Natural inside and out: new window frame coating system Aquawood Terra by ADLER

Sustainability is a subject that all window manufacturers are now having to address. More and more projects are being tendered with DGNB, ÖGNI or baubook criteria and even private builders are increasingly stipulating the use of eco-friendly materials. Thomas Braschel, CEO of Austrian window manufacturer Gaulhofer, emphasises: "Wooden windows and wood/aluminium windows meet all the requirements of sustainable building, in line with the principles of the circular economy. If we are to fully exploit this potential, we need convincing concepts and high-performance, environmentally friendly materials for our window production." Materials such as ADLER's Aquawood Terra: this new window frame coating system combines ADLER's established quality with a fully sustainable formula – and also offers clear advantages in terms of look, feel and durability.

Brilliant quality, ultra-matt look

When it comes to surface quality and ease of use, this new product meets the high standards that ADLER's customers are used to: the intermediate coat Aquawood Intermedio Terra ensures perfect all-round weather sealing and protection against moisture, and the topcoat Aquawood Finapro Terra has an unusually high capacity to withstand mechanical loads and is extremely resistant to weathering and UV light. Add to this the primer Aquawood Primo and you have a high-quality, three-layer coating system that complies with all the relevant standards and is also completely free of active agents. With a very short drying time, application of the coatings has also been optimised to meet the needs of discerning customers. With an ultra-matt, extremely natural look and feel, the new system is at the same time setting new standards: "Aquawood Finapro Terra is the first 1C window frame coating that enables such a low level of gloss and excellent transparency for areas subject to weathering – wooden windows look almost as though they haven't been coated at all," explains Dr Simon Leimgruber, Head of Development for window coatings in ADLER's laboratory. The coating is also scratch-resistant and doesn't form shiny patches: "An innovative combination of raw materials makes the surface especially elastic, giving the coating the capacity to even out any small areas of damage," explains Leimgruber.

Proven to be sustainable

This same combination of raw materials is also responsible for the high sustainability standards of Aquawood Terra, which have been confirmed by its "Cradle to Cradle" certification. The intermediate coat and the topcoat are manufactured with more than 80 % natural and renewable raw materials, have an extremely low VOC content and are free from biocidal agents. This means that Aquawood Terra fulfils all the requirements of construction projects that are strongly focused on sustainability and at the same time guarantees the perfect product quality that customers of ADLER have come to appreciate. "Sustainability is a top priority for us here at Gaulhofer, from the use of regionally sourced raw materials through to energy and waste management," says Gaulhofer CEO Thomas Braschel. "With ADLER, we have a partner at our side who brings with them absolute credibility and expertise on this subject and who can support us by supplying sustainable coatings in a reliable quality!"