How to measure a window opening

Installing plastic windows is not an easy job and must be done with full responsibility.

To make a window frame of the required size, you will need its dimensions. You can do them yourself or call a specialist from a window company.

If you decide to involve specialists, then knowing the technology of taking measurements will not be superfluous. This way you can monitor the work and determine the level of their qualifications. Or you can do without specialists and take measurements yourself and save some money.

Before taking measurements, you need to properly prepare:

Provide free access to the window. If work is carried out at height, open the window sash to take external measurements. When taking measurements in a private house or on the ground floor, you need to place a ladder or stepladder to the window;
Take a pen and paper. Draw a table in which you will enter all parameter values;
Measure the width, length and thickness of the window sill beam. Then the height and width of the window opening;
Measure the length and width of the sill.

Important! All measurements are taken and recorded in millimeters.

Anchor points

Anchor points are the basis of any shoulder pattern. They allow you to simplify the process of measuring volumes, as well as create the most accurate pattern.

There are seven such points in total:

The first is located on the side at the intersection of the base of the neck and the shoulder line.
The second control mark is the extreme point of the shoulder.
The third is located at the site of the 7th cervical vertebra.
The fourth point is the most protruding part of a woman's chest.
The fifth mark is located at the intersection of the waist line and the spine.
The sixth point is a mirror image of the fifth, but only from the front.

Most measurements pass precisely through these control marks, which is why novice seamstresses first try to learn them.

Stages of taking measurements

First, measure the width of the outer side of the window. The width is calculated from the side slopes. To obtain more accurate indicators, measurements should be carried out in two areas, above and below the window frame. The opening may be uneven. The smaller of the obtained results is entered into the table.
Measure the height of the opening. First on the right side, then on the left.
20 mm is added to the width (subject to measuring windows in panel houses and 40 mm in brick houses). This distance is used to overlap the future window onto the ledge (quarter). There is no need to add extra millimeters to the height parameters, since a low tide is installed below, which should be level.
Measure the ebb, which is presented between the side surfaces of the quarter. Add 30 mm to the resulting figure. If there are any materials left, you can always trim them.
The width of the flashing is measured from the window to the end of the ledge. 25 mm is added to it.
After closing the window, measure the inside of the opening. The principle of operation is similar to measuring the external part.

Complex wall geometry.

If the room has radial rounded walls, it is necessary to snap from a flat wall element to the beginning of the radius, and to the center. If the radial wall is large, you can draw a line from one selected flat element and set points on it in increments of 1 meter.

And from the points on this line, sequentially measure the distance to the rounded wall, so that the designer can display the curved wall as accurately as possible when working on an interior design project , performing planning.

Self-measuring the window opening - can a beginner do it?

There are some features and requirements for correct and accurate taking of window measurements, subject to which even a beginner can cope with this task:

To correctly take window measurements, you must have spatial imagination, as well as an understanding of the design of the house structure and the window frame.
Measurements must be taken from the inside and outside. This will give an accurate result. If it is not possible to go outside due to the high floor, the measurement is carried out through the window sash.
If the measurement is carried out for the customer, then it is necessary to clarify whether the outlines of the current opening will be preserved until the finished window frames arrive. Sometimes the dismantling of old frames is carried out by the owners carelessly, with cleaning of the concrete plaster or removing an additional row of bricks.
When measuring window openings in panel houses, you need to take into account their possible distortions. This will prevent the appearance of through cracks. Very often there is a discrepancy between the parameters of the lower and upper parts of the window.
When taking measurements as a performer, it is necessary to agree on the external parameters of the future window, how far it will protrude from behind the wall.
When measuring the window span, it is also necessary to take into account the location of the ebb. The lower level of the window frame should not be lower than the edge of the projection on the outside.
Having decided on the dimensions of the future window frame, it is necessary to once again compare them with the internal results of the opening measurements to ensure that they are carried out correctly.
An important indicator is the shape of the window, as it can be varied. For example, arched, rectangular, trapezoidal and so on.

Why do you need room measurements?

Correct measurements of rooms are very important during interior planning and when reconstructing premises. In this case, every millimeter plays a big role.

The measurements allow us to correctly:

Plan the location and accurately select the dimensions of the furniture in the living room and bedroom.
Choose kitchen furniture and household appliances, including built-in ones.
Think over the layout of the bathroom and place plumbing fixtures in it.
Determine how much wallpaper, paint, tiles, parquet, baseboards and other building materials will be needed.
Design partitions in the room if redevelopment is planned.
Select doors, etc.

If you plan to make major repairs, it is best to start with measurements. You can do the work yourself or order the services of a professional measurer.

How to correctly measure quarter-quarter window openings

A quarter is a protrusion located along the outer perimeter of the opening, 1/4 of the brick. It is done to keep the window structure from falling out.

