The timeless beauty and quality of wood - 10 unparalleled advantages

Wooden window frames are more durable and reliable than ever before

In the world of facade carpentry, one name stands as a house: HOUT100%. For more than 40 years, more than 70 companies have been working to take the quality of joinery to new heights. With a network of member companies belonging to the top of the carpentry industry, HOUT100% is not just a seal of approval, but a guarantee of assurance.

Since its inception, HOUT100% (at the time: Stichting Gevel Timmerwerk/SGT) has worked ceaselessly to improve quality and sustainability in the carpentry industry. Through intensive cooperation with the best carpentry factories in the Netherlands as well as the Dutch Trade Association for the Carpentry Industry (NBvT), the brand has set a standard by which the rest of the industry measures up. "Together with the Section Kozijnen van NBvT, we have also launched the Kozijnen van Hout marketing campaign with the aim of further expanding the market share of wooden window frames," says Eric Kouters, director of HOUT100%.

Intensive quality control

What distinguishes HOUT100% is the continuous pursuit of being more sustainable and better. Thanks to a strict process of quality control and an open attitude to new technologies and methods, member companies remain at the forefront. This dedication has led to enormous quality improvements in wooden window frames and façade elements. Whereas wooden window frames were once considered vulnerable, thanks in part to HOUT100%, they are now more durable and reliable than ever before. By working exclusively with proven sustainable wood, HOUT100% contributes to the preservation of our forests and a smaller carbon footprint. "This means that customers not only choose high-quality products, but also contribute to a better world."

By far the best choice

"The benefits of wood are enormous," Kouters knows. "Not for nothing is the sentiment in the industry completely focused on wood and timber construction. Unfortunately, the importance of wooden window frames remains somewhat underexposed in this regard. Especially since plastic window frames are cheaper to purchase. Moreover, these window frames score excellently in the National Environmental Database. However, if we look at the sustainability and financial impact in the long run, wooden window frames are by far the best choice. And wooden window frames also excel in terms of thermal properties, fire safety and design freedom." 

Some of the benefits:

1  Wood lasts a very long time

Wood lasts a very long time. Those who install wooden window frames or exterior doors in their premises can easily enjoy them for 40 to 75 years. In fact, there are plenty of examples where wooden window frames will last many years longer. Look at all the listed buildings in our old downtowns, for example.

2  Wood is renewable

Wood is also a fully renewable resource. Sustainably managed forests serve as an inexhaustible resource in this regard. Moreover, no other material can be reused or recycled as well and energy-efficiently as wood.

3  Wood is safe from fire

Wood can burn, yet it is very fireproof. The wood used in window frames conducts virtually no heat. In addition, wood carbonizes when it burns, slowing fire formation. Also, hardly any harmful gases are released.

4  Wood is insulating

Wood has very good insulating properties. Due to its unique cell structure, these insulating properties are, for example, 15 times higher than those of concrete, 400 times higher than those of steel and even 1,770 times higher than those of aluminum. Using wood window frames in a home saves a lot of energy over the life of the property.

5  Wood gives design freedom

Whereas many materials use standard sizes and colors, wood can be made in any size and painted any color. As a result, architects benefit from complete design freedom, without any major price increases. Moreover, when requirements change, the look (color) of the window frames can easily be adjusted.

6  Wood is strong

Wood weighs relatively little, yet is enormously strong. If you look at the strength-to-weight ratio, wood is even stronger than steel. Wooden window frames and doors also have high burglary resistance. And if they do get broken into, burglary damage is often easily repairable.

7  Wood is low maintenance

Thanks to improved manufacturing techniques, glue joints and paints, wood is very easy to maintain. If you choose high-quality materials, you will only need to paint every 15 years. And is the wooden window frame damaged? Then you can easily repair it.

8  Favorable Total Cost of Ownership

When considering the purchase cost, maintenance and lifespan of wooden window frames, it can be said that over a 30-year period, wood is cheaper than other types of materials such as plastic or aluminum.

9  Wood is good for the environment

Wood stores CO₂ up. As a tree grows, CO₂ sequestered. And if the wood is then used in window frames, for example, the CO₂ laid down. The production of wood does not require a large amount of energy. A wooden façade element is thus 100% climate proof. This makes wood an excellent fit for the transition from traditional to bio-based construction.

10 Social impact

"The transition to bio-based construction is not only a technical and economic transition, but also has social impact," Kouters concludes. "Experience shows that people who live and work in a wooden building are very satisfied with the comfort. Wooden window frames ideally match this."