When we remodeled, we installed Kolbe & Kolbe double hung windows with a factory finish called K-Kron II. It had a ten year warranty. Well it is now ten years and the windows most heavily exposed to the sun are starting to show deterioration of the finish. Since we are scheduled to have our house repainted this year, we want to include the windows. We remember being told that you couldn't just paint them. Paint won't adhere to the K-Kron finish, and something special has to be done first. But we can't seem to find that information anywhere. Does anyone know what that special something is? Is it as simple as sand and scuff? Thanks Rosefolly

The paint is Flexacron and it is made by PPG. I believe it is elastometic polyurethane but PPG has never been very forthcoming about what it is. Most other manufacturers stopped using it long ago but Andersen still paints their 400 TiltWash sash with it and calls it a plastic cladding. Since the urethane and/or polycyanurates would be fully cured they should be able to be safely sanded if you wear a normal dust mask.

Kritlyn-We got our Hurd bid back yesterday and if we use Hurd versus Kolbe and Kolbe we will save about 20%. We have a lot of windows and doors so this adds up. But then I started looking up more about Hurd and some people have apparently had problems with them. There was even a class action law suit about some gas trapped in the windows. However, all this information was years ago and it wasn't talking about the impact rated windows. (Plus, Hurd has since been bought out and is under new managment..good or bad I don't know) I have also read one site where people didn't like Kolbe and Kolbe. But I know that in the San Destin area a lot of people use both Kolbe and Kolbe and Hurd for their impact windows. We don't know what we are going to do yet. Apparently our contractor has never heard of Hurd. They didn't say we couldn't use them but they did emphasize how comfortable they are with Kolbe and Kolbe. Then again, we do stand to save a lot of money and the Hurd windows have been repeatedly tested and are Miami Dade rated. This is hard isn't it?! I am putting a link because I found it difficult to find any impact information on Hurd's site. Apparently, their impact product is fairly new but there have been a few hurricanes where the windows got tested in the real world. If you find out something let me know too. Thanks. I wonder if I should start a new posting with Hurd in the title to attract those with any information about Hurd Impact. Maybe I will do that so look there too and hopefully we will learn something. Thanks. Here is a link that might be useful: Hurd Feel Safe

Well you guys were right to go back to question the Integrity quote saying it should be less than the Kolbe Ultra - We took out about 80 lites across our entire package - again, without materially changing the look of the house - in fact we think we like it better. The architect had lites EVERYWHERE - in any case what a difference that and a little nudging makes on the pricing. To those out there shopping - certainly don't take that first quote as the answer - and 'value engineer' your grid patterns. Original Koble quote $38,700 - after removing those lights and continuing to press for some price movement $35,300 - more from the lite reduction that a price reduction - but we got 3% off if we pay in full at time of order Integrity - and this was the SHOCKER - original quote was a bit over $42,000. With the reduction in the number of lites, and the Marvin rep citing a 'calculation error and some more aggressive pricing' - the new quote came in at $29,300! This includes the hardware we want - Ultrex/Wood with primed interiors and screens. So now we really do have to think long and hard about which one to go with - thought it was getting easier (to go with the Kolbe) with the first Integrity quote $6K more than the Kolbe - but now with it thousands under, not sure which way to go - maybe it actually did get easier, but just swung in the other direction. Thank again for all the guidance - and had it not been suggested that some were surprised that the Integrity was higher than the Kolbe I probably would have disqualified it as an option without going back and questioning the quote.