# uPVC vs Aluminium vs Wooden Windows in Kashmir: Which Suits Your House?

> For most Kashmir homes, uPVC is the practical choice: welded corners and gaskets on every side keep winter air out, and it needs little upkeep. Wood looks beautiful but shrinks and needs regular care. Standard aluminium conducts cold and often lets draughts in unless you pay for a thermally broken system.

Source: https://standardfabtech.com/blog/upvc-vs-aluminium-vs-wooden-windows-kashmir/
Published: 2026-10-02 · Buying guide · Standard Fabtech, Kashmir's leading uPVC window & door fabricator

Every Kashmir house eventually faces the same question: what should the windows be made of? Most older homes have wooden frames. Many shops and some houses built in the last twenty years have aluminium sliders. More and more new houses use uPVC.

Each material has a place. Here is how they actually compare in a Kashmir house, through a Kashmir winter.

## The short comparison

| | uPVC | Aluminium (standard) | Wood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keeping winter air out | Very good: welded corners, gaskets all round | Often weak on sliders; depends on the system | Good when new, worse as it shrinks |
| How cold the frame feels | Frame stays close to room temperature | Metal conducts cold unless thermally broken | Warm to the touch |
| Damp and condensation on the frame | Does not rot or swell | Can sweat on the inside in winter | Can swell, rot and warp |
| Upkeep | Wipe clean; check seals and hardware | Wipe clean; tracks need clearing | Sanding, painting or polishing every few years |
| Look | White or woodgrain | Slim metal lines | Natural timber |
| Cost | Mid-range | Low for basic, high for thermally broken | Varies widely with timber and joinery |

*[Image: Golden oak woodgrain uPVC window in a brick-finish wall]*

## Wooden windows: beautiful, but they move

Kashmiri joinery is something to be proud of, and a well-made wooden window looks wonderful. The problem is what happens over the years. Timber takes in moisture in the wet months and dries out with the bukhari running all winter. It swells, shrinks and twists, and the gaps around the sash open up.

That is why so many people tell us the same story: the windows were fine when the house was new, and now the room never gets warm. The cold is coming in round the frame, not through the glass.

Wood can still be the right choice for a heritage front where the look matters most. Plan for regular maintenance if you choose it.

## Aluminium: slim, strong, and cold

Aluminium is strong and makes slim frames, which is why it is popular for shopfronts. But metal conducts heat very well. A standard aluminium frame on a Chillai Kalan night is almost as cold as the air outside, and moisture from the room condenses on it.

Most basic aluminium windows are sliders that seal with brush strips, and they let air through at the interlocks. There are high-end aluminium systems with a thermal break (an insulating strip inside the frame) that perform well, but they cost a good deal more.

## uPVC: made for the job

A uPVC window frame is made of hollow profiles with several chambers inside. In a quality system such as VEKA, galvanised steel runs inside those chambers to keep long frames straight.

What makes the real difference in winter is how the window is put together:

- **Welded corners.** The four corners of the frame and sash are fused on a welding machine, so there is no corner joint to open up.
- **Gaskets on every side.** On casement and tilt-and-turn windows, rubber gaskets run all the way round. When you lock the handle, the sash is pulled onto them.
- **Double glazing.** A sealed unit of two panes keeps the inside glass warmer.
- **Sealed to the wall.** The gap between frame and wall is packed and sealed when we fit it.

*[Image: CNC router machining a VEKA uPVC profile in the Standard Fabtech plant]*

> **uPVC is not one thing** The word covers everything from thin, unreinforced profiles to multi-chamber systems from established makers. Ask which profile system a fabricator uses, whether there is steel inside, and how the corners are joined.

## So which should you choose?

- **New house, mostly about comfort and low upkeep:** uPVC, double glazed, casement or tilt-and-turn for bedrooms.
- **Old house, renovating room by room:** uPVC in the same openings, sealed to the existing walls. See our guide to [replacing windows in an old Kashmiri house](https://standardfabtech.com/blog/replacing-windows-old-kashmiri-house/).
- **Heritage front where the look matters most:** wood, or uPVC in a woodgrain finish.
- **Shopfront:** aluminium or uPVC depending on the span. Ask us.

**Not sure what suits your house?** WhatsApp Standard Fabtech on +91 70062 70197 (https://wa.me/917006270197).

## What we make

We fabricate uPVC windows and doors on VEKA profiles in our own plant in Kashmir: [casement](https://standardfabtech.com/windows/casement-windows/), [sliding](https://standardfabtech.com/windows/sliding-windows/), [tilt and turn](https://standardfabtech.com/windows/tilt-and-turn-windows/), [French](https://standardfabtech.com/doors/french-doors/) and [sliding doors](https://standardfabtech.com/doors/sliding-doors/). If you want to see the difference for yourself, [look through our gallery](https://standardfabtech.com/gallery/) or come and see the plant.

## Questions people ask

**Are uPVC windows better than aluminium in Kashmir?**
For homes, usually yes. uPVC does not conduct cold the way plain aluminium does, and welded uPVC corners with gaskets all round seal better than most standard aluminium sliders. Thermally broken aluminium systems perform well but cost considerably more.

**Do uPVC windows last in Kashmir winters?**
A good uPVC window on a quality profile with steel reinforcement, properly fitted and sealed, is built for many winters. Frames do not rot or need painting; hardware and seals should be checked and cared for.

**Can uPVC look like wood?**
Yes. Woodgrain finishes such as golden oak, rustic oak and mahogany give a timber look. Approve a physical sample before ordering.

---
Standard Fabtech: uPVC windows and doors, fabricated in Kashmir. Call or WhatsApp +91 70062 70197 · hello@standardfabtech.com · https://standardfabtech.com