Currently, more and more people give their choice in favor of metal-plastic windows. Such double-glazed windows are equipped with ordinary apartments, and country houses, and chic country mansions. And quite often people install new windows with their own hands. Depending on the chosen method of installation and the skills of the installer, the process of installing one window will take from one and a half hours to half a day. The technology for installing windows is extremely simple and straightforward. It does not require the use of any complex tools. The main thing is to adhere to the installation order and comply with all the requirements dictated by the installation technology.
Necessary measurements before ordering plastic windows
Proper installation of new windows requires an accurate measurement of the window opening. In addition, it is important to know the features of installing windows in openings with a quarter. Such window openings are usually found in foam concrete buildings. They help to significantly reduce heat loss. The main difference is that a window with a length of 50 mm less than the length of the opening is installed in the opening without a quarter. 30 mm must be subtracted from the measured width. Leave gaps of 15 mm along the contour of the opening for foaming. In accordance with the current GOSTs, 20 mm must be left around the perimeter. From below, additionally leave 35 mm under the window sill.
If the installation of PVC windows will be carried out in a window opening with a quarter, measure at the narrowest point. When ordering, add 30 mm to the window width. The length does not need to be changed.
As a rule, the window is not installed in the center of the opening, but at a distance of about 1/3 deep from the outer plane. If the installation of PVC windows is done by hand, then the owner can move the structure in any direction convenient for him. Think over the offset in advance and take this parameter into account when ordering a low tide and a window sill.
To the width of the ebb and window sill determined in accordance with the location of the window, add 50 mm each. When calculating the width of the window sill, additionally take into account such an indicator as the location of the battery.
The window sill should cover the radiator halfway. Add 20 mm to insert the product under the base of the PVC window. The margin in length must be at least 80 mm. But it’s better not to save too much and add 150 mm so that in the future you can cut the window sill beautifully without any problems. Together with the ebb and window sill, you will be offered to order side plastic plugs. You don't need to give up on them.
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Which frame mounting method should I choose?
The installation of PVC windows does not depend on the chamber size of the double-glazed window, nor on the number of internal chambers in the profile. The order of installation of the product can change only taking into account the material of the walls and the size of the window. A suitable fastening and installation method for PVC windows is selected in accordance with the listed parameters. To fix the window structure, you can use:
- Dowels or anchors that cut into walls through existing or pre-prepared through holes in the profile.
- toothed plates. They are pressed into profile. They are fastened against the wall and fixed with screws.
Practice shows that the first option is the most reliable. It is most often used when installing heavy and large windows. In the case of through fastening, the window will normally withstand multiple shock loads that inevitably occur when turning and tilting window sashes. In addition, with the help of anchors, the installer gets the opportunity to adjust the horizontal and vertical of the product to be installed as accurately as possible.
Those who install windows with blank double-glazed windows, i.e. without hinged and flaps, more interested in installation using anchor plates. These products are hidden under the slopes, so they will not spoil the appearance. If the walls of the house are made of brick or concrete, then it is recommended to prepare small recesses for the plates. They will eliminate the need to apply a leveling layer before the slope device.
Sometimes both methods are used in combination. Through the lower profile and the side parts of the frame, anchors are deepened into the walls, and plates are used to fix the structure. If the windows are installed in a building made of wood, it is better to refuse the use of plates, because. they loosen after a short time. In this case, galvanized screws are more preferable.
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What you need to know the owner of a wooden house?
The process of installing PVC windows is very dependent on the material of the walls. In the case of brick and foam concrete structures, the differences come down only to the depth of the anchors. With openings from a bar and a log house, everything is a little more complicated.
If the walls of the house are made of wood, you need to remember a number of important rules. Firstly, it is recommended to start installing PVC windows in a wooden house no earlier than a year, and even better, 2 years after the completion of the construction of the house. This requirement is dictated by the fact that during this time the material shrinks. Glued laminated timber is characterized by the smallest value and period of shrinkage. Secondly, windows are not installed directly into the opening. The product can only be mounted in a wooden box. It will protect the PVC window from deformation. The block must not have any defects, signs of damage by insects and rot, etc. Before starting any work, the wood must be treated with an antiseptic without fail.
After 1-2 years, shrinkage does not stop completely, but is no longer so strong. After the installation of PVC windows and the completion of finishing work, it will also take place. That is why at the top between the box and the opening you need to leave a gap of 30-70 mm. The size of this gap is selected taking into account the type and moisture content of building materials. After installation is completed, this gap must be filled with jute and closed with platbands.
Building codes do not establish any clear recommendations regarding materials for window sills and sills. As a rule, standard ebbs are used, which come with a PVC window. The window sill can be made of wood or polymer. The lower profile can be supported directly on a wooden window sill, i.e. you can, if desired, install this product before installing the window. Or you can not get rid of the old window sill, if it is normally preserved.
