WHERE TO FIND IT; Wooden Windows, Plain and Fancy

By Terry Trucco

Published: February 13, 1992

THE 1980s were big years for aluminum, at least where window frames were concerned. Thousands of worn-out wood-frame windows were discarded throughout the city. The popular replacement was the aluminum-frame double-hung (up-and-down) window, which tips in for cleaning.

But custom-made wood-frame windows are hardly obsolete. They are the required replacement in designated landmark buildings where new windows need to look like the old. And for many people, they are the replacement of choice. "Wood has a look and richness that some people love," said Joe Doherty, owner of Precision Windows, a wood-frame window manufacturer in the Bronx. "Some people also like the fact that you can change the color any time."

Twenty years ago, there were 20 wood-frame window manufacturers in the New York area. These days there are fewer than 10. But the choice of styles, woods, hardware and even types of panes, has probably never been greater.

Mr. Doherty, in business since 1981, specializes in what he calls the combination window, or W.V.A., which stands for wood, vinyl and aluminum. Sashes are custom made in wood, but the frame holding the window into the wall is aluminum. Weatherstripping is pile-edged vinyl. These double-hung combination windows also tip in for cleaning.

The benefit, Mr. Doherty said, is that the aluminum frame can be installed over an existing one, which keeps costs down.

Precision Windows also makes casement windows (which swing in or out) and installs the German-made tilt-and-turn type, which swings open like a door, or tilts open at the top to let air in but keep intruders out. Windows come in pine, and costlier woods.

Windows start from around $350, and can go into the thousands depending on size and complexity; the minimum order is three. CustomAwkward Shapes and Fits

"In the late 1800's, architects did nothing but put in oval windows," said Cosmo Cotroneo, a partner in Millwork Specialties, wood-window manufacturers since 1966. Millwork Specialties has created oval and circular replacement windows for landmark buildings of all kinds, as well as more conventional double-hung designs.

The Brooklyn company, which works both in pine and more expensive woods, often makes frames and sashes for bent glass windows. It can also install old-fashioned weight-and-chain devices when necessary.

One benefit of wood is that it doesn't conduct heat or cold, the way metal does, Mr. Cotroneo said. On the minus side, wood needs to be painted regularly. The company also offers a variety of insulated panes, though these work best in newer buildings with insulated walls. "A brick wall is like a sieve," Mr. Cotroneo said. "Energy conservation was the last thing they thought of 150 years ago."

Prices start at $100, and can go into the thousands. The Deluxe Models

Morris Zeluck, president of J. Zeluck Inc., calls his customized wood-frame creations the Rolls-Royce of windows. And they're priced accordingly, from around $500 to more than $10,000 apiece.

What kind of window costs $10,000? One in mahagony, 10 feet tall, and motorized to disappear into the floor with the push of a button. (Several of these windows were installed recently around an indoor pool.)

J. Zeluck, in business since 1921, makes everything from casement windows for landmark town houses to Palladian-style windows for post-modern mansions. They commonly use mahogany, teak, cherry, walnut and other costly woods. Various types of panes are available, including bulletproof and restoration glass, which is made to look like period glass. All the work is done in an immaculate Brooklyn factory, both by hand and with a new machine tooled by computer.

Other specialty models include windows that close automatically when it rains. A built-in photo-cell alarm system, nearly invisible, will be available later this year. "If somebody wants toys, we can offer them," Mr. Zeluck said. Here's Where

PRECISION WINDOWS 2980 Webster Avenue, Bronx 10458; (212) 733-0517. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. MILLWORK SPECIALTIES 189 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn 11215; (718) 768-8308. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. J. ZELUCK INC. 5300 Kings Highway, Brooklyn 11234; (718) 251-8060 or (800) 233-0101. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.

Photo: Joe Doherty, the owner of Precision Windows, with some of his custom designs, in pine and costlier woods. (Joe Tabacca for The New York Times)

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