There are some recommendations for taking correct measurements of quarter openings:

The first is the possible asymmetry of the protrusions.
The size of the window frame should allow the structure to extend beyond the side projection by approximately 20–40 mm. That is, the future frame should be wider than the distance between the sides of the protrusions.
The penetration of the structure into the protrusion from above should not exceed 15–20 mm.
The window sill beam must be 10 mm higher than the lower level of the protrusion for normal installation of drainage.

Steps for measuring width

The width of the hole is measured along the slopes from the outside. 40 mm is added to this indicator. (On one side 20 and on the other).
The distance between the points of connection of the structure to the slopes from the inside is measured.
Next, measure the width of the window opening from the inside.

Stages of height measurements

The window is measured without a support beam.
The height of the opening is measured from the upper slope to the base level. The measurement is taken from the outside. To the result obtained, 10 mm is added for the top gap.
The height of the support beam and the height of the window structure are measured taking into account this profile.

Tools

The main measuring tool when taking volumes is a centimeter tape. A tailor's meter (“centimeter”) allows you to take measurements from any part of the body. Modern tapes are made of soft plastic, with markings on both sides. When taking measurements, the countdown is from Fr.

The length of a traditional measuring tape is 1.5 meters. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the equivalence of the divisions and the clarity of the scales. The use of a low-quality tailor's meter will negatively affect the appearance of the future garment.

Another handy tool for a seamstress is a cord or a regular rubber band. These tools are used to more accurately locate the waist. To do this, a cord or ribbon is tied on the narrowest part of the body, and after a couple of movements, the waist is measured using it.

Another very useful measurement tool is the shoulder pad. It allows you to quickly take balance measures, for example, traffic accidents and traffic accidents. You can build a shoulder pad yourself. Using this tool will help save time and increase the accuracy of the measurements needed to build a base (pattern).

How to measure a window opening in a wooden house

The peculiarity of window openings in wooden houses is the absence of protrusions (quarters). Most often, the frame is installed flush with the outer part of the wall. This allows you to avoid additional costs for finishing external slopes. It is enough to get by with platbands alone.

The first thing you need to do is measure the width of the hole for the window.
To do this, the structure is measured at three points, bottom, middle and top. By choosing the smallest indicator, 50 mm will be subtracted (25 on each side) to seal the window with polyurethane foam.
The next parameter is the height of the structure.
Height is measured using the same principle in three places. Taking the smallest indicator, the same 50 mm is subtracted.

Important! If there is a window sill, you need to take into account its thickness. If the future window sill is the same size as the previous one, nothing needs to be done. If it is thicker, the difference must be subtracted from the results of window height measurements.

If measurements are taken in a house where there is a rough frame, the opening is measured inside it.
The size of the street casing is also calculated taking into account the parameters of the rough box. For example, the box size is 50 mm. To calculate the width of the finishing strip, the grip indicator on the wall and frame is summed up, 20 mm each. The installation seam is taken into account - 25 mm and the result is 115 mm, this is the width of the casing.

Important! When installing plastic windows in a new log house, you need to take into account its shrinkage and possible distortion of the structure. Therefore, when calculating the height of the frame, you need to subtract 10% for the shrinkage of the house and 50 mm for the polyurethane foam seam. Failure to maintain clearances when shrinking the house will lead to distortion of the structure and deformation of the entire frame.

Best time for installation

When the decision comes to change windows in the house, people wonder when is the best time to do it, at what time of year? There has long been an opinion that the installation of structures begins in early spring and ends in autumn. However, today this rule is no longer relevant, and here’s why.

Of course, those who know how to measure a window opening for a plastic window, or have already had practical experience in this, will say that it is most comfortable to do the work when it is warm. In addition, most building materials are not adapted to work in minus Celsius. For example, foam for installation.

Its features include changes in state depending on temperature and humidity. Foam was the most common material when installing windows.

This is where we can finish talking about the benefits of summer work. One of the significant disadvantages is high demand, and therefore higher costs for products and services.

It is due to this that, with the arrival of spring, a “hot” period begins in all companies specializing in PVC structures, and either a decrease in quality or an increase in prices occurs.

In addition, in the summer it is not possible to check how well the windows were installed, whether there is penetration of cold air currents, or whether condensation or frost is forming. While in winter all these shortcomings can be noticed almost immediately.

And if you want to return to construction foam again, we will tell you that this issue is no longer relevant, because science does not stand still. The market saw a product that allows you to work even at sub-zero temperatures. Winter foam kits and special thermal barriers will help you comfortably replace windows whenever you wish.

After studying the information in detail, you should clearly understand how to correctly measure a plastic window. If you do this thoughtfully, without haste, the results will be correct.

