Window trim for a wooden house (and not only)

Purpose and classification

Platbands are long narrow strips that frame windows or doors. Based on this principle, a distinction is made between windows and doors. They usually differ in width, but in order to maintain a unified style, they must be made of the same material. In addition, they are made in a similar manner, using repeating elements and painting in the same color.

On houses in a modern style, carved window frames look good

Door and window frames serve not only to give the building/room a finished look, although this is also important. They also close the technological gap that forms between the door or window frame and the wall. After installing windows and doors, this gap is filled with insulation, but this does not improve the view, and water, dust and sound continue to penetrate into the room, albeit in smaller quantities. So they once came up with the idea of ​​closing that gap with slats, and even decorating them.

Window trims: one of the classic options with shutters

Depending on the installation site, the platbands can be external or internal. The protective role is played mainly by platbands for external installation. Therefore, they are made from materials resistant to climatic factors (or coated with protective compounds) and the thickness of this material is usually greater. Internal platbands mainly perform a decorative function. They are operated under gentle conditions, therefore the requirements for the properties of the material are different - decorativeness is important, not resistance to climatic influences.

Is it worth doing it yourself?

For those who decided to install platbands, this issue has become a pressing problem. Some people solve the problem by simply starting to do everything themselves, while others turn to companies that provide such services for help. For those who decide to contact the company, you will be pleased to know that there is a wide selection of products.

If you are a good builder, then it will not be difficult for you to carry out the installation yourself, but if you are not confident in your abilities, it will be better to turn to specialists. Designers who help you choose platbands will help you choose from all the options the sample that is ideal for your windows. The good news is that the price of this pleasure is low, and the result will really please you from year to year.

Materials from which window casings are made

Window trims are selected depending on the overall design style of the house. Houses are built and decorated in different ways, and accordingly, the materials and style of additional decorative elements are chosen differently. For brick houses, for example, plastic or metal is better suited, but not wood (that is, if there are any platbands at all). Windows on houses finished with siding are also decorated with plastic or metal. For wooden ones, on the contrary, wood is more suitable. But this is not the rule either. The choice of platbands is a personal matter for the owner. He puts in whatever he wants. It is only important to understand all the pros and cons of each material.

Wood

Platbands for a wooden house are most often made of wood. But any type of wood requires constant maintenance - painting and/or varnishing. Every two to three years you have to renew the coating. Only in this case, products made from it look normal for many years.

Wooden window casings have been made for a very long time.

The advantage of wooden window frames is that they can be carved, with figured elements of various shapes. This gives an almost endless number of options. There are also very simple models - ordinary planks, perhaps with some additional elements. The choice depends on the style of the house.

Wooden frames are used both on the street side and indoors. Simply, during installation they will use different protective impregnations and coloring compounds.

Plastic

If PVC windows are installed in the house, then plastic trim is also installed. They are good because all maintenance requires periodic wiping to remove dust and dirt. No other operations are needed.

Plastic trims are made from climate-resistant plastics, adding a dye that is resistant to fading. Components are added to the mass that protect the material from high and low temperatures.

It makes sense to put plastic trim on plastic windows

The advantage of plastic platbands is their low price. The downside is a limited selection of models and styles, not a very wide range of colors. There are usually white and a couple of shades of brown available. The rest can only be available upon order, and even then not always. And one more minus - it is still an artificial material. Not everyone wants to install plastic trim on a wooden house. Even though wooden ones are not cheap at all.

The area of ​​use of plastic platbands is indoors or outdoors. If you need external plastic trim, pay attention to the operating temperature. The plastic must withstand the harshest frosts in your region.

MDF

MDF trim is an option for indoor use. You can’t put it on the street - it will quickly become unusable. It is compressed crushed wood fibers from which products are formed. Their surface is laminated with a film, which can be smooth, colored, or imitate the surface of stone (marble, for example) or wood.

MDF trims are used only for decorating windows and doors indoors

If you don’t like plastic on your windows, the second possible budget option is MDF trim. In any case, they are most often placed on doors. There are even special models - telescopic. They are good because a special additional board is cut to the required size, due to which they can change the width and fit into any opening. With their help, the doorway is designed quickly and efficiently.

Caring for MDF platbands is no more difficult than caring for plastic ones - wet wiping. For severe contamination, you can use non-abrasive (liquid) and non-aggressive (without choir, etc.) detergents.

