Installing plastic double-glazed windows in old wooden houses requires certain knowledge. State standards regulate the requirements for installation work, without compliance with which the geometry of the window opening itself may change. This is due to the properties of the wood material, which shrinks over time. To prevent the formation of cracks and the occurrence of unbearable loads on the windows, the owner is required to comply with GOST for the installation of PVC windows, as can be seen in the photo. In particular, we are talking about the need to correctly perform casing and place a seal. We'll talk about how to do this correctly below.
Installation work front
In order to carry out high-quality installation of wooden windows yourself, you need to break the work into small stages, thanks to which independent homework will turn out to be a success. So:
- we clean the window opening and take accurate measurements;
- install the window in the opening;
- fix the installed structure;
- create isolation;
- adjusting and customizing fittings;
- We are engaged in finishing slopes.
Schematic diagram for installing a wooden window.
The technology of work will be the same regardless of where the installation takes place: be it windows in a frame house or apartment. When intending to install windows in a house, it is advisable to complete the main stages of construction in order to avoid additional pollution. By the way, installing wooden windows will be inexpensive. One installation will cost approximately 3 thousand rubles, excluding the cost of consumables .
Technology for installing plastic windows in a wooden house
Korovin Sergey Dmitrievich
Master of Architecture, graduated from Samara State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. 11 years of experience in design and construction.
Due to their performance characteristics, double-glazed windows made of PVC material have gained particular popularity among the population. They are installed in buildings and structures made of concrete, brick, and wood. Installing plastic windows in a wooden house requires following certain rules.
Preparing the window opening
To begin with, the window opening is cleared of remnants of previous plaster and other technical residues. In the case of brickwork in which voids have formed due to destroyed material, it is recommended to eliminate them.
First you need to carefully and thoroughly prepare the window opening
The principle of the preparatory stage is to adjust to the required dimensions, which must be carried out with special care, avoiding noticeable errors. All surfaces are cleaned of elements of previous plaster and other residues. Installation of wooden windows in accordance with GOST requires the presence of a gap of a fixed width around the perimeter of the frame, which, upon completion of the alignment of the entire structure inside the openings, is filled with polyurethane foam.
Installation of a wooden window according to GOST requires the presence of gaps between the frame and the opening
It is not recommended to leave excessively large gaps along the edge areas, preferring a width of 10 to 15 mm, so that later the voids can be well foamed. A gap of 40-50 mm is left along the bottom of the window structure. This nuance is necessary for high-quality alignment of windows inside openings. Always remember that before installing windows into openings, the geometry and dimensions are first checked. This step allows you to achieve the correct work, eliminating possible distortions and disproportion of parts.
Sometimes craftsmen violate technological points by making wall lintels incorrectly, since the window opening is used as formwork with a window walled up inside. Such actions lead to additional financial costs equal to the price of a new structure, because the window frame is placed very tightly between the edges.
If you neglect the technological principles of installation, the structure will soon require replacement
In extreme cases, complete removal of wooden windows may be necessary. Do not forget the GOST recommendations regarding gaps, then the work is guaranteed to be crowned with success.
General recommendations
- PVC windows are checked for compliance with the load before the start of all work. It is strongly recommended to entrust installation work to specialists from the company from which the plastic windows were purchased. In this case, there will be a guarantee for possible errors during installation;
- Installation in accordance with GOST implies compliance with a number of conditions, in particular, the mandatory sealing of the window structure using slopes. For sealing, various sealants, silicone sealants such as Steez or polyurethane foam are used. It is important that the insulating elements are unable to change under the influence of climate. Bitumen mastics are also not suitable for the reason that they interfere with the breathing of wood. Rotting and dampness are unlikely to be part of the owner's plans;
- The installer must draw up a work plan indicating all materials so that the owner can control its quality and compliance with GOST;
- According to fastening requirements, the use of adhesives or liquid nails is prohibited. Only special fixings with crossbars are used to reliably resist shrinkage of the house;
- The protective film from PVC products is removed no earlier than after a week;
- It is not recommended to paint joints.
