How to glaze a window with your own hands. Two glazing options

Everyone encounters many pleasant and memorable moments on their life path. But some events can ruin your mood. Everyone knows very well that children love to spend their free time outside. Most of them are fond of a wide variety of sports, such as football, volleyball, tennis and more. Since these are outdoor games and there is a ball involved, anything can happen. For example, a broken window. It is for such cases that this article was written.

What to choose for glazing windows: wood and plastic

Disputes continue between manufacturers of window profiles over which windows are better, plastic or wooden. The main arguments in favor of PVC frames:

• Highest density and thermal insulation;
• Affordable price;
• Do not require additional care;
• Long service life;
• Wide selection of PVC profile colors.

The disadvantages of plastic windows may include:

• When exposed to high temperatures, polyvinyl chloride releases a small dose of harmful substances;
• The full density of the window aggravates the ventilation in the room, causing the occurrence of humidity, “stuffy” air and mold;
• Scratches on frames are difficult to restore and spoil the appearance of the window.

Advantages of wooden structures:

• Environmental friendliness and health safety;
• Aesthetic appearance;
• The wooden profile allows air to pass through, maintaining natural ventilation in the house.

The main disadvantage of windows made of natural material is their susceptibility to the adverse effects of the external environment. Wood must be treated with protective compounds - this is the only way to prolong their service life.

Some information about the profile material

Glazing frame profiles are made from various materials: metal-plastic, aluminum or wood. Their characteristics differ from each other.

1. Aluminum frames are the lightest. They have a long service life: aluminum does not change color, withstands temperature changes, and does not deform. Aluminum profiles are cold and can freeze to each other during frost.
2. Metal-plastic windows to the balcony are the cheapest. If necessary, standard white frames can be laminated with a film of any color, including imitation natural wood. Please note that low-quality plastic may turn yellow over time. In addition, plastic accumulates static electricity, which attracts dust. It is recommended to purchase designs from trusted manufacturers: such glazing can withstand temperature changes well and creates the necessary tightness.
3. Wooden windows for glazing a balcony have one drawback - their price is high. To prevent the structure from deforming, several layers of wood are used, the fibers of which are directed towards each other. Deep impregnation of the material and a special coating protect it from moisture. Wooden windows are environmentally friendly and aesthetically attractive.

Using the information presented in the article, you can choose suitable double-glazed windows for glazing your balcony. The material will be supplemented by a video with explanations from a specialist.

Window glazing options: step-by-step controls

Development of glazing for wooden windows

In order to glaze a window with your own hands, without having experience in performing glass work, you need to become familiar with the theoretical component of this issue.

List of suitable tools:

• Wooden glazing beads;
• Small hammer;
• Bead nails;
• Sealant;
• Glass cutter;
• Glass.

The main stages of glazing a wooden window:

1. Preparing glazing beads for fixing glass. High-quality glazing beads have straight fibers without knots in their structure - this is a guarantee that over time the fastening will not bend or move away. Cut the beads to the required size, the end cut is made at an angle of 45° or 90°.
2. Glass preparation. Having no experience in cutting glass, it is better to ask a professional for help or carry out the workpiece under his supervision. For cutting, you must use a high quality diamond glass cutter. First you need to try to cut the old piece of glass, and later proceed to the “finish cutting”. When working with diamond tools, the pressure on the glass should be light, and at the same time a corresponding cracking sound will be produced. To protect the window from possible distortions, the size of the glass must be made smaller than the frame - 5 mm on each side.
3. When installing a window in a dilapidated frame, it is necessary to clear the grooves of small debris in advance.
4. Window glazing is carried out in the following sequence:

• Apply sealant around the perimeter of the glass;
• Stick the glass into place;
• Holding the glass, apply a bead for fastening;
• Fix the glazing bead - fasten it to the sides of the frame with 2-3 nails;
• Check that the bead is installed correctly and secure it completely around the entire perimeter;
• Perform final planting of carnations.