Metal trims

This type of platbands is usually installed on the street with plastic or metal-plastic windows. This is a thin sheet of galvanized metal coated with weather-resistant paint (usually powder paint).

Metal platbands are mainly installed on brick houses

Metal platbands for windows belong to the budget category. They don't cost very much. Suitable for private houses decorated in a modern style. Metal platbands go well with houses finished with metal and aluminum-composite facade panels. The second area of ​​application is for industrial and office premises. They are good because they combine practicality, durability, and low price.

Installation example

Installation of the plastic platband is carried out either using mounting components (nails, screws, glue, etc.) or using latches provided by the profile design. Installation with double-sided tape is also possible, but this option is not reliable (strong winds can tear off the slats), so it is used extremely rarely, mainly as a temporary solution.

Installation on fasteners involves the following procedure:

The cut profile is fixed starting from the top part.

Holes for fasteners are drilled in the platband, the plank is applied to the wall, and the wall is marked through the drilled holes. In accordance with the markings, make holes for dowels in the wall using a puncher and attach the casing to them with self-tapping screws. Similar manipulations are performed for the remaining parts.

This is interesting: Corners and profiles made of plastic for walls - Main varieties: How to properly mount plastic corners on a wall?

Arrangement of platbands

Classic window trims consist of four elements: an upper and lower trim, two side strips. They can be connected using a single spike (as in the figure). They can also be connected end-to-end, as they do not carry any load. In this case, they simply fit the planks tightly one to another, securing each element separately.

Classic four-piece version

If the window has a window sill, there is no need for a bottom trim. When installing, first fix the window sill, then the side strips and lastly the top trim.

If there is a windowsill

The width of the platbands is selected individually each time, but is usually in the range of -100-250 mm. When choosing the width, we proceed from two technical parameters:

• the platband must extend onto the frame by at least 5-10 mm;
• in order not to interfere with opening the windows, they should retreat from the hinges by 10-20 mm (the further, the wider the shutters open).

The final width is selected based on the style of the house. In some places narrow planks are more suitable - 100-130 mm wide, in others wide ones - 200-250 mm are required. To avoid mistakes, you can “try on” the planks by pinning them on a couple of nails and see from afar which option you like best.

Installation of a classic wooden frame for windows

The thickness of the planks for the manufacture of platbands is 20-35 mm. In most cases, a board 20-25 mm thick is used, since this is the optimal size for DIY work - not too difficult to process, but quite voluminous for making a decorative pitchfork.

Choosing the type of wood for manufacturing

If you decide to start producing platbands, then pay attention to the right choice of wood. Experts recommend giving preference to materials such as: beech, birch, oak, walnut or fruit trees

But still, the choice of wood largely depends on the method of manufacturing the product, so try to take into account all the associated subtleties.

1. Products made from oak and beech are considered the most reliable and practical to use. But it is worth noting that this material is very hard, so making a pattern requires a lot of effort and time.
2. Carved platbands made of linden, aspen or alder are a fairly common type of product. These species are classified as soft wood, so processing them is a pleasure. But remember that improper processing can result in deformation of the material and penetration of large amounts of moisture into the pores, which will quickly make the casing unusable.
3. It is best to use softwood as it is strong and hard enough to create wooden products. Such materials will ensure durability in use, as well as maintain attractiveness for many years.
4. Larch is an excellent material, as this species is not susceptible to rotting. But its main disadvantage is fragility. It will not be possible to make a carved frame out of it.
5. Fruit trees are suitable for small, carved decorations, which are subsequently installed on the main frames in order to emphasize the design feature.

Platbands in a wooden house

The most questions arise when decorating windows in a wooden house. Most are inclined to believe that only wooden frames are suitable for a wooden house. There is a reason for this - wood with wood looks most organic. But choosing the material is not everything in this case. There are several important points to pay attention to:

• A wooden house is constantly changing in size. Even after the main shrinkage, it has seasonal movements. It is necessary to attach platbands to windows and doors taking this phenomenon into account.
• Houses made of logs—rounded or not—have an uneven surface. When installing platbands on windows yourself, this also raises questions.

  
  How to attach the casing to the window correctly so that there are no problems during operation

• In a wooden house, when installing platbands, you need to think about how to prevent water from flowing into the gaps to compensate for shrinkage. There are certain solutions for this and you also need to know about them.

