The return of wooden windows and doors
The return of wood windows, front doors, balcony doors, patio doors and large-format wooden sliding doors is evidenced by increasing demand from architects, planners and builders. They never really went away, it’s simply that competition from other window materials grew.
But the architectural direction is going back to the classic, traditional wooden window that we’ve known since childhood. Our grandparents knew nothing else because wood is the oldest material used for doors and windows. Back then, wooden windows lasted over 100 years and were simply treated with oil.
The Mestre Raposa International® team has a passion for wood and an ecological conscience.
A small team has been working on perfecting wooden windows and doors for several years. The ambitious goal was and is to develop a sustainable wooden window that far surpasses the quality of products from other suppliers.
To this end, Mestre Raposa International® has carried out extensive tests of its wooden window systems at the FCBA in Bordeaux (France) and at the University of Coimbra (Portugal), all of which have obtained above-average results and, indeed, the best in all of Europe, all parameters combined.
What is the vision of Mestre Raposa International® Portugal for the future of wooden windows?
Essentially, it is about giving this natural material the status it deserves, and ensuring that window and door products made of wood receive a final treatment of eco-friendly products to protect both the environment and your health.
Cutting-edge technology and the natural material, wood, combine to form a perfectly designed and manufactured window by Mestre Raposa International®. This is no longer just a vision, but the result of daily collaboration in Mestre Raposa’s B2B department.
Wooden window - advantages
Positive ecological balance and sustainability
Wood is a renewable and climate-neutral raw material. This raw material absorbs greenhouse gases during the growth phase of the tree so every wooden window produced also contributes to the positive CO2 balance. In contrast to all other materials, wooden windows alone have a positive ecological balance.
Energetic efficiency
A growing problem is rising energy prices. The low thermal conductivity of wooden windows has a strong insulating effect. No other material achieves better energy values than wood. The energy efficiency of a wooden window is documented by the U-w value and the passive house standard can be easily achieved with appropriate glazing.
Burglary and fire protection
Wooden windows and doors offer a high level of burglary protection, which can be increased further with certified security systems. Although wood is combustible, it exhibits enormous dimensional stability at high temperatures.
This means that it remains stable for a long time in the event of a fire or at temperatures of 200 degrees Celsius because the carbon layer that forms on the surface has an insulating effect and protects the material.
Types of wood and their properties
European woods are recommended for the European market. The wood is preserved even in its transformed state. It is a living product, so it is necessary to utilise wood from renewable sources in Europe, especially from the north of Europe. Tree growth is slower in colder regions, which naturally enhances the density of the wood.
So that you can be sure of the origin of the wood and confirm the quality and the responsible handling of the window manufacturer towards the customer and the supplier, FSC labels for the production of high-quality wooden windows must be certified.
Tropical woods should be avoided, with the exception of meranti, which is both sustainable and fair trade.
Wooden windows made of spruce wood
Spruce wood is one of the most processed woods in the northern hemisphere. It has excellent warmth and can be made into veneer as it is a softwood. Spruce is a commonly used wood in the manufacture of wooden windows.
Pine wooden
Pine trees are found in central European forests and are the second most common forest tree species. This type of wood must only be used for the manufacture of windows if it comes from northern European forests otherwise it may become resinous, which can lead to problems with surface treatments.
Larch wood
The larch wood used by Mestre Raposa International® comes from northern Europe, southern Germany and the Alps. Larch wood is red and darkens over time. Larch is hard and heavy and therefore offers additional protection against burglary.
Oak wood
Oak is undoubtedly the most sought-after wood. There are many subspecies of wood and, in certain circumstances, it may not be fully waterproof due to the wood’s porous nature. The surface structure of wooden windows is of course beautiful, but the processing of oak wood into windows requires great skill.
If treated incorrectly, tannic acids can escape, which can lead to black discolouration of the wood.
Meranti wood
Meranti is a tropical wood primarily native to Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, and is ideal for the construction of wooden windows. Mestre Raposa only uses Meranti wood if it comes from renewable stocks and is therefore FSC-certified. Meranti wood has a reddish brown colour and the structure is very similar to oak.
Finishing of wooden windows
All types of wood are subjected to a complex surface treatment in several stages, which extends the service life of wooden windows and makes them easier to care for.
Wood is unrivalled as a renewable raw material and it makes a major contribution to preserving the earth through the reduction of CO2 levels, the dramatic effects of which are becoming increasingly evident. In this sense, choosing wooden windows for your project makes a valuable contribution to the environment.
Mestre Raposa International® is a window company specialising in wood and wood-aluminium windows in southern Europe. The environmental demands on materials, production techniques and the appropriate surface treatments are higher than in Central and Northern Europe and especially for projects in coastal locations. Let us advise you. We have completed over 1000 wood window projects of all sizes, both uncomplicated and creatively challenging.
