finish, so plaster and cement splash the profiles.
- Thin, unreinforced profiles for large sliders, which sag.
- Sealant smeared over the drainage slots.
- Forgetting the mesh track in mosquito-prone areas; it has to be planned at order time.
- Casement sashes that open into a balcony or passage and block it.