Aluclad Window questions answered in plain English

A standard triple-glazed alu-clad casement or tilt-and-turn window (Uw 0.78–0.85 W/m²K) costs €1,100 to €2,000 supplied and fitted. Large fixed floor-to-ceiling screens cost €1,400 to €2,800, a full 3-bed semi-detached house (8–10 windows) costs €11,000 to €20,000, and a 4-bed detached or one-off self-build package (12–16 windows plus a lift-and-slide patio door) costs €16,500 to €32,000.

A true alu-clad window has a structural core made from laminated, knot-free engineered Scandinavian timber (usually slow-grown Nordic pine or European oak) on the inside of the room, protected on the outside by a ventilated, clip-on extruded powder-coated aluminium skin. You get the warmth and natural insulating properties of real wood indoors without ever having to sand or paint the outside.

Some manufacturers market uPVC frames with clipped-on aluminium outer caps or polyurethane-foam cores as 'alu-clad'. True Scandinavian alu-clad joinery uses a solid laminated timber frame indoors, which can be factory-painted in any RAL shade, clear-lacquered to show the woodgrain, or repainted 25 years later if you change your interior decor.

Yes. On pre-2011 homes undergoing a qualifying energy upgrade, triple-glazed alu-clad windows (at Uw 0.78–0.85 W/m²K) comfortably beat SEAI's 1.4 W/m²K requirement and qualify for the €4,000 detached grant, €3,000 semi-D grant, €1,800 mid-terrace grant or €1,500 apartment grant.

When your alu-clad window supplier both supplies and installs the windows and doors (subject to Revenue's two-thirds rule), the entire contract is charged at the reduced 13.5% VAT rate rather than the 23% supply-only materials rate.

Because genuine alu-clad windows are bespoke-milled, dip-treated, spray-lacquered and clad to order, allow 6 to 9 weeks from final signed window schedule or site survey to delivery and fitting.

No — rainwater and UV sunlight only ever touch the outer powder-coated aluminium armour. That outer aluminium skin clips onto the frame via nylon stand-offs with a ventilated air gap behind it, keeping the internal engineered pine or oak warm and dry inside your thermal envelope.

No external painting is ever needed, and the internal timber arrives with 3 to 4 factory-sprayed coats of UV-stabilised microporous lacquer or opaque RAL paint that only needs wiping with a damp cloth like quality indoor furniture.

Because every aluclad window and lift-and-slide door is custom-made to millimetre survey measurements in your chosen exterior RAL colour and interior timber finish, factory production and delivery take 6 to 10 weeks from signed sign-off drawings.

Yes — ordering the complete house package from one supplier guarantees identical exterior RAL powder-coat batches, matching sightlines and a single airtightness & glazing warranty.

They are the gold standard for coastal self-builds in Kerry, Cork, Clare, Galway, Mayo and Donegal when ordered with Qualicoat Seaside marine-grade powder coating, 316 marine stainless ironmongery and outward-opening top-guided sashes that press tighter into their seals as wind pressure rises.

Your supplier can price directly from your architect's PDF plans and window schedule today, then carry out the final laser site survey as soon as blockwork openings (or timber-frame/ICF walls) are formed.