Experienced builders give a very useful recommendation, which is not in the regulatory documents, but it will be useful to anyone who decides to install PVC windows on their own. The wood is permeable. If no action is taken in this regard, these evaporations will gradually degrade the properties of the foam. And to prevent the foam from moistening, a polyethylene foam foil tape should be pasted along the line of its application.
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Preparing the opening and window for installation
Before proceeding with further work, prepare the tools for installing PVC windows. You will need the following:
- Screwdriver.
- Foam gun and directly foam.
- Level.
- Electric jigsaw.
- Perforator.
- A set of hex keys.
- Pencil.
- Yardstick.
- Stationery knife.
After you dismantle the old window, carefully clean the opening of paint and debris. If the walls of your house are made of wood, you will have to additionally cut off the top layer if the new window is mounted in a box that has already served for some time. This pre-treatment provides a stronger adhesion of the foam to the top layer.
Builders recommend using foam to fill the gap only if the gap between the opening and the frame does not exceed 40 mm in size. If the gaps are larger, it is better to partially fill them with foam, drywall and other available materials. For example, in a house made of timber, you can use segments of the same timber.
First you need to remove the sash from the frame. To do this, pull the pin out of the top loop. You can carefully pry it off with a screwdriver or pliers. After that, remove the sash from the bottom hinge. If the window is deaf, you need to remove the double-glazed window from it. First, the longitudinal glazing beads are taken, after them - the transverse ones. Beads are easily removed with a spatula or a wide knife. It is enough to insert an auxiliary tool into the gap and begin to gradually shift it. Be careful not to damage the glass.
If the window is small, you can insert it using mounting plates without having to first remove the double-glazed windows or sashes. If it is possible not to violate the integrity of the factory design, then it is better not to do this. Take a sash or double-glazed window and lean the product against the wall at a slight angle, placing it on a flat horizontal surface, previously covered with thick cardboard or some kind of soft material.
In no case do not lay double-glazed windows and sashes flat. It is also forbidden to put them skewed. Even because of the smallest pebble under the base, a crack may appear in the product. Remove the protective film from the outside of the frame. It is better to do it right away, because. in the future, this process will require much more effort.
Mark the places for installing fasteners. Builders recommend installing fasteners in increments of 40 cm. In accordance with the current state standards, the step should not exceed 70 cm. The standard indents from the impost and corners are 15 cm. If you install a PVC window using plates, attach them to the frame in advance. For this, self-tapping screws are used. Prepare holes for long self-tapping screws or anchor bolts. Use a metal drill for this. Drill from the outside of the frame.
Most instructions indicate that before starting installation, you need to fix it with PSUL protective tape. However, practice shows that it is quite inconvenient to glue it before installation. Therefore, you can do this after the installation is completed, nothing terrible will happen because of this.
Due to their durability, ease of use, and relatively easy installation, plastic windows are considered the most popular today. Professionals, on average, spend no more than 1.5 hours on installing plastic windows. But the price of their virtuosity is not so cheap.
Plastic windows are modern and comfortable translucent systems that keep the room warm in the cold season or allow you to choose the optimal ventilation mode in hot weather.
Most people are looking for ways to save money, because repairing an apartment is already expensive, so if you have free time, you can do the installation yourself. To do this, you just need to carefully study the technology and the rules for their installation. Moreover, we can confidently say that if you make one window, then a skill will appear and, accordingly, subsequent glazing of openings will be made much faster and better.
Before starting work, you should know that the installation of plastic structures can be done in two different ways, each of them has its own characteristics.
Unpacking installation method
unpacking method. It consists in the fact that the window is disassembled before installation.
This method includes preliminary disassembly of the window. To do this, the glazing beads are removed, the double-glazed windows are removed from the frame and, for the duration of the installation, are set aside. After, the frame is attached to the surface with anchors or dowels. Then all the components of the window are put in place. It should be noted that with such an installation, fogging of the window may occur in the future and, during the dismantling of the components, chips and cracks may appear, which will ultimately affect the appearance. However, such a method is sometimes simply necessary. In the event that the apartment where the windows are installed is located on high floors and the opening is large (more than 2 by 2 m), then this option is preferable, since the windows there are more exposed to gusts of wind and environmental aggression. This is the most reliable way. Additional strength can be achieved by attaching the frame not with dowels, but with long anchors.
Installation without unpacking
The method without unpacking is that before installing a double-glazed window, it does not need to be disassembled.
This method differs from the first one in that in this case, the removal of glazing beads and double-glazed windows does not occur, since the frame is not attached directly to the opening through, but is installed using pre-prepared fasteners on the outer side of the surface of the frame itself. Usually in private homes this is the most common technology. This method has practically no disadvantages and is used more often than the first, of course, if the above nuances are not available. In other words, the correct choice of method will be prompted by such factors: the type of construction of the building, the size of the opening, the number of storeys, and wind loads on the window. In addition, if there are sliding sashes in the window being installed, which, with constant use, will carry an impact load on the entire structure, then this installation method is best not to use.