Procedure for glazing PVC windows

If a glass unit breaks, you may want to try to replace it under warranty. It is quite difficult to glaze a plastic window without the help of others. First you need to understand the structure of the window profile.

The glass unit has a frame with a special double-sided fastening. This frame contains a granular substance (“molecular sieve”) that absorbs and removes water through the drainage holes.

If the glass unit is damaged, the frame remains intact - it must be carefully removed and cleaned. For the upcoming work you will need double-sided tape and glass. If the broken double-glazed window is single-chamber, then it is necessary to prepare two glass sheets; if it is a double-glazed window, then three. The glass should be one cm smaller than the opening of the double-glazed window. Once the glass is prepared, tape must be glued to the frame and the protective layer must be removed. Place the frame on one glass and then on the second glass.

Perform glazing - stick the glass into the profile and press lightly. Fill the gaps and cracks between the glasses with sealant. After hardening is complete, install the glass unit in place.

Cover with film

If you have done all possible types of work, but the room is still cold, you will have to use an extreme method - cover the window with film. Yes, it's ugly. But it’s better not very beautiful, but warm. This method is usually used for windows facing the backyard. We take a thick transparent plastic film, stretch it from the outside onto the window, securing it with strips from the street. Not the most aesthetically pleasing window insulation, but effective.

Ugly? But it's warm...

Why does this method work? Because an additional insulating layer of air is created between the film and the outer glass. This is the first point. The second is this. Since the film is usually nailed to the walls, it turns out that cold air does not penetrate to the frame.

Energy saving film

The same effect - an additional insulating layer - also works in the case of the recently advertised insulation of window glass using film. As you know, any room loses heat through walls, windows, roof, floor. Windows account for up to 40% of heat loss. Previously, this problem was solved by installing additional winter frames. Heat-saving film is essentially a modern substitute for such a frame. Thin double-sided tape is attached to the window frame, and a film is glued to the tape. How smooth is not the point. It needs to be heated with a hairdryer (a regular one, not a hair dryer), after which it will level out and be unnoticeable.

Special energy-saving films are sold

This simple method allows you to raise the room temperature by several degrees. The same film will prevent overheating in the summer - prevent the sun's rays from passing through the glass. The only disadvantage of this method is the inhumane price. A square meter of film costs from 350 rubles, plus you will need double-sided tape.

Is this energy efficient film different from regular film? It's hard to say until comparative tests have been carried out. Will anything change if you cover the window with regular plastic film? Hardly. The advantage of this film is that it is crystal transparent and, after heating, is invisible on the window. So this is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to raise the temperature in the room without ruining the view from the window.

How to glaze a balcony with plastic windows

Choosing a glazing method

There are many other methods of glazing a balcony. Let us outline the features of the main methods:

1. “Cool” glazing protects the loggia from street noise, precipitation, dust and dirt. This method allows you to fully use the loggias only in the warm season. The “cool” method uses wooden frames or a duralumin profile with single glass. Window sashes are made as pivoting or tilt-and-turn. Recently, sliding doors have begun to be used in such structures.
2. Panoramic glazing involves the installation of glass panels with a height from ceiling to floor. For this option, glass treated with metal oxide is used. The thickness of the glass is at least 6-8 mm. Thanks to a special glass processing technology, it is possible to use an impact-resistant material that reflects the heat emitted by convectors. In addition, this glass has excellent soundproofing characteristics.
3. The frameless glazing method requires special installation precision from the contractor. The role of the missing frames is made by guide steel profiles. As a result of the work, it turns out to make a completely transparent, “lightweight” structure. For frameless glazing, special tempered glass is installed.

4. Installing plastic windows on the balcony is the most convenient way of landscaping. You can use PVC profiles to create a warm balcony. Installation is quick, and the glazing has a service life of a couple of 10 years.

Taking into account the extreme popularity of the latter option, we will consider step by step how to glaze a balcony with plastic windows with your own hands.

