You might ask the question: hard wood windows or soft wood windows which will last longer and why? Windows for your home, whether new or replacement, are a big investment so this seems a reasonable query. However, the answer is not so easy.
What is a hard wood or a soft wood, anyway? One definition is that a hardwood is a deciduous tree, which loses its leaves in the winter. However, there are many tropical trees that do not follow this rule. They do, however, have broad leaves rather than narrow needles and share other biological characteristics of this family. Many people accept that hardwood is denser and harder, but not necessarily; balsa wood is a hardwood that is soft and easily shaped.
Hardwood trees are often deciduous, losing their leaves in a seasonal pattern, but this does not hold true in tropical climates. The wood is denser as a rule, which translates into harder. However, some hardwood is very soft (balsa) and some softwood is very hard (yew). You can see why the subject is not so simple.
Coniferous trees, evergreen and having needles rather than broad leaves, give us the softwood used extensively in building. Although these products can be made out of hardwood, such as maple, they will be more expensive and not generally available in mass produced units.
So when it comes to windows, what is the answer? A hardwood window, made of maple perhaps, will be both durable and beautiful. It will also be very expensive and probably a custom job. A softwood window, made to conventional specifications or to your custom order, will be affordable and will last for years when properly treated with paint or stain and well maintained.
When considering how long a window will last, it is important to realize that good craftsmanship in the making and proper maintenance in future may be more important than the wood itself. Some hardwoods warp faster and more severely than some softwoods, but neither will do this if the wood is properly treated after harvest. Making sure the window is made properly (the sill slanted away from the house, for instance), that the paint or stain is sound, and that any splintering or nicks are sanded and refinished will extend the useful life of any unit.
The answer to hard wood windows or soft wood windows which will last longer and why is that it depends on which wood is chosen, how well the window is made, and how well it is maintained.
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