Into the Woods
Why are all-wood windows enjoying a resurgence?
Luxury goods have gotten so pervasive that they have lost much of their exclusivity. (These days you can get a brand new Mercedes for around $30,000, for goodness' sake!) So, some consumers are seeking new ways to separate themselves from the mainstream herd. These mavericks might just be the ones who are asking for all-wood windows in their houses.
“I think you are seeing a lot more people in the custom segment ask for more options and features to customize,” says Brian Hedlund, a product marketing manager at Klamath Falls, Ore.–based Jeld-Wen. One way they are doing it is with wood windows in exotic species.
This is not really a surprise, says Jeff Williams, senior brand manager at Medford, Wis.–based Weather Shield. “Wood has always been a practical window material, so long as it is properly maintained.”
Last year, Weather Shield introduced Collections, a line for people who love the appeal of wood. “This new ultra-high-end Collections window and door line is Weather Shield's response to the features and options most requested by architects, builders, and owners of custom luxury homes,” Williams said in a release announcing the launch. The windows have thick frames to give the units heft and a selection of handcrafted hardware.
It might seem like folly to install a wood window on your house at a time when materials such as vinyl and aluminum are available, but manufacturers say it's not a crazy idea. After all, new glazing technologies do a better job of sealing the glass to the wood, Williams says, and improved preservatives help wood fight the elements.
“A lot of it has to do with the wood species you choose,” Hedlund says. “Mahogany and vertical-grain Douglas fir, for example, hold up really well. Alot of old wood windows may have been pine.”
Maintenance notwithstanding, the appeal and warmth of wood are, perhaps, the biggest reasons more custom home buyers are opting for the material. And who can blame them? Says Williams, “Wood can age gracefully over time, changing in texture and tone in a very appealing manner.”
For more product information, visit ebuild, Hanley Wood's interactive product catalog, at www.builderonline.com or www.ebuild.com.