Opening type

As a rule, most of the balcony glazing is made in a solid design - this provides good light flux and helps save money. But it is also necessary to provide for opening doors - the systems are presented in a wide design variety, each of them has its own characteristics. The ease of use of the window structure will depend on the correct choice.

Rotary . The presence of a rotating mechanism provides access to the entire surface of the sash, allowing you to wash adjacent blind sections from the outside. But this design has many disadvantages:

When fully opened, a powerful air flow is generated, which is most often not needed. Therefore, combs and various opening angle limiters are installed on the rotary sashes, which quickly fail and increase the total cost of the double-glazed window.

You can buy a comb at a hardware store

• When opened frequently, the sash begins to sag, which requires constant adjustments, but their number is limited. The fittings and hinges of swing systems often fail as they experience increased loads.
• It cannot be set to micro-ventilation mode.
• Unsafe for children and animals.

Folding . A system in which the lower horizontal is fixed, and the upper part is tilted into the room at a limited angle. The design is convenient for ventilation, while being as safe as possible. The main disadvantage is the inability to wash the glass from the outside.

Tilt-and-turn. The most convenient and common type. Despite the fact that these systems are a little more expensive, they are preferable because they combine the advantages of a folding and swing design and have several opening modes.

Transom. The design of the window is similar to a window - only the upper part of the sash is tilted. Often installed with panoramic glazing for safe ventilation.

Sliding. Due to the design features, such sashes are used only for cold glazing. They allow you to save space on a limited area of ​​a balcony or loggia. Disadvantages - insufficient tightness along the line adjacent to the frame, freezing in the cold season, which blocks the possibility of opening.

There are other designs of sashes: rotating along a vertical or horizontal axis, folding, hanging, opening outward - but they are not used often, mainly for solving non-standard tasks.

Preliminary activities

First, you need to dismantle the old glazing (if any), take measurements and order new window units.

Using a tape measure, determine the distance from wall to wall, from parapet to ceiling. Keep the horizontality of the parapet under control with a building level and measure the angle of inclination of the edge of the slab. The measurements taken are enough to create a simple sketch that will show:

1. Number of balcony sections. With a balcony length of 6 m, the front frame is divided into two parts (3 m + 3 m) or into three components (sides 2.25 m each, central – 1.5 m).
2. Number of double-glazed windows and “blind” inserts.
3. Opening diagram. Open access must be provided for cleaning external glass and parapet cladding. Almost always, opening sashes alternate with “blind” sections or with glass that cannot be opened.

When taking measurements and drawing up a drawing, technological gaps are taken into account:

• Lower installation gap - the distance between the parapet and the frame - 1.5 cm when supported on block masonry, three cm - when installed on the operating parapet structure of the building;
• Technological side gaps - two cm - if the frame is adjacent to the walls, zero cm - if the balcony frames are adjacent to each other;
• The upper mounting gap is about three cm.

Important! Manufacturers of balcony blocks prefer to take measurements independently. When developing a sketch, the specialist pays attention to the structure/material of the parapet, the type of house, takes into account the angles of the walls and other reasons. Based on the results of the inspection, the expert may decide that the old parapet will not withstand the load of plastic windows and it is necessary to build a new brick partition, or replace the PVC structure with a lightweight duralumin one.

Before you glaze your balcony at home, you need to prepare the supporting surfaces. If necessary, the parapet is replaced:

1. The dilapidated support is cut off with a grinder.
2. For laying a new parapet, it is better to use foam concrete tongue-and-groove blocks - they have a geometric shape that is comfortable for work and are characterized by economical consumption of adhesive consistency.
3. Along the edge of the slab, a profile is installed with a width that allows the entire position of the PGP slab. The first row is laid out in profile.
4. Subsequent rows are installed with a vertical bandage of ½ block at the corners.
5. The outer side of the parapet is being sheathed.

Installation sequence of the balcony block

Balcony windows for apartments (plastic or aluminum) almost always arrive assembled. Before installation, the structure must be disassembled:

• Remove the opening flaps from their hinges;
• Remove the double-glazed windows from the blind sashes.

