Aluminium windows
Aluminium windows in Watermael-Boitsfort
Slim profiles, large glazed areas, next to no maintenance. Aluminium has real strengths, especially on the garden side. On a façade that can be seen from the street, in some parts of the commune, it takes a little more preparation.
Street side or garden side?
Replacing wood with aluminium changes the material, so it requires planning permission. On the garden side, for an opening that cannot be seen from the street, the project is a much simpler conversation.
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The material for large glazed openings
Aluminium is rigid. Where wood or PVC need thick uprights to carry a large pane, aluminium manages with slim profiles. For an opening onto the garden, a sliding door several metres wide or a heavily glazed rear façade, it is often the only material that keeps the view clear.
It does not rot, does not warp with damp and needs no painting. A wipe-down now and then is enough to keep the coating clean.
What makes the difference
A good aluminium window, in three points
- The thermal break. An insulating strip separates the inside face from the outside face. Without it, the metal conducts the cold and condensation appears.
- Powder coating. It allows almost any shade, and even a different colour inside and outside.
- The fitting. A slim profile does not forgive careless shimming. The seal between the frame and the wall matters as much as the frame itself.
What the commune looks at
Aluminium on a visible façade
Watermael-Boitsfort has areas of cultural, historical or aesthetic interest or embellishment. In May 2024, in a case about a garage door on boulevard du Souverain, its consultation committee recommended reserving the use of aluminium for limited cases.
This is not a general rule written for the whole commune. It is a signal: in these areas, and on a façade seen from the street, an aluminium project will be looked at closely. In Le Logis and Floréal, the management plan describes wooden joinery, and aluminium falls outside it.
On the garden side
Sliding or hinged?
A sliding unit takes up no room when it opens, which matters in front of a table or a sofa. A hinged window or French door, whether it simply opens inwards or is tilt-and-turn, generally gives a more airtight seal when shut.
The right choice depends on the room, the width of the opening and how it is used. It is a question you settle on site, not from a catalogue.
Frequently asked questions
Aluminium windows: what people ask us
Is aluminium allowed in Watermael-Boitsfort?
No general rule bans it. Replacing wood with aluminium does, however, change the material and requires planning permission. In the areas of cultural interest, the consultation committee has already recommended reserving its use for limited cases.
Is an aluminium window cold in winter?
Not if it has a thermal break. An insulating strip then separates the inside face from the outside face, and the cold no longer passes through the profile. Without that strip, condensation is a risk.
Can I have a different colour inside and outside?
Yes, powder coating makes that possible. On a visible façade, though, keeping the existing colour on the outside avoids a change in appearance.
And in Le Logis or Floréal?
The heritage management plan for the two garden cities describes painted wooden joinery. An aluminium project falls outside it, and so needs planning permission for a listed building.
A large glazed opening onto the garden?
Send us a photo and the rough dimensions. We will tell you what is feasible, and in which material.
Did a rule change at the commune, or do you see a mistake on this page? Let us know and we will fix it.