So the choice of the appearance of the platbands is far from the last of those that will have to be decided. You also need to choose the method of processing the wood, the installation method, and the type of casing too.

Types of wooden platbands

Wood is an extremely plastic and very beautiful material, therefore the number of variations in the design of platbands tends to be infinite... All of them can be divided into several types: simple and carved. Simple ones look great on houses in a modern style, carvings are good for ethnic buildings.

Wooden trims are good on houses of any style

Simple in shape from moldings

Industry and private traders sell planks of various sections:

• smooth (with and without chamfers),
• with rounded edges,
• with a rounded surface (radius),
• curly.

  
  Moldings can be used to make simple-looking platbands

From this molding you can make simple platbands with your own hands. To do this, you need to calculate the amount of material needed (based on window measurements). It should be taken into account that the length of one plank is 220 cm. You are unlikely to make composite elements, so it is worth considering that there will be a lot of scraps. The most successful case is when you can “cut out” two elements from one plank - usually a side panel and an upper/lower part.

Two options for window frames

The planks are joined in two ways - at 90° and at the floor 45°. The appearance of the platbands is different. When joined at 45°, a neat frame is obtained; when joined at 90°, a more expressive design is obtained. The protruding edges can be left straight, they can be cut at any angle, rounded, cut into shapes... It’s whatever you like best or whatever you have the skill, desire, or imagination to do.

The simplest homemade platbands

The option differs from the one described above in that we carry out the primary processing ourselves. Edged and unedged boards are suitable. The edged ones make a modest finish for a country house or for a house made of planed/laminated timber. We sand the board first with coarse sandpaper, then with increasingly fine sandpaper. When the surface becomes smooth and even, you can begin cutting.

Nothing complicated at all - just well-processed boards

The bark is removed from the unedged board, and the surface is also sanded. There are options here. You can achieve smoothness by removing imperfections. You can only remove the top rough layer, leaving all the imperfections of the wood and in the future, only emphasize it during processing.

Carved platbands

Openwork wooden frames for windows are a beautiful, but expensive option. Expensive - if you order their execution, and labor-intensive if you do it yourself. There are, however, simple but effective patterns that, if you have a jigsaw and the desire, you can make yourself.

The fundamental difference between slotted and applied platbands

There are two types of openwork platbands - with slotted and applied elements. Slotted - this is when the holes in the platbands are made through and the wall is visible through them. Overlays are when the window is decorated with ordinary slats, and on top of them are elements of slotted carvings or decorative protruding elements (overlays in the form of rhombuses, rectangles, etc.).

These are the options for invoices with more complex carved elements

In the case of overlays, contrasting colors are often used. For example, the planks are painted dark, and the openwork is painted light. But this trick is easy only at the installation stage - you can paint both parts separately. Subsequently, you have to carefully apply different paints with a thin brush.

How and why to attach platbands in a wooden house

In a timber or log house, windows and doors are placed on a casing - a special frame of the opening made of wood, which is not rigidly fixed to the walls, but is held in place by friction in a tongue/groove type lock. The casing is made from thick wooden beams. The window or door frame is attached to the casing. When installing platbands, they are also attached to the casing. Since there is no load on them, the planks are usually attached on both sides, retreating 10-15 cm from the edge.

Two types of fasteners can be used:

• Finishing nails. They have almost no cap, they come in different colors, so you can choose ones that will hardly be visible.

  
  In order not to spoil such beauty, it is better to use dowels or finishing nails

• Dowels. These are small wooden cylinders for which a corresponding hole is drilled. To inconspicuously attach platbands to a wooden house, “blind dowels” are used. Under them, holes are drilled on the underside of the planks that do not go through. The hole remains “blind”. For example, with a board thickness of 20 mm, the hole depth is no more than 15 mm. The counter hole is drilled in the casing. Its depth is such that the dowel is completely recessed. The dowel is smeared with glue, inserted into the holes in the wall and part of the platband is “put on” them.

Fastening to dowels is more labor-intensive, but it is absolutely invisible. If this process is too difficult, use finishing nails.