Installation steps:

• Install the frame into the opening of the loggia and secure it with wooden wedges around the perimeter of the fastening.
• Adjust the installation of the frame using a level and plumb line.

• To attach the frame, make holes with a puncher at the ends of the window opening and in the frame. The distance between the fasteners is 0.5-.07 m, the distance from the corners of the opening is 0.15-0.20 m.
• Drive steel dowels into the mounting holes, wedging them with a screw.
• Remove the wedges.
• Foam the gaps between the walls of the balcony window opening and the frame.
• Place the double-glazed windows in place and hang them on the sash hinges.
• Install the canopy and ebb.

Design:

Glazing without extension

Essentially, this is standard glazing on an existing supporting frame. In this case, the glazing frame is in the same plane with the parapet of the loggia or balcony. This approach is good because the parapet takes on the main load.

Glazing of a standard balcony (without removal)

Glazing of a standard loggia

Glazing of balconies with extension (with extension)

A popular option because it allows you to expand the internal area of ​​the balcony. This approach to redevelopment is indispensable for a narrow balcony or if you want to grow plants on the balcony.

When installing an external structure, it is necessary to accurately calculate the load on the frame being created and ensure its redistribution to the parapet and load-bearing slab. In addition, external glazing necessitates the construction of a canopy over the frame and a window sill.

Glazing of a balcony with the removal of the window sill in Khrushchev

Glazing of the loggia with the removal of the window sill

Note. Extended glazing requires protection of the structure from external factors, so an extended balcony/loggia must be sealed from the inside.

What causes the windows to sweat on a glass balcony? What to do?

Almost always, fogging of plastic windows looks like this. Droplets of water form at the top of the window, flow down and form puddles on the windowsill. This annoying problem is completely solvable if its event is not a manufacturing defect. So, possible incidents and ways to solve them:

The ambient temperature on the other side of the window is much lower than in the room - condensation settles on the windows. The solution to the problem is to make room ventilation more efficient. Clean the ventilation grilles and install a supply valve on the window. The abundance of indoor flowers on the windowsill also provokes fogging of the windows. It is enough to move the flower pots to another place. The window sills are too wide, preventing the access of warm air to the windows. Possible solutions are replacing the window sill or installing an additional heat source. Glazing of the veranda in the house

In the process of glazing the veranda, experts recommend adhering to non-specialized requirements:

1. The room should be eye-catching and spacious; therefore, for glazing it is better to choose large structures that do not block the view of the garden area.
2. When arranging an open veranda, which is planned to be used only in the warm season, single-layer glazing can be used. For a year-round hot veranda, it is better to use plastic windows or a duralumin profile for warm glazing. A universal material is polycarbonate sheets. For a winter room it is enough to provide several drop-down sections; for a summer open veranda there are no such restrictions.
3. The design of the veranda should provide reliable protection from insects (mosquito nets), and a sufficient number of drop-down sections for ventilation and ergonomic cleaning of glass.
4. The arrangement of furniture on the veranda should not interfere with the opening of the window sashes.

The procedure for glazing a veranda with wooden frames:

• Install a timber structure along the perimeter of the future veranda.
• Order the production of wooden frames or make them yourself.
• Treat the timber for fastening the frames with an antiseptic.
• Install empty window frames strictly vertically, check their position with a level and plumb line.
• Treat all cracks with mounting foam and grooves with sealant.
• Install glass:
• Apply a layer of sealant (about 2-3 cm) into the prepared grooves, do not allow it to dry sufficiently;
• Cut the glass to size, place it in the grooves and press down lightly;
• Reapply sealant around the perimeter of the installed glass;
• Use glazing beads to secure the glass in the frame.

