Frequently asked questions

To ignite without a flame, wood has to reach 450–500 °C, and it chars at a rate of 0.67mm per minute, so it burns very slowly. Its most important property for fire safety is that when the outside of a section burns, the inside keeps its mechanical strength.

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Wood has a lower heat capacity than concrete and steel. In winter it “traps” heat in the room and warms up faster, while in summer it works the other way, keeping the heat out and the house cool, for up to 30% savings on heating and cooling. Studies show that wood insulates 9 times better than concrete and 430 times better than steel.

Wood’s advantage over other window materials is especially clear in thermal insulation. It insulates so well that you can safely hold a burning piece of wood by its unburnt end. Compared with other materials, wood’s thermal performance is 4,000 times better than steel and 1,800 times better than aluminium.

No building material compares with the warmth and harmony of wood, whether in windows, roofs or floors. It is always a living material that lives in our space.

It is the most natural material and is preferred above all in homes: it feels warm and welcoming, and technically it has many advantages, such as easy processing and good thermal and sound insulation. From shipbuilding to construction, it has proved its excellent durability over time.

Unlike windows made of other materials, wooden windows can always look new with simple maintenance. Others are difficult or impossible to repair, and their material can suffer significant, irreversible changes.

One of the biggest advantages of wooden windows is that knocks and scratches can be repaired, whether they happen after installation, before the house is lived in, or years later.

With every order you receive from HAUFEN® a pack of paint, the materials you need and a complete maintenance manual. Repairing is very simple: brush a coat of paint onto the spot, and within minutes the damage is covered and the colour fully restored. This makes wood unique among window materials.

Yes. You can change the colour of a HAUFEN® window at any time, completely safely for its quality. Choose the shade, get the right water-based paint from HAUFEN® only, and follow our technicians’ instructions.

The process involves cleaning the window, lightly sanding (not scrubbing) the surface and applying the new colour, which will have the same properties as the factory finish.

Cleaning wooden windows is no different from usual. Any mild detergent can be used. Wash with plenty of water, at times when the sun is not shining directly on the window.

HAUFEN® gives its customers the “HAUFEN® Kitbox” maintenance kit, with all the materials needed and detailed instructions.

Over the last 20 years our windows have been installed on islands, by the sea and in the mountains, exposed to the harshest weather, and their paint has held up and earned our reputation. That success is no accident.

Our paints are water-based, from Sigma. Painting starts by treating the wood against insects and removing all fungi, and impregnating the window with fungicidal preservatives in a flow-coating chamber. Four coats of eco-friendly paint are then applied by robotic electrostatic painting to protect the surface. The painting cycle takes about eight days: time-consuming, but the most effective and durable method.

Look after the exterior surfaces as often as the local weather requires. Modern wooden windows do not need old-style maintenance (scraping and repainting): just a good wash with plenty of water (never in direct sun) and, depending on the weather, water-based cleaners applied with a cotton cloth or sponge. A cleaning and care kit comes with every order.

According to a WWF report, the expected life of a 1.5 m² wooden window is 60 years, compared with just 20 for a similar PVC window.

Wood is the most important renewable raw material used in building. It needs relatively little processing, so its production is clean and uses little energy. To be truly “green”, though, other critical factors must also be considered.

HAUFEN® follows the strictest ecological standards, from planting and harvesting to making and installing the windows. Materials, paints and processes are strictly controlled to protect workers and end users. All certificates are available to anyone interested.