When clients come into the Callen Design Center, our Exterior Product Specialists frequently hear the comparisons made by them between Infinity® from Marvin’s Ultrex® Fiberglass and Fibrex®.* Sometimes they even hear assumptions along the lines of, “Fibrex is fiberglass.” While both are high-end window materials with similar stories, there are many differences between the two that makes one superior over the other.
Fibrex is a composite material made up of 60% vinyl and 40% wood flour. Whereas Infinity from Marvin’s Ultrex does NOT consist of any vinyl or wood components. As we know from looking back on our previous Callen Busts the Myth blogs, both vinyl and wood create many window replacement defects over time for homeowners. A window compromised of materials that are known to expand and contract is ultimately going to lead to separation, degradation, and possibly complete failure of the entire window.
On the other hand, Infinity from Marvin’s Ultrex is a one-time window solution, because it doesn’t move, deteriorate, or degrade. Ultrex is 3x stronger than Fibrex, leaving homeowners with frames greatly thinner than Fibrex frames. With Fibrex’s flexibility, seals tend to break completely, losing the aspect of a highly energy-efficient material.
Another difference that sets the two materials apart is Fibrex does not have any protective acrylic coating. Ultrex has three layers of acrylic capping to prevent common issues, such as cracking, chipping, and color fading. Those issues are frequently known to occur in vinyl windows, which as you guessed it, also occurs in Fibrex windows, too.
When considering a window material, choose the one where the window retains its original beauty and is made to last. Choose Ultrex and choose Callen. Call us today at 414-529-5509 or complete our online contact form to schedule your free estimate for windows or doors.
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Fibrex* is a registered trademark of Anderson Corporation.
