The Production of Hiss Reet Dormer Windows

Hiss Reet dormer windows are being produced in a small manufacture in Northern Germany. When developing windows design is our top priority. We take up historical forms and adapt and optimise them according to modern principles of production. We take pride in our achievements. The Hiss dormer windows are favoured by house builders, architects, thatchers and preservationists alike. We heavily rely on quality in the production process of our windows for thatched roofs. This goes from the choice of the appropriate type of wood to a thorough quality check prior to the delivery.

The manufacture of the dormer windows consists of several steps:

In a first step the raw material for the fabrication of dormer windows has to be chosen. Due to its good qualities for window construction larch is the most common choice (good strength, high durability, high resistance against insects and fungal decay come along with a decorative surface). When choosing lumbers we take special care to ensure a knotless surface.

In the next step the segments and lumbers required for the construction of the window frames and the sashes of the respective type of dormer window are planed and cut to size. To obtain a particularly clean surface of the highest quality we use a hydro planer with special plane irons. For all curved parts of the frame and the sashes the individual segments are galvanised and glued.

This blank shape is still quite angled and can now be rounded off with a milling machine. To join the individual head rails they are provided with mortise and tenon. The remaining lumbers (in the case of the arched dormer for instance the mullion) receive counterprofiles.

Before the gluing of the individual lumbers to complete window frames and sashes all joints (mortise and tenon) are pre-impregnated. From experience we know, that the joints of the head rails are very commonly the weak spot in window production. That is why we at Hiss Reet take great care in this step of production.

In the next step of production the profiles of the edging boards are shaped. Then the finished edging boards are glued on the window frame.

When the window frames and the sashes of the dormer windows are glued, the dormers are brought to the paint shop where the surface finishing takes place. Surface finishing is applied using the Sikkens system. The Sikkens system is a water-based environmentally friendly product. First, the dormers are being rough-ground. The rough grind is an important step, as it has a big influence on the resulting surface. The better the ground, the fairer the resulting surface will be. We start to rough-grind with a coarse grit size, which gradually gets finer. The final check is conducted by an experienced varnisher, whose keen eyes notice even the smallest unevenness. In the next step the window frames and the sashes are primed and given a clear coat using Sikkens Pre-Primer (WV 81111) After the pre-priming at customer's option either a white (WP 175) or a pigmented (WF 562) primer is applied. In between the pre-priming and the priming we do not sand the surface as this would spoil the priming. This is also the stage at which we fit the protection of the v-joint. The v-joint protection prevents the ingress of moisture into the timber joints. It is only now that the dormer windows are sanded to obtain a perfect lacquer finish. The process of varnishing consists of three steps: First the undercoat is applied, then the window is fine sanded and in the end the top coat is applied on the frame and the sashes of the dormer window.

After the varnishing the dormer windows are thoroughly dried and the fittings (handles, keeper plates, stay arms) are inserted, the window panes are fitted and the final assembly takes place. After having been carefully packaged, the dormer windows are ready to be delivered to our customers. The Hiss Reet dormer windows feature a Roto NT fitting providing basic security. By request, we can make your dormer windows even safer (more keepers, use of mushroom cams throughout, security glass, etc.) or more energy-saving (triple glazing with an Ug-value of 0.7; glazing bars without aluminium, etc.). Please take note of our information on the maintenance of Hiss Reet dormer windows.