Italian Wooden Windows
Italian wooden windows and doors represent a fascinating part of Milan's architectural heritage, reflecting the historical and stylistic evolution of the Lombard metropolis.
The contemporary challenge is to be able to combine respect for historical heritage with modern needs, keeping the beauty of old Milan alive, but with a keen eye on the comfort and safety of those who live there. Nowadays, traditionally old-style Italian wooden windows can be found with solutions that are in line from an aesthetic point of view, but which guarantee state-of-the-art thermal, acoustic and safety performance.
Typical features of Italian wooden windows
Many historic buildings have old-style Italian wooden windows, often with a surrounding boarding that enhanced their aesthetic appearance. Older windows and doors were usually fitted with single panes of glass. Although these panes gave them a certain historic charm, today they are no longer considered up to standard, mainly for safety reasons. If they broke, they could create blade-sharp fragments, posing a danger, especially in homes with children.
Some buildings, especially those of prestige, included decorated leaded glass, true masterpieces of craftsmanship. These pieces of glass, often ornamented with floral or geometric patterns, added a touch of elegance and sophistication to buildings. However, despite their beauty, they did not offer the acoustic, thermal and safety performance required by today's housing standards.
Facing these limitations, many owners of historic buildings find themselves needing to upgrade their windows and doors. The goal is to keep the aesthetics in line with the original design while improving performance. Modern solutions make it possible to retain the elegance of old windows and doors, but with double or triple glazing that provides better acoustic and thermal insulation, as well as improved security.
Which materials to choose?
When choosing to update the windows and doors in a historic building in Milan, it is critical to consider materials and designs that respect the original aesthetic while providing modern performance.
Wooden windows
or Wood-Aluminum,
for an Antique style
To respect the original aesthetics of Milan's historic buildings and meet the specific requirements of historic preservation, wood and wood-aluminum windows and doors are an excellent solution for those seeking an Antique style.
Wood allows detailed workmanship of interior moldings of glazing beads and other decorative elements. This is essential for maintaining the authenticity of historic buildings, while, when combined with aluminum for the exterior, it better protects against environmental factors.
Using wood, it is also possible to create rusticated panels under French door sashes. These panels, often richly decorated, can be faithfully replicated using wood, maintaining the aesthetic integrity of the building.
Wood or wood-aluminum frames can easily incorporate historic brass hinges, which are often distinctive features of period buildings. In addition, they can be equipped with a “0-entry” mechanism.
Wood-aluminum windows and doors offer an excellent compromise between aesthetics and durability. The aluminum exterior significantly reduces the amount of maintenance required and offers superior protection against weathering without compromising interior aesthetics.
Italian style:
why to choose aluminum windows and doors
Aluminum windows and doors are also a modern and functional choice for historic settings in Milan. While giving up some traditional aesthetic details, they offer numerous advantages in terms of security, durability and brightness.
Aluminum windows and doors have much thinner profiles than wood or wood-aluminum, which maximizes the glazed area and thus allows more natural light to enter rooms. This not only improves interior lighting, but can also enhance historic spaces, creating an interesting contrast between ancient and modern elements.
Concealed hinges are a significant aesthetic advantage, as they allow for greater visual cleanliness by eliminating protrusions that might interrupt the minimal lines of aluminum profiles.
Although aluminum window and door frames have a more modern look, compared to old-style wooden windows, it is possible to integrate glued-in muntin bars and glazing beads that recall the style of old Milan. In addition, to add a touch of elegance and authenticity, aluminum window frames can be fitted with brass handles. These decorative details can be designed to harmonize with the historic appearance of buildings while maintaining aesthetic consistency.
Aluminum window frames are very durable and capable of supporting large panes of glass. In addition, they can achieve very high levels of security, up to class RC3, which offers advanced protection against break-in attempts. This makes them particularly suitable for historic buildings that need a high level of security without having to compromise aesthetic and functional qualities.
Choosing aluminum windows and doors means: increased brightness, advanced security, high insulation, durability and functionality. They are significant advantages that can improve the habitability and safety of historic buildings.
PVC windows:
solution for limited budgets
PVC windows are a practical and versatile solution for historic settings, offering a good balance between aesthetics, thermal and acoustic performance, and low cost.
PVC is generally cheaper than wood or aluminum, making it an ideal choice for those who want to improve the performance of historic windows and doors without spending large sums of money.
As with aluminum windows and doors, PVC windows and doors can be fitted with bonded muntin bars. To maintain antique details, PVC windows and doors can be equipped with brass handles and hinges, and with “0 entry” mechanism. These decorative elements make it possible to maintain the traditional appearance of the windows while harmoniously integrating with the historic design of the building.
In summary, PVC windows and doors offer an excellent balance between modern functionality and respect for architectural heritage, helping to preserve the beauty and efficiency of Milan's historic buildings.
Integrative Solutions
for Padding and Boxes
Whether wood, wood-aluminum, aluminum, or pvc windows and doors, each of these options offers the possibility of integrating with existing wood frames or being installed in new frames. Existing shutter boxes can also be retained and insulated, or replaced with new shutter boxes for optimal performance, rebuilding the wood imbotte afterwards.
Maintaining existing infill allows the historic character of the building to be preserved while reducing the cost and impact of the work. This approach is ideal for buildings with well-preserved padding that require only improved insulation.
However, replacing the shutter boxes and rebuilding the wood infills provides an opportunity to maximize the thermal and acoustic performance of the windows and doors, while maintaining the desired historic aesthetics. This allows for a complete result, where both the soundproof windows and the shutter box, provide excellent performance.
Special Ecobonus and Casabonus
Aluser's experience at your service
Each Aluser window is unique, designed to customer's specifications, customised in every detail, from the finish to accessories such as security systems. The masterful positioning service at work will guarantee the performance of the new windows and doors, for real energy savings.
Aluser not only takes care ofproduction and installation, but is also available to customers for maintenance or other post-sale requirements.