Finestre in PVC, grondaie in PVC, sottosoffitti in PVC, anche porte in PVC. Te ne accorgi davvero quando vai all’estero e torni. In paesi come Germania e Francia esistono norme che limitano l’uso della plastica all’esterno degli edifici. Ma in Irlanda la roba è ovunque. È un peccato perché è brutto e invecchia terribilmente.
La spiegazione ovvia è che lo usiamo perché è più economico e, ok, abbastanza giusto. La cosa strana è che generalmente insistiamo sulla costruzione in cemento che è relativamente costosa, ma poi utilizziamo le finiture più economiche disponibili. Vedrai il PVC anche su case con complesse murature in pietra dove il costo era chiaramente meno problematico.
https://i.redd.it/931so9e54zqg1.jpeg
di D-dog92
21 commenti
I dont see PVC cills been used? maybe a new thing
What is the alternative?
Aluminium up-pipes, aluminium down-pipes, aluminium floors, aluminium doors
Pvc windows are cheap? Lol they are not.
Doesnt have to be white but costs more.
A lot better than wood that needs constant care over the years and doubt it can be energy efficient as pvc
Literally a first world problem.
Everywhere does something in my experience. France for example is very fond of white aluminium roller shutters that would give a lot of conservative architectural types design migraines.
ya won’t get a deposit return on that!
It’s a durable material that does not take much maintenance, perfectly fitting for a country that has one of the best climates in the world to rot and corrode most materials quickly-enough.
I painted the PVC on my husbands business. See https://tuskdental.ie
It’s very easy. We had a same white ones
I can see the appeal of uPVC windows… or perhaps of *some* uPVC windows. On modern houses they make some sense while not being aesthetically that unappealing. Given their long lifespan they seem somewhat less wasteful.
I hate to see them on older buildings, particularly replacing beautiful original sash windows which, while maybe a little draughty, could have easily been restored for the price of a few uPVC one… but not because people want new and clean.
I love that PVC offers a cheap low maintenance option because I couldn’t afford aluminium windows & I don’t want the hassle of constantly treating timber ones.
If we had a healthy housing market & cost of living was ok then I might have been able to afford better.
Ok. Thanks for letting us know.
First world problems.
Despite the aesthetics this stuff is functionally sound for our weather.
Can’t have it all.
They could have at least used brown PVC
Would you prefer the old style cast iron gutters and timber fascia and soffit?
The cast stuff was great for taking the head off ya in a storm.
Timber fascia and soffit requires regular painting to prevent it from rotting away – do you like climbing ladders to paint timber 5meters in the air?
If pvc windows are cheap then you’ll really love paying for hardwood windows – that require maintenance and are typically less secure too.
Ah look, it all matches broadly, maybe switch up the color of the paint or the door to liven it up. I am grateful my gaf has black pvc. Just looks sharper all round. But switching all that out for another color would be a waste of time and money. Also changing the blinds etc. You can style it to make it more pleasing.
The problem with this country, and yes it is quite specific to this country with our long warmish damp winters (and summers) is that wood rots very quickly. Wooden windows and fascias need constant maintenance and even at that their lifespan is relatively short
In the old days we used pitch pine which is resistant to our weather but that’s not as widely available as it was. We tried teak in the 70s and 80s but even though it’s a tropical hardwood it rotted fairly quickly in the Irish damp. Steel and aluminium windows worked but they were cold so when PVC came around it was embraced by Irish homeowners.
Yes it looks shit but that wasn’t that important when it was relatively maintenance free, long lasting, easy to clean and kept the draughts out. We have no real protection for, or appreciation of, built heritage in this country so there was no incentive to replace sash windows with like for like which (along with the use of cementitious render) is why so many of our old buildings look characterless.
PVC is so bad for the environment
I have wooden windows and they are holding up well. The hardware they used is absolute trash. So I’m replacing the handles, seals and hinges.
Plastic gets a lot of hate, but the biggest issues with plastic usage is for everyday disposal stuff like packaging and carrier bags, or for items which won’t last a long time or won’t be used for a long time. PVC is a perfect material for stuff like this, it is durable and lasts atleast a few decades, and it can also be recycled.
Most of the alternatives aren’t as durable or have other issues.
Is it really okay to take a photo on someone’s house to have it rinsed on the internet?