How to attach platbands to a log wall

There are no problems when installing platbands on timber: the surface is flat and easy to attach to. If the log house is made of logs, everything is more complicated. There are two options:

1. Nail bars to the casing, which will allow the platbands to be moved outside the wall. The gaps formed on the sides are filled with polyurethane foam; after polymerization, it is cut off and sealed with putty. It is advisable to choose the color to match the walls. For more reliable sealing, the foam can be sealed with silicone sealant (look at the temperature range so that the sealant can withstand frost). If you don’t like the idea of ​​using foam on wood, you can caulk the cracks and then seal them again with putty.

   
   That's what we're talking about. This is a casing

2. Along the perimeter of the window, logs are trimmed, practically leveling a section of the wall 30-35 cm wide. The cuts are processed, after which the trim can be installed. It is not always possible to level a wall “completely”. More often it becomes less “wavy”. The remaining gaps in this case are sealed using one of the methods described above.

   
   There are still gaps that need to be sealed

Which method to choose is your decision. Both are viable and both are not ideal - it is difficult to ensure a tight seal.

How to prevent moisture from seeping under the trim

Ensuring tightness is the main concern when installing platbands on a wooden house. Most questions arise about how to prevent moisture from flowing under the top bar. Water flowing down the wall inevitably gets into the gap between the platband and the wall. There are several options for solving the problem, mostly traditional, but using new materials.

Such beauty must be preserved

Platbands with wooden “visor”

Such platbands are also called “Finnish”, since almost all houses in Finland are framed in this way. In addition to the traditional four slats, they also have an additional inclined canopy, which is supported by consoles resting on the side slats. It is advisable to choose the angle of inclination of the plank the same as the angle of inclination of the roof or close to it. Although it is an insignificant detail, this finish looks more organic.

Platbands with a visor in the Finnish style

When installing, under the canopy in a log or beam, you can make a cut of a few millimeters, “recess” the edge of the canopy there, and seal the remaining gap at the bottom and top with sealant (silicone, frost-resistant, with adhesion to wood).

Finnish platbands are good for everyone, but they don’t go well with carvings. The style is not the same. They are great for a simpler, more concise design. Although, there are similar options in the Russian style, but making them is not at all easy.

Metal visor

Using the same principle - to drain water from the platbands - this method solves the problem. Only a metal strip in the shape of the letter Z is used - part of the standard flashing. The color is selected to match the walls or the color of the cash.

You can use a metal visor

The installation method is the same: they make a cut in the wall, only its size is much smaller - the thickness of the plank is several millimeters. The installation is the same as described earlier: we place one part into the groove and seal the cracks with silicone sealant. The only difference is that the free edge can be secured to the top strip of the trim (using self-tapping screws).

Installing the bottom trim at an angle

The lower strip of the casing can simultaneously serve as protection from precipitation. To do this, it is installed at an angle. The choice of inclination angle is no different - close to the roof inclination angle.

By installing the bottom bar at an angle. solving the problem of precipitation flowing in

The installation of this strip is simple. It is supported from below by triangles cut out of wood and fixed to the frame. The water will not flow down the wall, but at some distance from it. Here it is important to properly drain wastewater from the house so that the water does not wash away the foundation.

Pattern selection

You can buy ready-made platbands (the simplest ones or unusual ones, which are prepared to order). There is no industrial production of these parts; they are made to order by craftsmen in carpentry workshops. Or you can show all your imagination and create unique and inimitable platbands with your own hands. The most important thing is desire and great patience!

Patterns that will decorate the finished product can also be found by referring to thematic sources on paper or located on the Internet. In addition, there are many companies and designers who are ready to handle the implementation of all the customer’s thoughts into a finished pattern.

You can also create a drawing yourself. It is better to choose patterns that are not oversaturated with the smallest details. It is desirable that the general appearance of the image be easily understood at a sufficient distance. The drawings of the upper and lower parts should be made in the same stylistic direction.

If you do not have sufficient experience in carpentry, it is better to give preference to patterns that do not require complex execution. Their topics can be very diverse - flora and fauna, elements of nature, sun signs, etc.

Examples for cutting elements from wood

Photos of platbands for windows of different types

Carved platbands of slotted type are very openwork

Simple platbands with only small carving elements - these are often seen on a Scandinavian-style house

Carved overlay trims - delicate carvings on a dark background

Platbands with visors were made by our ancestors

Shutters and trim - this can often be found on old houses

Sometimes the carving amazes with its complexity

Carved platbands can be very diverse

Like from a fairy tale Several traditional patterns for decorating platbands

Wooden frames of simple shape look great on houses in a modern or Scandinavian style.

