Europe · Window Manufacturer
Westcoast Windows
🇸🇪 Sweden · Last reviewed by Justin Orloff
Quick Facts
founded
1995
hq
Trollhättan, Sweden (UK office: Woolpit, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk)
primaryMaterials
Bonded aluminium/timber composite (pine standard, oak available)
glazingPartner
Own glazing production
marketTier
Premium
Brand at a Glance
- Founded: 1995
- HQ: Trollhättan, Sweden (UK office: Woolpit, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk)
- Market position: Scandinavian manufacturer of bonded aluminium/timber composite windows and doors
- Frame materials: Bonded aluminium/timber composite (pine standard, oak available)
- Key ranges: Classic, Classic+, Design windows; Composite Terrace and Patio Doors; Composite Sliding Doors
- Glazing options: Triple glazed as standard; dual sealed units with argon gas fill and warm-edge composite super spacers; U-values below 0.88 W/m²K; acoustic, solar control, safety, fire-resistant, self-cleaning, and obscure glass available
- Where they sell: Sweden, UK, export markets
- Warranty: 10-year guarantee on windows, doors, and mechanisms (maintenance-conditional); 10-year glass warranty against inter-pane condensation
- Website: westcoastwindows.com
- Official care documentation: westcoastwindows.com/faqs/
Product Range
- Classic
- Classic+
- Design
- Composite Terrace and Patio Doors
- Lift and Slide
Why This System
The bonded composite construction - aluminium bonded to timber with butyl tape - is a meaningful difference from aluminium-clad alternatives. The butyl seal is the critical joint and must not be subjected to pressure, abrasives, or high-pressure water. Powder-coated aluminium exterior is durable but not indestructible - abrasive cloths, rough pads, or solvent-based cleaners dull or damage the finish permanently. The timber interior is completely protected from outside by the bonded design - but still needs care from the inside. Saturating it with water or solvents can damage the lacquer finish. Triple-glazed sealed units are factory-certified - post-processing of any kind voids the 10-year glass warranty. Any intervention goes through Westcoast directly. The 10-year warranty explicitly excludes damage caused by lack of maintenance.
Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations
Official Care Guidance
Step 2 of 2: The Orloffs Protocol
The Orloffs Protocol
This is how I clean Westcoast Windows windows. The tools and technique below come from 25 years of daily professional work on the glass. Every step has been tested on real installations and adapted specifically for Westcoast Windows systems.
Pro Tools
My daily tool list. This is what I carry to every job.
Follow these steps in order. Each one builds on the last. This is the same sequence I use on every Westcoast Windows installation.
- 1
Detail the Frame Edges First
Before touching the glass, wipe down the frame edges with a damp microfibre cloth and lukewarm soapy water. Pay attention to the junction where the aluminium exterior meets the frame edge.
On the aluminium exterior, work gently - the powder coat is durable but not abrasion-proof. Removing frame grit before the squeegee reaches the edge prevents it being dragged across clean glass.
- 2
Agitate the Glass
Load your T-bar fully with lukewarm soapy water. Apply across the whole glass surface in overlapping horizontal strokes. The goal is to dissolve and release surface contamination so the squeegee can shave it cleanly away.
Avoid cleaning in direct sunlight. Soap water dries on the glass before you can squeegee it off.
- 3
Frame Detail Before Squeegeeing
Run a dry corner of your cotton rag along the top and both side edges. This pulls pooled soap water off the frame before the squeegee rubber reaches it.
Ten seconds per window. Eliminates the most common cause of re-cleaning.
- 4
The Three Squeegee Turns
Side to side: start at the top with a dry rubber. Work across in a straight horizontal line. Tilt so water spills from one edge only. Wipe dry after each pass. Overlap into the next line down.
Top to bottom: same logic in vertical lines. Start at the top corner with a dry rubber, tilt to direct water downward, wipe after each pass.
The J tune: continuous motion top to bottom without stopping. Your thumb guides the rotation at the end of each pass. On larger tilt-and-turn or lift-and-slide panels, the J tune is the fastest method.
- 5
Edge Detailing
Fold a dry cotton rag to a clean corner and detail the bottom edge and sides in one smooth pass.
Get your fingertip into the edge where glass meets the gasket. Residue left to dry shows as a white line in any raking light. Rotate the rag to a clean section every two or three windows.
- 6
Hardware and Drainage
Oil hinges, locking points, and handle mechanisms once per year with a light machine oil. Keep drainage channels clear of leaf matter and debris.
For lift-and-slide doors, clean debris from the track channel before lubricating to avoid grinding particles into the roller mechanism.
Pro Tips
- The bonded joint at the aluminium/timber interface is the critical line on Westcoast windows - never direct pressure or abrasive tools at it.
- Petroleum-based cleaners, solvents, and caustic products all permanently damage the powder-coat finish - once the finish is degraded, it cannot be reversed on site.
- Self-cleaning glass, if specified, should not be cleaned with soap water - the photocatalytic coating relies on UV light and water sheeting, and soap residue interferes with it.
- The date of manufacture is stamped on the spacer bar between the panes - this is the reference date for the 10-year glass warranty.
- Keep drainage channels clear - blocked channels cause water to pool at the base of the frame where it can work into joints over time.
What NOT To Do
- Do not use petroleum-based cleaners on any Westcoast surface - frames or glass.
- Do not use caustic chemicals on frames or glass.
- Do not use abrasive cloths, scouring pads, or rough materials on the aluminium exterior or glass.
- Do not use razor blades, putty knives, or sharp tools on glass or frame surfaces.
- Do not direct high-pressure water at any Westcoast window - glass, frames, hardware joints, or drainage channels.
- Do not apply heat-reflective coatings or any post-manufacture treatments to the sealed glass units - this voids the glass warranty.
- Do not cut, grind, or modify the sealed glass units after installation.
- Do not saturate the interior timber surfaces with water - use a damp cloth only.
- Do not use solvent-based products on the powder-coated aluminium exterior or interior timber.
- Do not clean glass in direct sunlight - the soap water dries before you can squeegee it off.
- Do not skip annual hardware maintenance - the 10-year product warranty is conditional on maintenance being carried out.
Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations
Bundle Kit
Tool Recommendations
T-bar applicator with a clean microfibre sleeve
View on Amazon [coming soon]Professional squeegee with a fresh rubber blade
View on Amazon [coming soon]Bucket with lukewarm water and one drop of mild pH-neutral dish soap per litre
View on Amazon [coming soon]Cleaning Frequency
Glass and frames: 2x per year minimum (Inside and out.). Urban locations: 4x per year (Traffic pollution, pollen, or construction dust.). Coastal locations: 4x per year (Quarterly cleaning of aluminium exterior to prevent salt deposit buildup.). Hardware inspection and lubrication: Once per year. Gasket and seal inspection: Once per year (Or after heavy storms.). Drainage channel clearance: Once per year (More frequently in autumn when leaf debris is heavy.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Field Notes
“Glass and frames: minimum twice per year inside and out. Urban environments with traffic pollution, pollen, or construction dust: quarterly cleaning recommended. Coastal locations with high salt air exposure: quarterly cleaning of aluminium exterior recommended. Hardware inspection and lubrication: once per year. Gasket and seal inspection: once per year, or after heavy storms. Drainage channel clearance: once per year, or more frequently in autumn when leaf debris is heavy.”
Justin Orloff
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