WINDOW MATERIALS

Aluminum Windows

The strongest, slimmest frame material on the market. Modern thermally improved aluminum delivers contemporary architectural lines with energy performance that addresses the historical knock against aluminum windows.

Aluminum was the dominant residential window material in the mid-20th century, then largely fell out of favor when builders realized aluminum conducts heat aggressively and creates condensation in cold climates. Modern thermally improved aluminum solves that problem with a polyurethane channel that breaks the thermal connection between inside and outside. The result is the strength and slim profile of aluminum without the energy penalty.

Why Aluminum Is Back

Two reasons. First, modern thermal-break technology dramatically reduces the cold-bridging issue that plagued older aluminum. Second, contemporary architecture often calls for slim window frames and large glass areas that vinyl simply can’t support structurally. Aluminum’s strength enables design choices vinyl can’t match. Mid-century, modern, and Northwest contemporary homes all benefit from aluminum’s architectural feel.

What Thermal Break Means

Inside the aluminum frame, between the inner and outer surfaces, sits a polyurethane channel. Heat can’t conduct through that channel the way it conducts through bare aluminum. So the inside surface of the frame stays closer to room temperature even on cold days. Combined with modern Low-E glass, today’s thermally improved aluminum windows perform respectably on energy efficiency, even if they’re still not quite at vinyl or fiberglass levels.

Architectural And Finish Options

Aluminum supports architectural finishes that vinyl can’t reproduce, including true anodized finishes that look genuinely metallic. The frame profile is the slimmest available, often less than half the visible thickness of vinyl. Hardware can be more substantial because the frame supports the weight, which gives the window a more substantial, commercial-grade feel.

When To Choose Aluminum

Aluminum is the right choice for contemporary, mid-century, modern, and commercial-aesthetic residential projects. It pairs well with concrete, stone, and metal cladding. If your home is traditional craftsman or colonial, aluminum probably doesn’t fit. If your home is a modern remodel or new build with clean lines, aluminum is often the strongest choice on every dimension except raw energy performance.

Series we install in this category

Here’s the aluminum window we install at SRC. Milgard’s A250 is a thermally improved, modern aluminum product that solves the energy issues of older aluminum windows.

MILGARD

Premium

A250 Aluminum

Architectural strength. Slimmer than vinyl, stronger than wood.

Built-in thermal break addresses old aluminum issues
Slim profile supports larger glass areas
Anodized and architectural finish options

Best for: Modern, mid-century, and Northwest contemporary homes where structural strength enables design choices vinyl can’t support.

Is Aluminum Right For You?

Most of our aluminum projects use Milgard’s A250. If you want maximum architectural finish flexibility or are working on a modern home where the aluminum aesthetic is central, the A250 is usually the right call. We’ll discuss specific finish options and pair the windows with a matching aluminum patio door if you want a unified look.

Common questions

Aren't aluminum windows bad for energy efficiency?

Older aluminum windows were. They had no thermal break, so the metal frame conducted heat right through the wall, leading to condensation and high energy bills. Modern thermally improved aluminum solves the thermal-break problem with a polyurethane channel inside the frame. Combined with Low-E glass, today’s aluminum windows perform far better than the bare-metal frames most people remember.

Why choose aluminum over vinyl?

Three main reasons: structural strength supports slimmer frames and larger glass areas, the architectural feel suits modern and contemporary homes that vinyl can’t quite match, and aluminum offers true anodized finishes that vinyl can’t reproduce. The tradeoff is somewhat lower energy performance than equivalent vinyl, and a higher price point.

Will aluminum windows work in Pacific Northwest weather?

Yes. The thermal break and modern weatherstripping address the condensation issues that older aluminum windows had in our climate. AAMA-certified coatings handle wet conditions without corrosion. We’ve installed aluminum throughout the Puget Sound region without callback issues.

What kind of home is aluminum a good fit for?

Modern, contemporary, mid-century, and Northwest contemporary homes are the obvious fits. Aluminum also works well for additions to commercial buildings or for accessory dwelling units where a clean architectural look is the priority. For traditional craftsman, colonial, or farmhouse homes, vinyl or wood-clad usually pair better with the architecture.

Are there aluminum patio doors to match?

Yes. Milgard’s A250 patio door pairs with the A250 windows for a consistent architectural look. Ask during your consultation about packaging windows and doors together.

Considering aluminum for a contemporary project?

Free in-home consultation. No-pressure estimate. We’ll show you how thermally improved aluminum compares to vinyl and fiberglass for your home.

★★★★★

From the estimate process to the job itself, all excellent. Ken was personable and very efficient in measure and telling us what to expect. The crew was obviously very experienced, doing 7 windows in a little over half a day. Our only prep was moving furniture; we had no post job things to do at all - the crew cleaned up everything. This was a great experience. I will admit that based on good recommendations on the Fircrest 411 site, I did not even get a second bid, so can't comment in detail on the value; I do think what we paid was in the ballpark. It's so nice when a contractor job goes so well from beginning to end; this is not always the case. I highly recommend SRC.

This company had excellent reviews and my experience was 5 star worthy. I appreciated the knowledge of the sales staff and how they respected where we were at in our buying process. We had educated ourselves and this was not our first bid. We were familiar with the product and wanted to get to pricing, which they did for us (I do not recommend if you are still learning about windows). We found the company to be responsive, professional and such a pleasure to work with from sales, installers to the business office personnel. We had one window that came scratched that the installers caught and placed a claim into Milgard for replacement which happened promptly. We are so happy with our Milgard windows and the pricing we got. You can't go wrong with SRC Windows if they have what you are looking for. I would recommend them to a friend and would use them again without hesitation.

SRC Windows and Doors is hands down one of the best suppliers I’ve worked with. I’ve used them on many jobs and they are ALWAYS reliable and ALWAYS on time. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful—they make the whole process easy from start to finish.
Quality products, great communication, and people who actually care—can’t ask for more than that. I’ll continue using them for all my window and door needs and would recommend them 100% without hesitation.

Before and after, please excuse the clutter we are still renovating! The crew were very friendly and quick! They laid tarps to catch and screws or old calking. They left no mess! I would absolutely recommend SRC windows!!

We are a developer and remodeling contractor who knows a ton about buying windows! SRC Windows is amazing. Their customer service is outstanding to say the least. They make the ordering process simple and are very accommodating to any needs that are requested. Tess the owner goes above and beyond and gets the job done. Thank you SRC, we all greatly appreciate your team here at Pacific Coast.