In order for PVC windows to be used for a long time and without complications, installation work is recommended to be carried out in accordance with the requirements of GOST. Since many conditions must be met, it is better to entrust the installation of double-glazed windows to professionals. Otherwise, there is a high risk of incorrect installation. The latter may lead to unnecessary material costs.
End-to-end methodology
When installing wooden windows, the through installation method is often used, which involves the use of dowels. The method is characterized by low cost and relative simplicity, allowing you to install the window yourself . Upon completion of the installation work, the fixed box will be completely motionless inside the window opening and will be reliably protected from the influence of environmental factors.
Through installation of wooden window blocks is simple and inexpensive
The occurrence of accidental distortions, various types of displacements and deformations of the structure during installation work is excluded. The use of dowels provides strength of fixation, which cannot be achieved with anchor bolts. Since the dowels are presented in the form of a hollow sleeve, it is impossible for the screws to penetrate deep into the wall. Perhaps these are the main advantages of the end-to-end installation system, which make it very popular among installers and customers.
It is worth mentioning the minor advantages. Firstly, installing windows using the end-to-end method will please you with minimal financial costs. Secondly, it will not require special tools, allowing you to get by with a set of existing ones. During the work, you only need to make holes using a drill, secure the dowels and finally attach decorative plastic plugs over the screws.
Holes for dowels are made using a drill
Using the through method, when installing windows, you need to pay attention to the correct choice of the place where the holes for the dowels will be located. The four-stage cross-section of window profiles allows you to drill holes at an exclusively uniform level. It should be borne in mind that experts strongly do not recommend making holes in different places.
Required tools and materials
- protective equipment: gloves, glasses, plastic or with rubber seals;
- impact drill, screwdriver or screwdriver with an appropriate attachment;
- mounting foam, insulating materials, including sealing tape;
- hexagon or bolts with self-tapping screws for installing the support mechanism;
- wooden spacer wedges for the window frame;
- light mallet or rubber mallet;
- plastic chisel;
- construction level;
- roulette.
Important Even with the entire set of tools, outside help will be required, since window frames, like double-glazed windows, have significant weight.
Mounting blocks for window installation
Do-it-yourself installation of wooden windows involves the use of mounting blocks, which makes the process inexpensive and quick to complete. Mainly used pads whose thickness is 50 mm. They are a block of wood impregnated with an antiseptic, which is installed on a waterproofing layer. The arrangement is made exclusively horizontal, running parallel to the upper edge of the window structure. To ensure correct installation actions, you must first free the window frame from frames and other components.
To install windows on blocks, you need a perfectly level opening.
The structure is installed inside the mounting block using a laser or simple level, carefully checking the levels on each side. It is advisable to make the top and side gaps the same, leaving 10-20 mm each. The number of pads can be determined using a graphic showing possible placement options.
GOST requirements
We list the main requirements that are specified in provisions 30971-2002:
- The glass frame should be several cm smaller than the window opening. If 4 cm is enough for the width, then the length of the opening should be 6-7 cm longer. Only such values can allow a wooden structure to move unhindered;
- The error limit when installing the structure should not exceed one and a half mm per 1 m of window length. Installation is carried out strictly in a horizontal position with a building level;
- Since the use of polyurethane foam is prohibited, only mechanical fastening is used;
- Serious requirements are placed on the installation seam: if a waterproofing layer in the form of a film is installed outside, then a thermal insulation layer (polyurethane) with an aluminized vapor barrier is installed inside the room.
Mount using plates
The plates can be made yourself, although many window manufacturers include them in the package. A simple technique is designed to make the fixation and fastening especially strong. The method is very simple to implement: the plates are screwed with self-tapping screws to the window frame on both sides, placing two of them on the top and two on the bottom .
