Vinyl’s always tempting because of the price, but in my experience, it just doesn’t hold up as well if you get wild temperature swings—think hot summers and freezing winters. I’ve seen too many vinyl frames start to bow or stick after a few years. Fiberglass costs more upfront, but it’s way more stable and you won’t be dealing with warping or seal failures nearly as often. Still, like you said, no window’s totally maintenance-free... and trim work on old houses is always a wild card.
That’s been my experience too—vinyl just doesn’t love the crazy swings we get here. I swapped out a couple of old, drafty wood windows for fiberglass a few years back, and honestly, haven’t had a single frame warp or stick since. The price tag stung a bit at first, but the peace of mind’s been worth it. Trim was a bit of a pain though… you never really know what you’ll find once you start pulling things apart in an older place. Still, I’d say you’re on the right track.
Trim was a bit of a pain though… you never really know what you’ll find once you start pulling things apart in an older place.
That’s the part that always gets me—pulling off that first piece of trim and wondering if I’m about to find a whole hidden mess. With my 1950s place, I ran into some weird old insulation and even a bird’s nest tucked in the framing once. Made for an interesting afternoon.
I’m curious, when you did your swap, did you end up needing extra shims or have to build out the jambs at all? My rough openings were all over the place—nothing square, which meant the fiberglass units needed a bit of finessing to get them plumb and tight. Ended up spending almost as much time tweaking the fit as actually installing. Would’ve been way less hassle in a newer build, I bet.
Also, did you stick with wood trim or try composite? I’ve been debating switching over since my original pine is looking pretty tired, but I can’t decide if it’s worth the extra effort.
That’s the thing about old houses—every bit of trim is like opening a mystery box. I’ve found everything from ancient newspapers stuffed as insulation to a petrified mouse once (not my favorite surprise). On my last window swap (1948 ranch, so nothing’s square), I went through nearly two boxes of shims. Some rough openings were so crooked I had to actually cut and glue extra jamb extensions just to get the fiberglass units to sit right. It’s tedious, but once you get the first one in and see it’s level, the rest feels a little less daunting.
As for trim, I wrestled with the same question. I love the look of real wood, but after years of repainting and filling dings, I finally caved and tried composite. It’s not quite the same warmth up close, but honestly, it paints up nice and has held up against our damp winters way better than my old pine. The best part? No warping, and nail holes fill smoother. Only downside was scribing it to the wonky plaster walls—took more patience than I expected.
If you’re thinking about switching, I’d say it’s worth the effort if you want less maintenance down the road, especially in a spot that gets a lot of sun or moisture. Still, there’s something about original trim that’s hard to let go of, even when it’s a bit tired. Sometimes I miss the old quirks, but my weekends are definitely less full of sanding and caulking now.
Funny how much of this comes down to what you’re willing to live with—character or convenience. Either way, getting those fiberglass windows in was a game changer for drafts and noise. Wouldn’t go back, even if the install was a bit of an adventure.
Either way, getting those fiberglass windows in was a game changer for drafts and noise. Wouldn’t go back, even if the install was a bit of an adventure.
Same here—fiberglass made a noticeable difference in my energy bills. Old wood windows just leak too much, and I got tired of dealing with condensation and cold spots. Install was a pain (nothing in my 1952 place is square either), but after the first winter, I was sold. Composite trim’s not perfect, but I’ll take less maintenance over sanding every year. If you care about efficiency, it’s hard to beat.
Old wood windows just leak too much, and I got tired of dealing with condensation and cold spots.
Totally get this. Swapping out old wood for fiberglass is a huge upgrade for most homes, especially when you’re fighting drafts in an older place. I’ve done a bunch of installs in houses from the 40s and 50s, and yeah—nothing’s square, so fitting the new windows can be a real puzzle. Sometimes you end up shimming more than you’d like, but once they’re in, the comfort difference is obvious.
Composite trim isn’t everyone’s favorite look, but not having to scrape and repaint every couple years is a win in my book. Only thing I’d flag is if you’ve got any brick or stone, the flashing details matter even more—seen a few jobs where water found its way in behind the new windows because someone skipped a step.
All in, it’s a pain up front, but worth it long term. Just budget extra time for the install if your house is as wonky as most of the ones I see.
Did the fiberglass swap about five years ago when our old windows finally gave up. Definitely agree it’s a big improvement for drafts, but I’ll say this—don’t trust every installer to get the flashing right. We had water sneak in behind one of ours because the crew rushed. Ended up redoing that section myself. If you go this route, double-check their work before they close things up. The energy savings have been nice, but I’m still not wild about how “modern” the trim looks in our 1920s house. Guess it’s a tradeoff.
That’s the same issue I ran into—energy savings, sure, but the install process was a headache. I did most of mine myself after getting burned by a contractor who cut corners on the flashing and caulking. It’s wild how a tiny gap can turn into a whole water damage situation if you’re not careful. I’m always skeptical now when someone says “professional install included”—it’s not always worth the premium if you have to redo half the work.
One thing I still can’t quite get over is the look, especially with older homes. The fiberglass frames are efficient, but they just don’t have that chunky, old-school profile. Did you try any kind of custom trim or casing to blend it in? I thought about making my own but ended up just living with the contrast. Sometimes I wonder if all the modern upgrades are worth sacrificing the original character... or maybe I’m just too picky.
That’s kind of my hang-up too—energy bills are lower, but I keep second-guessing whether it was worth messing with the original vibe of the place. I’ve got a 1920s bungalow, and those old wood frames had a certain heft you just don’t see anymore. I looked into custom trim, but the cost was nuts, and honestly I wasn’t sure I’d pull it off myself without it looking obvious. Did you notice any issues with condensation or draftiness after your install? I’ve heard some folks say the tighter seals on fiberglass can actually lead to more moisture buildup if you’re not careful with ventilation. Sometimes I wonder if keeping a few of the old windows for character (even if they’re not as efficient) would’ve been a better compromise. Anyone else try mixing old and new, or is that just asking for trouble with insulation?
Mixing old and new isn’t necessarily a problem, but it does require careful air sealing and insulation at the junctions.
That’s actually a common solution for historic homes, especially on street-facing sides. Did you upgrade your ventilation after the fiberglass install? Sometimes, just adding trickle vents or using a dehumidifier can handle the extra moisture. Curious if you’ve noticed any paint issues or swelling around the sills since the swap?“I wonder if keeping a few of the old windows for character (even if they’re not as efficient) would’ve been a better compromise.”