Features of glazing the veranda with polycarbonate:

The construction step requires the construction of a frame of steel pipes/wooden beams to secure the polycarbonate sheets. The frame is attached to the foundation. It is necessary to fix polycarbonate not too aggressively, since the material tends to increase slightly in size when heated. The gaps left to expand the polycarbonate must be treated with sealant. The protective film from the facing material must be removed upon completion of the installation work. Cutting polycarbonate can be done using a jigsaw.

How to insert glass into a wooden frame

There may be several reasons for replacing glass: if the old glass began to rattle from passing cars, and the second, more annoying option, if a window accidentally broke.

Glazing wooden frames is not a complicated process, so it is not at all necessary to call a specialist; you can do everything yourself. And if you don’t know how to insert glass into a frame with your own hands, let’s look at the steps to replace it.

Removing old glass

First, you will need a knife or chisel, masking tape and knitted gloves to remove the fragments.

Replacing broken glass in a window

Knitted or leather gloves are needed to reliably protect your hands from cuts. Remove the shards and seal the remaining ones in the frame with tape. Then remove the glazing beads, which are designed to hold the glass to the frame, and the nails. Remove the putty with a knife or sharp object if the planks were sealed with it. After this, the remaining fragments will not be difficult to remove.

Remove beads carefully and slowly so they can be reused. If you were unable to remove them carefully, prepare new planks of exactly the same size.

Also use a knife to remove the layer of putty or sealant located under the glazing beads. The layer is designed to completely seal the joints and soften the planks so that they and the glass do not touch each other. The sealant protects the canvas from possible damage when the window sashes slam shut.

For subsequent work on replacing glass you will need : a sheet of glass 3-4 mm thick, a tape measure, nails, a glass cutter, a small hammer and transparent sealant.

Measuring the size of broken glass

Before inserting glass into a wooden frame, you need to prepare it. The canvas is cut out with your own hands or ordered from workshops. It is cut 2-3 mm smaller than the window frame. That is, dense placement of glass in the frame is not acceptable. If it is inserted tightly, the window may crack when the wooden frame expands due to moisture.

The best way to cut glass

Ordinary glass is cut with a glass cutter - a special tool that leaves scratches on the surface in order to later break the cutting line.

Glass cutter is divided into:

1. Roller - a tool that presses a groove on the glass during cutting. It is the most common type among non-professionals. The glass cutter is made from a cobalt-tungsten alloy. The number of cutting rollers in it is up to 6 pieces. The quality of cutting depends on their number.

It is better to choose a tool with 3-6 rollers, since the rollers quickly grind down, which increases the number of scraps. Thick glass over 7 mm cannot be cut with a roller glass cutter.

2. Professional diamond is a tool in which a small technical diamond is fixed. Compared to a roller cutter, a diamond glass cutter has a longer service life, up to 12 km of cutting.

The tetrahedral shape of the cutting edge can be pyramidal or curved. It will be difficult for inexperienced craftsmen to cut a blade with a diamond tool with a pyramidal shape. Because it is difficult to immediately select the desired cut angle.

It is better to start working with a curved glass cutter. If you choose the right angle, you will get an imperceptible scratch, and during its application you will hear a subtle ringing sound.

3. Oil cutter is the same roller glass cutter, only equipped with an automatic oil supply function, which reduces the friction force during cutting. This increases the service life of the tool and ensures easy and smooth movement. The oil container is located in the handle. Refill with special oil intended for glass or kerosene.

To cut a round sheet, use a glass cutter specially designed for this purpose. The tool is somewhat reminiscent of a compass. It has a fulcrum - a fixing suction cup. A scale is attached to it, which adjusts the radius and roller.

When you don’t have a glass cutter at hand, you can cut the glass without a glass cutter - for this you should use sewing scissors. They cut in water and are convenient for cutting small shaped pieces. The achieved effect will of course be different, but in some cases it will help.

Glass cutting

Cutting fabric has its own characteristics that must be taken into account.

The sheet must be absolutely clean and dry before cutting. Place it on a flat work table, preferably covered with a cloth.

Mark the sides on the glass using a tape measure and marker. You can treat the cut line with machine oil.