Jeld-Wen makes it a big selling point that all their wood windows are pressure-treated and won't rot.

A friend of mine just installed one, w/o any exterior cladding (aluminum, fiberglass, or vinyl) b/c she believed the dealer.

I talked to a Marvin dealer a few hours ago and they said that Marvin wood windows are NOT pressure-treated.

IDK what to think of it. Will they NOT rot faster than Jeld-Wen's then?

I could see that Marvin's aluminum cladding is extruded, unlike Jeld-Wen's which is rolled. Supposedly, extruded is better.

But if the wood is untreated, I am not sure that better cladding will help all that much.

And how on earth would a "mere mortal" know what to believe???

Could you explain which is better?

Thanks!

This is merely branding and if I had to spend money with the expectation that it would last, your money would be better spent with Marvin.

Thanks!

I have just talked to Marvin. It turns out that their wood IS presssure-treated - whatever that means :-)

And the funny thing is that even the price seems better on Marvin (so far).

OK, so Gled-Wen is out but I am looking at vinyl windows as well. A Simonton dealer rep is coming tomorrow.

Thanks again!

The problem is that wood moves with changes in moisture content, and no finish can stop the changes in moisture content.
While metal cladding can stop movement through the metal covered portion (and thick vinyl almost stop it), any exposed wood (like on the interior side) will allow water vapor entry.
The wood then changes shape and size, and starts to work on breaking the seals between the cladding and wood.

Eventually cracks develop between the materials and water enters.
It cannot easily escape, so rot starts in the wood.

Treating the wood is intended to further slow the rot.

mmarse1,

What do you mean?

A Marvin guy came on Thursday and also said that there would be a problem installing fiberglass windows b/c of the existing frame. I still don't understand the problem and none of them was able to explain it to me, they were just "hand-waving". We are going to go to the showroom again and try to understand better. If that does not work, I'll post a new thread about it. :-)

CCA was removed from routine store availability a few years ago.

The newer preservatives often use copper and even attack steel nails, aluminum would be even worse.

And, does "The newer preservatives often use copper and even attack steel nails, aluminum would be even worse." mean that the new cladded windows are BS (forgive my French) or that they are NOT really pressure-treated?

You are very welcome.

CCA treated is till available, just not at the Big Box stores, and at a higher price (it still excels at certain things like docks and bulkheads).

The new treatments EAT steel nails and hardware.

Stainless hardware and nails are around, but of course at a higher cost.

How about the clima-seal type screws with the plastic coatings on them? I would think that stainless is still the way to go because the plastic coatings melt up a bit when running through the wood.

I remember seeing galvanized nails with rusting heads from driving them.

Even thick galvanize (the thickness might have actually made it worse).

Long before stainless screws became required for the new PT chemicals, I was using them for all exposed work.