What it is?

Let's try to figure out what platbands are and why they are needed. Since ancient times, it was customary in Rus' to install carved platbands on houses. In addition to decorating the house, they also performed a certain mystical function: it was believed that the platbands served as a talisman for the house and saved residents from negative energy. Craftsmen often carved patterns on the frames that depicted various mythological creatures that protected people from all sorts of misfortunes.

Usually, when constructing wooden houses, gaps remain between the wall and the window or door, into which wind, dust and moisture enter; because of these gaps, cold and drafts enter the house. And as time passes after the construction of the home, the wood dries out and becomes deformed, which is why these gaps can increase. With the help of platbands it is possible to minimize these distances, and thus reduce thermal energy losses.

Platbands are used both outside and inside the premises, that is, they are divided into external (the street part of the house) and internal. The latter also help to hide wires when installing electrical wiring, for example. So, the platband is a strip made of various materials, which is installed around the perimeter of windows, doors, as well as other structurally expressed parts of the house for the purpose of decorative design, protecting the gaps between fragments of the building elements of the structure, as well as to perform other functions.

Methods to prevent moisture from seeping under cashing

Even a skillfully made high-quality platband will not fit perfectly tightly to the wall. A gap is formed into which moisture will inevitably enter. Over time, it can destroy the material and, through the gap between the frame and the wall, reach the internal trim on the windows in a wooden house. This cannot be allowed. There are several ways to prevent wicking:

Finnish platband.

Its main feature is a wooden canopy over the window. The base of the canopy is recessed into the wall. The gap is sealed with frost-resistant sealant. The design has an attractive appearance and provides maximum protection from precipitation.

Metal visor.

This option is similar to the previous one, but a piece of standard ebb is used to make the visor. It cuts into the wall, the joint is also sealed.

Bottom harness.

Additional visor, only at the bottom of the window. It protects the opening from moisture and adds individuality to the building as a whole.

Platbands for windows in a wooden house, both on the inside and outside of the wall, are an important component of the interior and exterior.

Owners of wooden houses should spend a little time and add elegance to their home. This is not only beautiful and stylish, but also good protection for the home from adverse factors.

Kinds

You can make window trims yourself or buy ready-made ones, choosing them according to the size of the window. It is easier to work with purchased products; most of them are sold with a mounting kit. This is really convenient, but the property owner is faced with a difficult choice.

Overhead and telescopic

Another important characteristic is the type of fastening. Overlays are attached to the frame using glue, nails or tenon joints. Such models are easy to install, and in most cases they are the best choice for a wooden house.

The telescopic frame is mounted in the space between the window and the wall, for which a special protrusion is provided in its design. This solution ensures maximum tightness of the joint, but can only be used in buildings in which the frame is not tightly inserted into the window opening.

For plastic windows

Typically, these are plain products of white or dark brown color, made of sheet plastic. The main requirement for such cashing is compliance with the appearance of the building and covering the installation joints.

For wooden windows

For window blocks, special frames are produced from wood that fully imitate the most common types of wood. In addition to the external similarity, such products have the appropriate texture, which makes the platband material visually practically indistinguishable from the imitated original.

Peculiarities

The first thing you should pay attention to when purchasing ready-made window frames is the material. In the old days, the range was limited only to wood; today you can buy several varieties with different consumer characteristics.

Most often used to make platbands:

• plastic;
• metal;
• MDF boards;
• natural wood.

Of course, wood was and remains the best material. It will fit perfectly into the exterior of a classic house or into any modern project. With proper care, wood will last for decades, pleasing the eye, decorating and protecting the facade of the building.

The basis of modern budget repairs is plastic. The advantages are obvious - low price and practicality. Plastic is durable, but susceptible to physical stress. Metal does not have the disadvantages of plastic, but there is no aesthetic component in the metal casing; it is an exclusively functional element of the exterior.

Another popular material for framing windows in wooden houses is MDF. The characteristics of the parts directly follow from the characteristics of the material. MDF is distinguished by its relatively low price, environmental friendliness, and attractive appearance. At the same time, the platband is not durable and is susceptible to high humidity.

Each of the listed varieties will find its application in a modern home. Metal and plastic linings will advantageously complement metal-plastic windows, especially in the case of walls covered with siding. It is rational to install MDF indoors; wood is universal, it can be used both inside and outside the building.

