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PRO INSTALLER OCTOBER 2013
PRO PRODUCTS
@proinstaller1
MARVELLOUS MATERIALS
Pro Installer has teamed up with celebrity builder Craig Philips to cover industry topics relevant to you.
Before capturing the
nation’s hearts to win
the first series of Big
Brother, Craig Phillips
was a successful selfmade entrepreneur
who ran a construction
business throughout
the 1990’s.
Craig’s expertise and warm
personality has seen him
become one of the most
sought after construction
and DIY experts on television and he is also the
ambassador for leading
Swedish workwear provider
Blåkläder.
This month Craig
is looking at
the different
materials for
windows, doors and
conservatories…
“I know how important
it is to correctly advise
your customers on the best
material for their windows,
doors and conservatories.
It can make a huge difference to the way their home
looks, which is why I would
like to help you by explaining the benefits of using
different materials. Things
have changed a lot over the
years and there is now quite
a variety of different options
for homeowners, which can
actually make it quite daunting when trying to choose
the best material!
UPVC: Many doors, windows and conservatories
are made of un-plasticized
Polyvinyl Chloride, or uPVC,
and for good reason too.
They have plenty of benefits
including being extremely durable and very easy
to maintain. It’s also great
value for money when compared to its timber and aluminium alternatives. uPVC
is the UK’s most common
conservatory material for a
number of reasons, one of
them being the longevity of
a uPVC structure. Stabilisers
and additives are added during its manufacturing, which
will make it last longer and
also make it much more resistant to weather changes.
Timber: This is quickly
becoming a popular choice
of material for windows,
doors and conservatories,
mainly because of how
aesthetically pleasing it is.
Wood can look great and really improve the appearance
any home but you need to
also take into consideration
other factors when using
it. Wooden windows come
with a 30 year warranty
and are much stronger than
uPVC but they also cost
twice as much and have a
greater risk of warping and
rotting. However, if your
customer is environmentally
conscious timber windows
are a great choice as they
have been publicly en-
dorsed by Greenpeace and
WWF as the greenest choice
of window material.
Aluminium: Using aluminium can give homes a
much sleeker and modern
look due to the slimmer
profile of the material. If
you want to go for aluminium then be aware that
although they are easy
to maintain and come in
almost any colour they can
cost more than their uPVC
equivalent.
So, to recap, when
choosing the material for
windows, doors or conservatories, uPVC can be great if
you’re looking for a cheap,
durable option. However,
if your customer is after
something a bit more pricey
then timber is great for a
traditional look and aluminium if they want something
more modern.
Hospital Fire Doors On
The Critical List
Shocking video footage by fire door
campaigner, Theodore Firedoor, has
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