Vinyl Window Manufacturers

Vinyl is the least expensive window system currently on the market. In this article, we take a look at the top vinyl window manufacturers putting products on the market.

Vinyl windows are very much a case of you get what you pay for. There are some versions that work fine on a home and some that frankly are pieces of junk. The problems typically boil down to three main areas. The first is flimsy construction. If you can pick up the frame and bend it, the window is not going to last. Look for spot welds in corners instead of staple applications. The second problem is the weather stripping. Avoid fuzzy stripping. Finally, vinyl tends to warp as temperatures go from cold to hot. If you live in an area with major temperature changes, you might want to move up in quality.


Our first vinyl window manufacturer is Anderson Windows. Anderson is a full product line company that is simply huge. It makes well over 10 million windows a year. They range from vinyl to wood to a form of fiberglass and various other hybrids. Anderson’s system is organized more by type of window [double hung, casement, garden] than by type of material, so you’ll have to ask if various versions come in the vinyl application or not.

Pella Windows is our second vinyl window manufacturer. If you are going to go vinyl, Pella is a good place to start your search. The company offers a number of product lines in this niche. They include the Encompass, Centera and Thermastar lines of windows. Pella regularly wins energy efficiency awards, and it incorporate the concept into its windows which means you can save money in the long term on yours.



Milgard Windows is our third vinyl manufacturer. They company makes three lines of vinyl windows. Montecito is a line developed and intended for new construction projects. Tuscany is the line the company devotes to replacement window projects. Style Line is the third line and is intended for projects where thin frames must be used.

We have to admit that vinyl windows are an iffy product from our perspective. It has nothing to do with the manufacturers. We just believe that vinyl was never intended for this use as it tends to warp, face and buckle within only a couple of years of installation. If you can afford it, bump up to something else and you will get much better performance.

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