Related article: How to independently adjust the plastic balcony door
Fundamental rules
Scheme of a plastic window: 1 - Frame; 2 - sash; 3 - Double-glazed window; 4 - Drainage; 5 - Stand profile; 6 - Window sill; 7 - Connecting profile; 8 - Slope panel
It should be noted that if you violate the installation rules, then exposure to moisture on the seams, direct sunlight and sudden changes in temperature will lead to their destruction and, as a result, to the loss of sound and heat insulation properties. Accordingly, in this case, the owner of the apartment will be disappointed: instead of the expected heat and sound insulation, he will get an even colder room than the one that was before the installation of a new window.
It's no secret that hired installers also often make gross mistakes, so if there is no reliable construction company nearby or the budget does not allow hiring expensive specialists, then in this case installing plastic windows on your own will be the best and most reliable option, because windows installed with love, will last a long time. To do this, you need to study the rules and sequence of the entire installation process.
The sequence of installation work
PVC window frames are securely installed in the window opening using side anchors or fixing plates.
- preparation of the premises for repair work (furniture should be covered with a protective film, floor coverings should be removed, space should be free at a distance of 2 m from the opening);
- dismantling;
- opening preparation: it must be cleaned of dust, dirt, it should not have protrusions of more than 1 cm, all deep cracks must be sealed with dense insulation material;
- preparing a new window for installation;
- marking the frame where the fasteners will be located, as well as making holes in these places;
- making holes for fasteners;
- setting the window according to the level;
- direct window installation;
- sealing cracks with mounting foam;
- tide installation;
- window sill installation;
- final adjustment of fittings and installation of handles.
Step by step description
Installation of windows must be carried out during the day and experts do not recommend postponing it until tomorrow. Therefore, before starting work, it is necessary to have at hand all the necessary set of tools that you need to take care of in advance. By the way, having bought it once, such tools will come in handy in the house more than once.
Bulgarian - a universal tool, otherwise called an angle grinder (angle grinder), is used to level surfaces, remove a layer of paint or rust.
Required set of tools:
- jigsaw;
- construction knife;
- a hammer;
- Bulgarian;
- level;
- foam gun;
- screwdriver;
- roulette;
- pencil;
- set of hexagons;
- silicone gun;
- perforator.
Material:
- plastic window;
- mounting foam;
- self-tapping screws for metal (4 mm) and dowels;
- fasteners (anchor plates);
- low tide;
- white silicone.
Related article: How to fix drywall to the wall
Installation process and procedure
The shutters are removed from the window. Remove window frames. If necessary, dismantle (knock down) slopes.
So, the room is prepared for repair work and after that the installation process itself begins directly. Of course, you first need to dismantle the old frames. For this, the glasses are removed, cuts are made in the old frame with a grinder and the frame itself is removed in parts with a perforator. Instead of a puncher, you can use a crowbar. If there is a wooden window sill, then it is dismantled by a similar method. The concrete window sill is easy to remove with a conventional hammer. After dismantling, the surface must be thoroughly cleaned of debris and dust.
The next step is to prepare for installation. At this stage, it is important to know that if the window is not deaf, then all mechanisms should be closed. Otherwise, when sealing the gaps between the frame and the opening with foam, the profile can lead in such a way that it will be arched. The rules for installing plastic windows state that the protective film should only be removed when the finishing work is completed; handles should not be installed, as this may result in an inadvertent opening of the window. Also, after the openings are filled with foam, the window must be kept closed for at least 12 hours.
The sashes are removed from the plastic window, the double-glazed window is removed. A window frame is inserted into the prepared opening and fixed to anchor bolts or mounting plates.
Fasteners must be placed on all sides of the frame, so the markings should be done around the entire perimeter of the window in increments of 70 cm. The indent from the extreme fasteners should be at least 10-15 cm. After the markings are made, fasteners are screwed to the frame using self-tapping screws (anchor plates) so that the screw goes deep into the profile and reaches the metal (curved channel), which is inside the structure. Then the window is substituted for the opening, and marks are made directly on it. Further, on these marks, where the fasteners will be installed, recesses are made for them.
After that, the window should be leveled. To facilitate this process, you can use wooden bars, which must be placed under the transverse parts of the structure in the following sequence: first two lower ones, then two upper ones. As a result, the window frame should be perfectly aligned both horizontally and vertically. You can check the correct installation using the building level. After making sure that the frame is level, you can proceed directly to the mount. This is done with dowels.
The ebbs perform not only a decorative role, but also have waterproofing properties, so at this stage it is necessary to install this element. To prevent further water from entering the junction of the ebb with the frame, it is best to install it under the window. If this is not possible, then it should be attached directly to the window frame (metal screws are excellent for this). Not all installed windows face the street, so if, for example, it is combined with a kitchen or a balcony, then window sills are used instead of low tide.
