A beach house allows one to enjoy relaxing holidays and create beautiful memories, but it must be built with the right materials to minimise any problems related to exposure to salt. In this article, we look at the tricks to have when choosing windows and shading systems for a beach house. Whether it is a renovation or a new construction, aluminium is the major ally of all beach houses.

Building or renovating a beach house: the materials to choose

All houses must be built or renovated taking into account the different environmental aspects of the location. In the case of houses at seaside locations, there is one element in particular that cannot be overlooked: salt.
When choosing the main building materials for a beach house, therefore, it is necessary to opt for solutions that respond well to the element of salt. In addition to this, then, it is always important that the materials chosen are also resistant to the attack of any atmospheric agents, such as rain or wind, as well as the strong solar radiation typical of the summer months.
From this point of view, materials such as treated wood or stainless steel can be chosen for the beach house, which resist well the corrosion and rust formation that salt can easily cause. For exterior coatings, paints and coatings can be applied that are resistant to weathering and protect the exterior walls of the house from any possible environmental damage.
But there is one specific material that perfectly meets all the resistance requirements of a beach house: aluminium. This material is mainly used in the construction of window and door frames and shading systems, such as shutters and sunblades, so that the windows and the interior of the house are always protected from the damage that salt can cause in the long term.

Best windows for the beach house: why choose aluminium

In a beach house, windows and shading systems (as well as the front door) must be able to resist corrosion caused by continuous exposure to salty air. To meet this need, aluminium is the best material.
To better understand its advantages, one can consider the other materials commonly used for window and door frames and shading systems.
PVC is undoubtedly a resistant material but, in addition to the fact that it is a plastic material and therefore not always aesthetically pleasing, in the long run it may tend to clog if not of the best quality. Moreover, the material itself resists salt and solar radiation well, but only when chosen in its basic colour, i.e. white. If one wished to opt for other colours and finishes, PVC would be applied with films that, with the passage of time and especially in seaside houses, could become damaged or discoloured.
Wood is certainly a valuable material with many positive features, but it is certainly not the most suitable option for windows and doors in seaside houses. Its naturalness could be severely tested by the continuous action of the sun and salt. In order to be more resistant, it would have to be treated with special anti-corrosive substances, which would, however, invalidate its character as a natural material; such treatments, then, need rather frequent maintenance operations so that wooden windows and doors can continue to guarantee safety and comfort for the seaside home.

Corrosion resistance

Lightweight, ductile and extremely resistant, aluminium is particularly suitable for making shading systems and windows for the beach house. Thanks to the anodising process, aluminium has the ability to form a protective oxide layer on its surface when exposed to air, thus preventing salt penetration and corrosion of the underlying metal. This feature makes it particularly suitable for coastal environments where, over time, salty air can cause significant damage to other materials.

Safe customisation of colours and finishes

In contrast to other materials such as wood and PVC, aluminium windows and doors can be customised in a very wide range of colours and finishes, without ever having the fear that they will be discoloured or ruined by the repeated action of salt.
In fact, the customisation of aluminium windows and doors is done through treatments such as painting or oxidation, which allow the colour to be indelibly fixed on the metal. There are no films that could come off, nor colours that could lose their intensity: aluminium windows can last up to more than 50 years without ever losing their colour or shine.
Moreover, the range of colours and finishes that can be applied to aluminium is almost infinite. It will therefore be possible to customise the windows of one’s beach house as one sees fit, according to one’s preferred architectural style. For example, for a modern beach house, suitable perhaps for those who love the concept of minimalism about house, you can choose dark colours and extra-gloss finishes or, on the contrary, opaque and elegant finishes.
For a shabby chic style case, the ideal is a wood-effect finishing in light colours and a natural look, for an even brighter home. Or, for a coastal home designed and furnished in a typical marine style, one can think of aluminium windows and doors in soft sandy colours or different shades of blue, perhaps combined with a characteristic sandblasted effect that gives a greater sense of movement.

