Timber windows advantages

We admire the beauty and variety of wooden windows installed at old houses and wooden cottages. The main peculiarity of wooden windows is their ability to go well with the decoration out of natural materials, namely: doors, parquet, and furniture.
Timber windows protect rooms from exterior effects and as well as furniture give a more natural and cosy appearance to your home. Such windows can be created only with traditional, natural materials that underwent trial by time.
Timber is a natural material used in construction for many centuries. But timber processing methods are constantly changing and improving.
We’ve got used to timber windows; we’ve admired their beauty and variety in old buildings and put up with their technical imperfection for a long period. We all can name disadvantages of our old wooden windows: incompact junctions, which require sealing in winter time, no soundproofing, poor hardware, frequent repairs. But nowadays old timber windows are replaced with modern ones, which have absorbed the latest achievements in science and technics.
The main peculiarity of wooden windows is their compatibility with furniture, doors and parquet, wooden windows do not only protect rooms but also present the same warm feeling to the interior as furniture and other natural materials do.
Modern timber windows possess natural beauty, cosiness, warmness of timber combined with modern heat insulation and soundproofing, up-to-date hardware and fittings that make a window be open in any way. Modern, environmentally friendly methods of timber processing prolong the life of wooden windows as well as simplify their maintenance. Fixing of glazing units instead of conventional panes also improves technical properties of timber windows.
Nowadays window manufacturing is an automated process with strict control over all manufacturing steps from kiln-drying of timber to finish coating of a ready item. All these increase labor efficiency and ensure high quality.
Wood is a naturally insulating material, providing better insulation and soundproofing as compared to other materials. It demonstrates comparative frost resistance and this is especially beneficial in our weather conditions.
A European customer, who is used to high quality products, prefers cosiness and comfort, elegance and other things mentioned below:

• Timber windows have long operational period. Today you can often find windows that are more than one hundred years old.
• Timber windows are more resistant to such temperature differences as -40 C – +40 C, as timber is a natural material grown in such severe conditions.
• Timber windows provide better soundproofing.
• Timber windows maintain humidity balance.
• Timber windows are very popular nowadays and are driving boring, monotonous uPVC windows out of the window market.
• Timber windows are the only decision at restoration and renovation, as uPVC windows cannot “decorate” ancient buildings and any architect won’t agree to use them while working on the restoration of historic monuments.
• Wood is a renewable resource, unlike plastic and steel.
• Wood has the lowest extension coefficient as compared to other materials.
• Timber windows do not emission poison in fire as they get carbonized and burn very slowly, actually smoulder. uPVC windows emission dioxide, furfural and hydrochloric acid while being burnt.
• Timber windows are made-to-measure and comply with all modern standards and requirements.
• It is possible to change colour of your timber window at any time.
• Timber windows are not electrostatic, they do not draw dust and do not require often cleaning.
• Timber frames display good heat insulation and prevent condensation from gathering.

Timber windows can be made of three-layer laminated timber. Water-based paints and stains of a wide color range are used for their finishing. Glazing units are filled with argon to lighten window sashes and glazed with thermoflow panes to increase heat insulation.
Last two-three years timber windows have been gaining popularity in Ukraine. Of course, uPVC windows still keep their leading positions, that is 70% of total selling volume. Timber windows make less than 30 %, but their variety can now compete with more “flexible” uPVC structures.
Our Carpathian region also gradually gives preference to timber. And if a few years ago timber windows and doors were available only for the privileged, nowadays more and more customers can afford them. This year has revealed tendency for windows with unique design: circle, arched, ellipsoid.
Recently the competition at the window market has become more intense. Window manufactures have changed their product range and price policy. Window price can be revised as it depends on many factors. The products size influences its price as the bigger the frame, the cheaper is its one square meter. The price is also defined by glass properties. In general the price of a Euro standard window has lowered 10-15 %. One square meter of a timber window made of high quality laminated timber costs about 100-250 US dollars.
Timber windows demonstrate wealth and prosperity of their owners, and there is no need even to compare them with uPVC windows. Timber windows are high quality products and therefore they cost more.
So why to buy timber window? Perhaps, it is better and cheaper to install a uPVC one? Take for instance practical German people. They equip all state-financed buildings, offices, dormitories and hostels with comparatively cheap uPVC windows. At the same time all suburban houses, expensive and exclusive ones are decorated with timber windows.
Of course, uPVC windows had some advantages, and one of them was their price – they were two and even three times cheaper than timber ones. But today due to severe competition and modern methods of manufacturing our timber windows are getting cheaper. And if you take into account the fact that uPVC windows require air conditioning, that will turn your timber window purchase into a real bargain.
Timber windows are said “to be breathing”. They do not only breathe but they also filter air, keeping dust away from your home.
As to technical properties of timber window the most important are their transparency (it depends on glazing units), insulation, heat transmission, operating life. Wood is a naturally insulating material, providing better insulation as compared to plastic. As to operating life, for uPVC windows it can only be estimated (as there are no windows older than 20 years), and for timber windows, even the ordinary ones, the operating life has proved to be more than 50 years. Certainly, you should take care of wooden surfaces to prolong their operation, you should lubricate movable parts, replace them if necessary, monitor surface coating.
The manufacturing of timber windows has grown considerably for the last 5 years in Ukraine. It has intensified market competition, improved quality of the products and lowered their price.
So how to choose timber windows? What material to choose, where to order? Let’s try to answer all these questions. First you should decide on the material. Timber windows can be made of:

• Pine
• Oak

Then you should make your mind as to the shape of your window: round, triangular, tilt-d-turn, sash, with balcony doors, etc.
Next step is selection of hardware and fittings. We advise to use ROTO FRANK AG products, as they combine excellent German quality with a wide range of coatings.
Nowadays Ukraine is still undergoing the boost in PVC windows offer, but timber windows gradually are gaining popularity among customers. If PVC is appropriate in offices, then at home we prefer to have timber doors and windows that create cosy and warm atmosphere. Specialists say that in future timber window segment will grow and timber window price will lower to PVC levels. Then middle class customers will mostly buy timber products, and they make the most numerous group of the customers. Our domestic timber products have also an advantage over the imported ones – they are cheaper though display the same high quality. Perhaps, that is why they are in demand abroad. Let’s appreciate what we have and produce!