The plates ensure reliable fixation of the window
If the window exceeds 1.5 meters in height, two additional plates are attached to the center of the product. As the wedging of the body inside the opening is completed, the plates protruding from both sides are secured along the edge of the openings with screws and dowels. Before foaming the seams of a wooden window, the protruding wedges can be pulled out. But it should be borne in mind that subsequently it will be necessary to carry out an additional check to ensure the correct horizontal position of the housing.
There is another simple way to install wooden windows yourself, which is highly reliable and durable, which we will consider further. When installing wooden windows with double-glazed windows or glass, they must be removed, which is very easy to do: carefully separate the glazing beads and carefully pull out the glass.
Installation of the frame with self-tapping screws is carried out without glass - it is installed last
Next, along the sides and top of the inner surface of the frame, places for holes are marked, followed by drilling. Before you start drilling, be sure to insert the frame into place and carefully level it using a level. Then screw in the screws, taking into account that they can be moved without effort, since the body still needs to be adjusted vertically and horizontally. Finally, a double-glazed window is installed and the structure is cleaned of dirt.
Installation of a window sill on a balcony
Modern loggias and balconies are now being actively glazed. This is not surprising, because the additional usable space will not be unnecessary for anyone. And everyone knows firsthand how much such pleasure costs. Therefore, a window sill on a balcony is no longer a curiosity.
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Basically, the installation of a plastic window sill on a balcony is carried out at the time of glazing. But if this has not been done, then you should install this interior element yourself.
Before replacing the window sill, you should prepare the metal brackets. This is necessary if it is not possible to install it under existing windows. In most cases, metal elements are required, which greatly simplifies the process. The brackets are attached to the parapet using anchors. They also allow you to strengthen the window sill, which helps to increase the payload on it.
Scheme for installing a window sill on a bracket
Fixed brackets should be located at a distance of no more than 1 meter from each other. The horizontal slope is checked using the building level. Before attaching the holders, you should tighten the thread. This will allow you to achieve levelness along the horizon and simplify the work.
When the brackets are completely secured, the installation of the PVC window sill with your own hands begins. It is secured using self-tapping screws, which are screwed into the bottom of the element. It is better to perform this operation with a screwdriver, because it significantly speeds up the process.
Fix the window sill using self-tapping screws
After installation, the window sill on the balcony must be treated with sealant. This measure is needed to get rid of a possible gap that is formed due to uneven edges. Unlike installation in a window opening, a balcony window sill does not need to be reinforced with polyurethane foam. All plastic elements quickly take their places, where they sit firmly, performing their assigned tasks.
We insulate wooden windows
The correct technology for installing wooden windows ensures minimal thermal conductivity and excellent insulation, protecting the room from humidity and air masses. It is important to take into account that a high degree of the listed characteristics is achieved by the increased cost of the window, since in order to create a high-quality thermal insulation system it is necessary to run it along the entire perimeter of the body . In this case, preference should be given to polyurethane foam for installation, which is easy to buy in most specialized stores.
Thermal insulation of the installed wooden window block is performed using foam
When filling the space with foam, it is necessary to monitor the thickness of the applied layer, which should not extend too far along the edge when expanding. Excess foam will only stain the space and lead to banal overspending. It is also necessary to control the humidity, since water ingress is unacceptable to ensure adhesion and reliability of work.
Even a new recruit will be able to install wooden windows independently and with high quality. The main thing is to follow the basic rules and move step by step, without missing important details.
Sealing PVC windows
Sealing the assembly seam with foam when installing plastic windows
Technological features of foaming are written on the container with polyurethane foam. Each master can verify this independently by reading the detailed instructions indicated on the cylinder. The foam polymerization process is catalyzed at high humidity. That is why, before starting the sealing process, it is necessary to wet the areas with plain water. In the absence of moisture, polymerization will not be of sufficient quality.
After the foam has hardened, it must be carefully cut using a regular stationery knife. Do this carefully so as not to damage the metal-plastic windows.