Zero treatment and maintenance

Windows and doors always require some degree of maintenance ordinary and extraordinary, but those made of aluminium need very little maintenance to maintain their quality over time.
In fact, aluminium itself is a material that does not require maintenance or particularly complex cleaning solutions. In fact, it is sufficient to clean aluminium surfaces with a soft cloth, and possibly non-abrasive cleaning agents, to ensure that it always looks its best. What requires maintenance is rather the ‘outline’ of the aluminium window and door, such as gaskets and hinges; but this applies to all types of windows and doors. Mechanical accessories of this type in METRA Building windows and doors are of the highest quality and made of materials that resist salt corrosion very well.
In addition to hinges and gaskets, windows and doors made of other materials require more meticulous and regular maintenance. Wood, in particular, must be properly treated to ensure that it resists salt and sunlight. The same applies to PVC: a resistant material yes, but not as resistant as aluminium, especially in more extreme conditions. PVC should therefore also be chosen with anti-corrosion treatments and require more frequent maintenance than aluminium.
For those who love wood in windows and doors, especially in its softer, more relaxing colours when it comes to seaside homes, METRA Building proposes a solution that meets all requirements in terms of aesthetics and functionality. The Aluminium-wood Line, in fact, consists of windows and doors with an internal wood part, which gives warmth to the rooms, and an external aluminium part, which protects the house 100%, eliminating any worries for those who live in it. This article explores the concept of aluminium-wood in windows and doors.

Fresh air insulation

Let us not forget that, of all the functions of a window, one of the main ones is to ensure an ideal micro-climate inside the house. That is, the internal rooms must remain well warm in winter and cool in summer, thus ensuring the comfort of those living there.
This is also important on an economic and environmental level: with well-insulated windows, the energy used to heat the house in winter or cool it in summer is not wasted.
The beach house is typically used in the summer and will probably be equipped with air conditioners, the use of which can also be very costly for bills and the environment; for these reasons, its energy must be maximised efficiently and never wasted. Therefore, windows and doors not only need to be beautiful, safe and corrosion-resistant, but also capable of fulfilling their insulating functions.
To this end, aluminium windows are equipped with a ‘thermal break’, i.e. the insertion of a noble gas with powerful insulating properties between the glass grooves, thus keeping the house cool in summer (and warm in winter, should it be used).
Furthermore, thermal break is particularly effective in seaside areas, where temperature variations and temperature changes can be more extreme. Finally, it should not be underestimated that thermal break aluminium windows and doors reduce the formation of condensation on the glass surface of the window, thus helping to maintain a dry, comfortable internal environment with an ideal degree of humidity for the health of the occupants.

The other advantages of aluminium, for beach houses and beyond

In previous articles like this one, the many advantages of aluminium have been listed; advantages that make it particularly suitable for windows, shutters and other shading systems. These advantages are valid at all times, and therefore also apply to the construction or renovation of a beach house.
To briefly summarise the advantages of aluminium, it can be said that it is a material that is resistant to fire and all types of weather, even the most violent. It is a ductile material, and therefore suitable for the construction of windows in the most diverse shapes. Thanks to its solidity, it can also be used in the construction of large windows, with large glass surfaces, without the need for additional supports. All these features also allow for the construction of windows with thin profiles, thus increasing the glass part and, consequently, the window’s ability to let more natural light into the house.
Moreover, aluminium is also a burglar-resistant material, making it the preferred solution for those who want windows, shading systems and patio doors that provide the greatest security for the home and its inhabitants. Finally, a feature that should not be underestimated in an era particularly devoted to eco-sustainability is aluminium’s ability to be 100% recycled an infinite number of times, always maintaining its qualities. this feature makes aluminium an extremely interesting material for green building houses as well.
You can read more about all the advantages of aluminium here.

Choosing METRA Building shading systems and aluminium windows and doors for the beach house

By now it is clear that the best windows and doors for a beach house are made of aluminium. This is the only way to obtain windows that are resistant to salt, heat and sunlight, wind, and corrosion; windows that are beautiful to look at, easy to customise, and able to keep the house safe and cool inside.
METRA Building aluminium windows offer all these features and more. They are designer windows, made from the highest quality aluminium and offer the highest performance on all levels. They are perfect for the beach house, as they guarantee long lasting durability without any worries.
Shading systems should not be forgotten: they are fundamental for keeping the house in the shade during the hottest hours and, in general, for modulating the passage of light and heat transmission. But they also perform a very important safety function, providing an additional protective barrier for the beach house, especially when you are far away and cannot control it closely. It is therefore important to have shading systems that perform all these functions while remaining resistant to the typical agents of the sea, such as salt with its corrosive capacity.
METRA Building shading systems are mainly shutters of the latest generation, offering different opening/closing mechanisms and all the benefits of aluminium for beach houses. You can learn more here.