There are many materials available for window hardware. Hardware can serve two important purposes: energy efficiency and interior design. In terms of design, you will be guided by your personal taste. The climate of your area may determine what kind of energy efficiency you will need to be concerned with. Wood is the most common type of window hardware and is has been in use for many years. It is easy to work with, both for professionals and amateurs. It is the material of choice if a project involves any kind of intricate carving or detail. It is almost always used in custom designed windows. You can paint or stain window hardware to almost any finish you want that will complement your home décor. Wood is also an excellent material for energy efficiency. However, wood does require maintenance over time. If you do not re-stain or re-paint your wood finishes periodically, the finish will start to peel. This not only looks awful, but the exposed wood will start to rot. However, if you keep up the maintenance by painting or staining regularly, wood lasts a very long time.

Steel window hardware is used on windows, but most often for basement windows. Sometimes you may find it in older homes; newer homes, with their energy efficiency requirements would not do well with steel. Both heat and cold can leak through steel window frames.It is a very strong material and so it is usually the choice for hurricane shutters. Steel also needs the regular maintenance of painting, or it will rust and eventually corrode. Aluminum window frames have the strength and durability of steel, but they do not have the maintenance requirements of steel window frames. The colors of aluminim frames are baked on, and so do not have to be repainted constantly. But it is an energy "leaker" just like steel is and will allow the heat from a home to escape. Vinyl has become the window hardware of choice lately. Vinyl is energy efficient and Vinyl window frames are just about maintenance free; they don't need to be painted and a quick swipe with cleanser on a cloth will keep them looking like new. The color is put in the manufacturing process, so it will never peel or scratch and there is a wide variety of colors it is available in. Fiberglass is a material that is just recently being used as window frame material.

It has the properties of durability and energy efficiency since there is little to no heat loss if it is insulated properly. However, this perfect combination of factors does not come without a price: fiberglass is the most expensive material for window frames. If you are in a climate where it is extremely hot, you will want to choose a window frame material with a low "U" factor. This will keep the cool air in and the hot air out.

In a cold climate, you want to keep the heat in and cold out and you should choose a window frame that will do this. If you use energy efficient material and a lot of insulation, you should be able to do this. Insulated glass will add to the energy efficiency. They have two layers of glass with a gas between the layers that acts as an insulator. If you have to replace windows in a cold climate, you should think about this.

Another thing to consider when replacing windows is the architectural design of the house. Old fashioned wood windows would not completely modern contemporary designed home.