With the advent of plastic windows, wooden glazing of residential premises has become less popular and faded into the background. However, fashion is fleeting, technical progress does not stand still, and today, thanks to new technologies, the glazing of the balcony and windows with wood is being revived. Modern double-glazed windows made of wood have a variety of shapes and unique colors.
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Dignity
Glazing a balcony with wooden frames has a number of significant advantages
- Wood is an exclusively natural material of natural origin. It does not cause allergic reactions, is not toxic, and therefore is safe for human health.
- The frame made of wooden raw materials has a very attractive appearance and suits any design.
- The installation of wooden window frames does not take much time.
- The cost of a wooden double-glazed unit is significantly lower than its analogue made of plastic.
- Modern frames of the new generation, even in one glass, retain heat very well. And if a package of energy-saving glasses in several layers is inserted into a wooden frame, then such a balcony will be warm and cozy even in winter.
- Wooden windows are sound-absorbing. If your balcony faces a noisy street, with a wooden double-glazed window, silence and comfort will be provided to you.
- Since wood fiber is a natural material, it breathes and is able to provide natural ventilation to a balcony or loggia. It has been scientifically proven that in 24 hours a wooden frame allows about two m3 of air to pass through.
This circumstance makes it possible not to supplement such frames with supply ventilation valves and a micro-ventilation mechanism.
Hardware in wooden frames is in no way inferior in quality to the mechanism used in plastic structures
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Windows made using modern technologies practically do not need any complicated maintenance. Before entering production, raw materials undergo multi-stage processing. Factory windows go through a multi-stage painting system with water-based paints, which are considered safe for humans. The wood is dried, primed, painted or varnished, and thanks to special impregnations, the frames have a long service life. Depending on the taste preferences of the client, the wooden surface of the product can be matte or acquire a beautiful glossy sheen.
To increase the service life of the window frame, the outer layer can be covered with metal slats. Thus, from the inside, you can enjoy a pleasant wooden texture, and from the outside, the window will be reliably protected from natural disasters. Such windows can withstand quite serious temperature drops from -50 to +50 degrees. They do not have to be constantly updated and varnished or painted.
disadvantages
However, nothing is perfect, and the tree also has some costs
- despite all types of treatments, it is still a natural material, which means that it is influenced by weather conditions. Elite Euro windows are less sensitive to precipitation and dryness, and less expensive frames, due to insufficient processing, can start to fail quite quickly.
- Even the highest quality windows need to be re-impregnated from time to time to increase their service life.
- The tree tends to age over time.
- If exposed to too hot air for a long time, the wooden frame may crack.
Glazing types
There are two main types of windows for balconies and loggias
- Cold. With this finish, a frame with one glass is installed, the thickness of which can be in the range of 4-6 mm. It will protect the balcony from precipitation and wind, but the single frame will not retain heat.
- Warm. This type of window structure is more effective protection against cold air and noise. It consists of several layers of glass. There are two, three and even five chamber double-glazed windows with wooden frames. Without additional insulation, the balcony, of course, will not be as warm as in the room, but a warm double-glazed window will provide an advantage over the street of 5-10 degrees. And if you install additional heating on a balcony with warm glazing, then you can use the resulting additional territory for arranging a winter garden or a study.
Tree species
Pine
It is the standard and most common material for the manufacture of window blocks. At a relatively low cost, the frames have high wear resistance. Pine windows are used to decorate not only balconies in city apartments. Frames of this breed can also be found in private homes. Glazing made of pine in a wooden house built of the same species of wood is considered to be especially chic.
The price of this breed depends on the region of growth. Pine trees grown in the southern regions have a softer and more porous structure. Trees from northern latitudes have a denser texture. The most valuable are the Angara pines from Komi.
Larch
This is a coniferous species that has high resistance to increased moisture exposure. Due to the high content of resins, the decay processes are slowed down, therefore, part of it is used in the construction and decoration of wooden houses in a humid climate, near water bodies. Larch windows have a very nice texture. However, their cost is high due to the difficulty of processing this breed.
Oak
This hardwood is considered one of the most elite. Oak is characterized by a very beautiful pattern, and the texture is quite dense and durable. For window frames, beams from the mountainous regions of the Caucasus are used. It is worth paying a fairly large sum for such a glazing of a balcony or loggia once, and with minimal maintenance they will delight you for more than one decade.
Meranti (mahogany)
This breed is quite popular in Europe. Compared to many other breeds, its cost is not great. However, in Russia it is not widespread and is considered exotic. When sawing meranti, waste is obtained in the form of wood dust, which is extremely harmful to health, therefore, the production of products from this species requires additional equipment with a ventilation system.
And this leads to additional costs and, accordingly, an increase in the cost of the final product. In addition, the wood itself has such a multi-colored texture that it is extremely difficult to choose lamellas that match each other. It should also be noted that most Russian manufacturers have not yet fully mastered the technology of working with this breed, so if you want to order an exclusive decoration of your mahogany loggia or balcony, this should be done from a trusted company.
Combinations of different breeds
Often, balcony and window frames are made from several layers of different types of wood. For example, the outer layer of windows, and sometimes the middle layer, is made of spliced pine. This type of wood is imported from the northern regions and is considered to be more robust. And for the inner layer, unconsolidated pine or even larch is quite suitable. This saves on material costs. The GOST rules allow such combinations for residential buildings.
Most often, wooden windows are made of laminated veneer lumber. Contrary to the name "Glued", this is a high-quality and environmentally friendly material. In production, a glue with a water-repellent effect is used, due to which the finished product does not absorb wet vapors and extraneous odors.
Glued laminated timber is considered to be more durable than conventional solid wood. The timber is less susceptible to deformation and the probability that the windows will "lead" over time is minimal. In the manufacture of this material, all parts undergo repeated processing, which guarantees the absence of cracks and the appearance of rot.
For the manufacture of timber, the array is cut into boards, dried and discarded parts with knots, cracks and other defects. After that, the splicing of the boards into the timber begins directly.
Various firms offer different ways of joining the timber - in length, width, or a combined version. However, according to experts, the quality of the finished product does not suffer.
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