DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

We live in a very exposed windy site facing south. We would like to replace some smallish windows with brown uPVC, but are worried that the colour will fade as it has on our brown downpipe, which is now white. Are there any types of window which guarantee colour-fastness?

The Top-Flight firm ? * are probably the best in this respect, as they do extensive product testing, prior to and during production. The brown colour is actually a sheet of textured anodised aluminium glued onto the UPVC. A 10-year guarantee is quoted, and is transferrable, for a small fee to a new house-owner. They are not cheap for small orders.

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Thanks for the reply, but I note the company you mention are London based and we are in the West Country. I just need to know if there are any specific specifications I should be looking out for when choosing a non-fading uPVC for our replacement windows.

Your location should be no problem-- My daughter lives in Bristol, and was quoted 17K, for windows + patio doors for a 3 bed semi (13K after discount). I know the firm and their products (as I briefly tried my hand as a salesman for them, 100 miles north of Inverness, the Highland Capital), and wish I had their products in my own home, not just their facia/barge boards & rain-water products. Their workmanship was so impressive that I applied for a job with them, but commission-only is a tough way to make a living. People just don't care that their products are better in every way, than the competition, nor that back-up is super-fast, and installation date flexible, etc, etc.
Sunlight, in my experience, taints both white and brown UPVC products, and can crack the welds. The brown-anodised aluminium seems a good idea, and could probably be painted-over if colour-change occurs (outside warranty-- the colour-fastness is part of the 10-year warranty).