Trying to decide between repainting my old wood windows with a high-end exterior paint or just biting the bullet and getting aluminum cladding installed. Winters here are brutal, but I like the look of wood. Anyone prefer one over the other?
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from. I’ve got a 1950s place with original wood windows, and every couple of years I debate this exact thing. The look of wood is hard to beat—there’s something about the character you just don’t get with aluminum. But man, the upkeep... especially after a few nasty winters. I tried high-end exterior paint two summers ago, took my time sanding and priming, and it looked great for a while. By the end of the second winter though, some spots were already peeling where snow piled up against the sills.
The cladding idea is tempting since it’s basically “set it and forget it,” but then you lose that natural look unless you go with one of those faux-wood finishes (which always seem a little off to me). Have you checked what cladding would run for your windows? When I priced it out, the upfront cost was pretty steep compared to paint, but factoring in labor and time... might even out over a decade or so.
I’m curious—do your windows have any rot or damage yet, or are they still solid? That made my decision harder because mine had a couple soft spots that needed patching anyway. Also, how much sun do your windows get? My south-facing ones take way more abuse than the others.
Just wondering if anyone’s found a happy medium—like painting but adding storm windows or something to cut down on direct exposure.