And yet, if you have doubts about how to measure a plastic window, and you don’t really believe in your abilities, you should entrust the work to a professional who will take full responsibility for the result.

How to measure a window opening in a brick house

The process of measuring a window opening in brick houses must be approached very responsibly, since the dimensions of the openings for the window do not always have standard dimensions.

Measuring features

Protrusions (quarters) in brick houses can reach 100 mm in depth. In this regard, it is necessary to accurately calculate the size of the future structure so that it is hidden behind the quarter by no more than 30 mm, otherwise it will be completely hidden and the walls of the house will fall directly on the glass.
When taking measurements, you also need to determine the boundary of the load-bearing wall. Since in these places the plaster may have a greater thickness for which adjustments should be made. Approximately a plus to the obtained frame parameters of 10–20 mm.
Inside, the distance between the side slopes is measured both in width and in height.
The height is measured from the window sill to the upper surface of the slope. Measurement is performed in two places: right and left.
From the outside, the distance from the slope surfaces is measured in width and height. And also the height from the upper slope to the drainage basin.
From the obtained indicators of the future frame, 20–30 mm are subtracted for the installation seam.

General recommendations.

The correctness of the completed working drawings, the correct dimensions of passages, the placement of furniture, and its dimensions in the design project premises .

Important tip:

Before ordering furniture, it will be necessary to take new measurements “in fact”, because the design dimensions do not always clearly coincide with the installation dimensions, which are specified in the design project .

For measurements of an average apartment up to 100 sq.m. it may take you up to two hours, but you will be sure that when you order, you will receive a high-quality project, while saving up to 25% of the standard cost of a complete interior design project .

In any case, before taking measurements, the designer can indicate those elements that are most important and advise how to measure them in your case.

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Consequences of incorrectly measuring a window opening

If measurements are taken incorrectly, the following problems arise:

The window structure may be larger than the window opening. This will lead to additional costs for widening the hole for the frame.
The window frame does not match the opening to the smaller side. As a result, there will be large gaps that will need to be sealed using special profiles or polyurethane foam, which will also entail additional costs. In addition, the window will not perform its functional tasks - protect the room from cold, rain, noise, and so on.

In conclusion, I would like to note that for high-quality installation of plastic windows, it is necessary to correctly measure the opening. There are a number of features and nuances that need to be taken into account in a given situation during the measurement process.

Thus, for openings of wooden and brick houses there is a specific technology that must be followed. But no matter what the house is, the main thing is a responsible approach to business. After all, incorrect measurements will lead to a mismatch between the window structure and the opening, which means additional costs and failure to fulfill its functional tasks.

Video description

You can estimate how much dust and noise awaits you when expanding the opening by watching this video:

gaps around the perimeter of the structure are too large, requiring sealing;
insufficiently reliable fixation of the window unit in an opening that is too large, leading to the appearance of cracks;
deformation of the window due to pressure resulting from shrinkage of the walls;
deterioration in the performance of window fittings.

You cannot be immune from such problems even if all measurements are taken by window installers. But in this case, at least you won't have to pay to fix them.

Standard dimensions

According to the text of the regulatory documentation, GOST 31173-2016, standard entrance doors have the following standard dimensions:

The most popular type of single-leaf entrance door, which is installed in residential apartments, is 970 mm. Similar products are available from most manufacturers and do not require individual ordering or long waiting times.

Rice. 2. Single-leaf entrance door with a leaf width of 970 mm

A single-leaf door can also be manufactured with increased dimensions - up to 1170 mm, which is the maximum recommended size, since the tearing force that is exerted on the hinges by the weight of the steel leaf increases as a quadratic function of the width of the product (force arm).

Rice. 3. Single-leaf entrance door with a leaf width of 1170 mm

One-and-a-half door structures - consist of two unequal leaves, one of which is in a fixed position, and the second has a direct function of providing the owner’s access to the room. The leaf dimensions in such cases can be from 270 to 670 mm, and the total width of the door leaves is from 1270 to 1670 mm in the closed position.

Rice. 4. One-and-a-half entrance door

Double-leaf doors - presented in the form of 2 equivalent leaves, each of which can be either dependent or freely open. The widths of the sashes can be from 770 to 1170 mm, which is from 1570 to 2370 mm in the closed position.

Rice. 5. Double entrance door

According to technological requirements, when choosing a door, it is necessary to take into account the installation gaps. When developing standard designs of filling elements for door structures, the opening width is assigned +40 mm from the dimensions of the door with the frame.

Rice. 6. Dimensions of the doorway

The box itself, taking into account the horizontal imposts, threshold and vertical posts, has a size of up to 100 mm. The standard height of entrance doors to an apartment or private house is from 1870 to 2370 mm, with an opening with dimensions from 2010 to 2510 mm.

Rice. 7. Standard entrance door height