Living near the beach in Perth is hard to beat. You get the afternoon sea breeze, the view and the sound of the surf at night. Your windows don’t enjoy it nearly as much. Salt settles on every surface, sand works its way into the tracks, and the wind rarely lets up for long.
So what are the best windows for coastal homes in Perth? In short, powder-coated aluminium frames in styles that cope with wind and rain, made to the right wind rating for your block. Awning and louvre windows are the stars here. Just as important is a simple cleaning routine that stops salt from building up.
Custom Screens & Security has been making aluminium windows in our Bassendean factory for more than 40 years, for homes from Two Rocks to Mandurah. Here’s what we’d tell anyone building or renovating near the water.
How far inland does the salt reach?
Further than you might think. The Australian Standard for atmospheric corrosion, AS 4312, sorts locations by how close they sit to the sea. The Galvanizers Association of Australia has a handy summary of it.
If your home is within 200 m of a surf beach, think the front row at Cottesloe, Scarborough or down in Mandurah, you’re in one of the toughest categories there is. Between 200 m and 1 km back from the surf, salt is still a serious factor. Sheltered water is gentler. On Cockburn Sound or the Peel Inlet, only homes within about 50 m of the shoreline fall into that second category.
From 1 km to 10 km inland sits the “coastal” category, which takes in most of the Perth metro area. The Fremantle Doctor doesn’t help either. That afternoon sea breeze carries salt well past the first row of houses, so the closer you are to the beach, the more your choice of frame and your cleaning routine matter.
Aluminium, timber or uPVC: which frame copes best?
For a Perth coastal home, powder-coated aluminium is the practical pick. It won’t rot, swell or rust, and the powder coat shields the metal from salt as long as you rinse it regularly. Timber looks lovely but needs ongoing sealing or painting to survive salt air. uPVC won’t corrode, though plastics can fade or turn brittle under WA’s sun.
If you want to dig deeper, we’ve compared timber vs aluminium windows and aluminium vs uPVC window frames in more detail.
Our aluminium windows use Alspec’s Carinya Classic frames. They’re certified under the Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS) and meet AS 2047, the Australian Standard for windows. Both the frame and the powder coat carry a 7-year warranty (see our warranties page).
What are the best windows for coastal homes?
Louvre and awning windows are the two we’d point you to first. Sliding windows work well too, as long as you’re happy to keep the tracks clean.
Louvres are made for Perth summers. Breezway Altair louvres open wider than any other window type, so when the sea breeze rolls in each afternoon, the whole room gets it. They’re built from non-corrosive materials, with a clamping system that keeps different metals apart so they don’t corrode each other.
Awning windows don’t mind a passing shower. They’re hinged at the top, so the sash works like a little roof over the opening. When a squall blows in off the ocean, there’s no need to race around the house shutting everything. That makes awning windows a good fit for bedrooms, bathrooms and laundries.
Sliding windows just need a little care. On the coast, the trick is the track. Sand and salt collect there, and if the drainage slots block, water has nowhere to go. A quick vacuum every month or two keeps sliding windows gliding the way they should.
Does a beachside block need a higher wind rating?
Often, yes, so check before you order. Every window has to meet AS 2047, which sets wind and water resistance ratings to suit the site. A block counts as “exposed” if it has open terrain or no shielding from neighbouring houses, and exposed sites need windows tested to higher water penetration pressures. A beachfront block with open water in front and nothing to shield it fits that description.
This isn’t just a technicality. WA’s building regulator, Building and Energy, has warned that some Perth homes have been given a lower wind classification than the site needs. That can leave windows unable to handle the real wind loads. Your house plans or engineer’s documents will list the classification (N1, N2, N3 and so on). Pass it on to your window supplier, and every window can be made to match.
Further north, in WA’s cyclone regions, windows need cyclonic-rated systems. We supply these as kit-form windows for builders in country WA, along with Invisi-Maxx cyclone security screens.
Is double glazing worth it near the beach?
If your windows face the ocean, there’s a good case for it. Two panes of glass with a sealed layer of air or argon gas between them take the edge off outside noise, wind and surf included. They also slow the heat coming through the glass. Our Carinya frames take double-glazed units up to 18 mm thick, and you’ll find the options on our double glazed windows page.
Heat is the other half of the story. Up to 87% of a home’s summer heat gain comes through its windows, according to the Australian Government’s YourHome guide. Perth’s coast faces west, so the windows with the best ocean view also cop the hottest afternoon sun.
Which security screens hold up to salt air?
Half the joy of living by the beach is leaving the windows open on a summer night. For that, your screens need to handle salt as well as your windows do. Invisi-Gard uses 316 marine-grade stainless steel mesh and has a 15-year structural warranty. Alu-Gard uses a powder-coated perforated aluminium sheet and has a 7-year structural warranty.
We make both in our Bassendean factory, and they fit sliding, awning, double hung and louvre windows. For more on screens and doors near the beach, have a read of our guide to security solutions for coastal properties.
How do you look after windows near the coast?
Here’s the part people tend to skip. On the coast, how you look after a window matters as much as the window itself. Alspec, who make our Carinya frames, recommend washing frames about once a month in coastal areas and servicing the hardware every three months. Further inland, every three months for frames and every six for hardware is enough.
The routine is simple:
- 1. Rinse the frames. Use mains water, a mild detergent and a soft sponge, then rinse with fresh water. Bore water can leave mineral marks on frames and glass.
- 2. Clean tracks and sills. Vacuum sand out of sliding tracks and check the drainage slots aren’t blocked.
- 3. Treat the hardware. Every three months, wipe hinges, winders and locks with warm soapy water, rinse, then apply a light spray of corrosion preventative such as Inox and wipe off the excess.
- 4. Don’t forget sheltered spots. Rain rinses exposed frames, but windows under eaves and verandahs collect salt with nothing to wash it off.
- 5. Skip the harsh cleaners. Abrasive pads, solvents and bleach-based products damage the powder coat and stainless steel.
There’s a bonus, too. Regular cleaning protects your warranty, because faults caused by neglect aren’t covered.
Planning windows for a coastal home?
Get the frame, the style and the wind rating right, rinse off the salt now and then, and your windows will be ready for whatever the Indian Ocean throws at them. We make every window to measure in Bassendean and install across the Perth metro area and Mandurah. Give Custom Screens & Security a call on (08) 9279 7444 or request a free quote, and we’ll help you choose the right window for each room.
Frequently asked questions
Do aluminium windows corrode near the sea?
Aluminium doesn’t rust, but salt left sitting on the surface can attack the finish over time, especially where the powder coat is scratched or chipped. Wash the frames about once a month and they’ll hold up well, and our powder coat carries a 7-year warranty. Keep an eye on hinges, winders and sliding tracks, because salt and sand stiffen moving parts first.
What’s the best window for catching the sea breeze?
Louvres, hands down. Almost the whole window opens, so they move more air than any other style. Put them on the side of the house that faces the afternoon breeze, which is usually the south-west in Perth. Then open a window on the other side and let the air flow through.
Are uPVC windows better than aluminium near the coast?
uPVC doesn’t corrode, and that’s its main appeal near the sea. Powder-coated aluminium handles salt well with regular washing and holds its colour in WA’s strong sun. Our aluminium vs uPVC comparison goes into more detail.
Can I replace the windows in an older beachside home?
Yes. We make replacement windows to the exact size of each existing opening, and in Perth’s double-brick homes the old frames come out without disturbing the brickwork around them. Our window replacement page walks you through how it works.