Pella Fiberglass and Vinyl vs. Andersen Fibrex
Discover the superior performance of Pella's exclusive fiberglass material compared to Andersen Fibrex plastic/wood composite. Explore how it surpasses in strength and durability, ensuring a long-lasting investment that stands the test of time.
Won't Bend
Pella fiberglass is on average 10x stronger than Fibrex in bending tests.
Andersen Fibrex: 4,835 lb/in2
Pella Vinyl: 9,850 lb/in2
Andersen Fibrex: 100,122 lb/in2
Won't Dent
Pella fiberglass is on average 100x more impact resistant than Fibrex.
Andersen Fibrex: 17,911 J/m2
Pella Vinyl: 107,281 J/m2
Andersen Fibrex: 201,772 J/m2
Won't Break
Pella fiberglass is on average 20x the tensile strength of Fibrex.
Andersen Fibrex: 737 lb/in2
Pella Vinyl: 6,675 lb/in2
Andersen Fibrex: 89,422 lb/in2
Let's Compare the Materials
Fibrex® Material
Uses a blend of 40% wood fiber and 60% plastic by weight. Is said to be better than wood and aluminum because you don't have to paint it and is more insulative. They say it is twice as strong as their vinyl so their vinyl must be terriably weak stuff compared to Pella Vinyl. Another site said that it is only stronger in compressive strength.
It uses unique fabrication process which does not tell you if it makes a good product, just that it is unique.
It only resists rot, decay, fungal growth, flaking, blistering, peeling, pitting, and corroding so many of those things can still happen to it. Andersen says they will not rot up to 10 years.
It can handle temperatures up to 150° F but even vinyl can handle temperatures up to 160° F so how is this a benefit?
It has a 12x thicker finish than painted vinyl. Who paints their vinyl windows anyway. Probably as often people will want to paint their Fibrex windows. They also say that they blend the color into the material so that means the Fibrex material is only 12x thicker than a paint layer. That is nothing to boast about.
Pella Fiberglass Windows
Pella fiberglass windows use a patented, five-layer fiberglass material that makes the strongest, most durable windows available. Fiberglass window frames don’t damage easily with hit, unlike Fibrex frames, they also don't dent, scratch, warp, or corrod.
Fiberglass windows are manufactured to withstand extreme heat and cold.
Fiberglass is more eco-friendly. Fiberglass is made from recycled glass, so less glass ends up in landfills and new glass does not need to be created. The manufacturing of fiberglass doesn’t produce harmful chemicals that can go into the environment. They will also not off-gas chemicals or release potentially harmful byproducts should there be a fire in your home.
The seals hold up better on fiborglass windows than Fibrex because fiberglass expands and contracts at the same rate that the glass panes do because they are both made of glass. This is not the case with Fibrex.
Cost
So with all the benefits of fiberglass windows, you are probably thinking that they are probably twice as expensive as Fibrex windows. Actually, fiberglass is a little less expensive than Fibrex. Fibrex windows can cost from around $450 to more than $1,600. Fiberglass windows usually cost about $400 to $1,200.
If you want to know more, call LR Glass & Window today.