Application area

Widespread use of framing around various openings has found itself in doors and windows. The location of the planks can be either on the outside of the street or inside the room.

Basically, the same type of platbands are installed, but the threads may differ. And at the same time maintaining the general theme. For example, in a children's room, the bar will have a bunny. Flowers are carved around it. Then the teddy bear in the kitchen should also be framed with the same flowers.

Now the brand is considered to be plastic double-glazed windows. Some people manage to put a wooden plank on them. In this case, you need to paint it white or choose a double-glazed window made of wood.

The strips around the window opening perform several functions:

1. They unite all the buildings in the yard into a single style.
2. Reduce heat loss.
3. Protect from dust and litter, moisture, draft.
4. Increases sound insulation.
5. I emphasize the uniqueness of the residential building.
6. An opportunity to express the traditions of a region, family, country.
7. The ability to visually stretch and expand the house.
8. They add completeness to the construction.
9. Cover the assembly seams.

Related article: Fastening plates for plastic windowsIf we consider the platbands by material, they can be from:

• wood;
• metal;
• plastic;
• foam and polyurethane;

By form:

Before starting work, it is worth stocking up on templates or stencils for carved platbands; without their help it is impossible to achieve an excellent result. And only a master who has been working on wood carving for many years can perform his work without them.

Today you can get stencils freely - in stores, magazines, and the Internet.

You can apply any design on them that the customer or craftsman desires. Plant outlines, animal figures, and patterns of geometric lines and shapes are very popular.

The style of the product can be different, and here the most unusual fantasies of the performer are realized.

One plane of windows with a wall

First, slopes are installed to cover gap areas and unsightly areas. A profiled sheet is attached to the frame structure and a slope panel is inserted into it.

The edges of the platbands are cut with an angular cut of 45 degrees. This cut will help make it easier to join the corners.

Recommendations for the preparatory stage

Material for platbands

On this point, all experts have a clear opinion - if you do it yourself, then only wood. Firstly, the material is the most affordable. Secondly, it is easy to work with wood with the simplest tool, that is, in the full sense of the word, you can independently make platbands from scratch, with the most complex pattern. Thirdly, wood goes well with any construction and finishing material. Consequently, such platbands are equally suitable for various buildings, regardless of their features and the overall design of the facade.

What to consider:

• Samples for platbands (board or plywood) should have a minimum of knots. Therefore, you should purchase lumber of high quality, although it is more expensive. Otherwise, when cutting out patterns or grooves, the tool will constantly come across such problem areas, and it is not a fact that the board will not have to be rejected as a result.
• The thickness of the samples is chosen arbitrarily, depending on the characteristics of the jigsaw and the type of wood. As a rule, for platbands ranging from 5 (overhead) to 50 (slotted) mm. How they differ will become clear as the presentation progresses.

Wood species

If you approach this issue seriously, and not just set yourself the goal of making strips with your own hands to cover the gaps between the window frame and the opening in the wall, then you should take many points into account.

In cases where we are talking about a standard option in the form of a solid narrow plank, it is advisable to focus on hard wood. This parameter is directly related to the porosity of the material. Consequently, such platbands will last much longer, since they will not intensively absorb liquid, unlike soft rocks. Recommendations that they can be protected by painting with a moisture-resistant composition are hardly worthy of attention. Firstly, the naturalness of wood is lost, especially if the house itself is made of the same material. Secondly, updating the coating layer, taking into account the complexity of the patterns, is such a painstaking job and requires a lot of time that there are few people willing to do this regularly.

For carved frames, you should focus on wood with a lower density. Mainly larch, pine, ash, linden, and spruce are used in construction and finishing. The last 3 species, although convenient for processing with your own hands, are not suitable for platbands, given that they are attached to the facade of the house. Such boards (planks) are characterized by hygroscopicity and insufficient strength. Therefore, difficulties will arise with protection from moisture (additional drying of workpieces, repeated impregnation) and fastening. Consequently, the durability of such platbands is questionable.

Climate Features

This factor cannot be ignored. It is better to immediately abandon soft wood for platbands if:

• the humidity at the location of the house is constantly excessive (for example, near large natural bodies of water) or, on the contrary, minimal (that is, the air is too dry);
• even during the day, the temperature varies widely (significant differences).

Conclusion The best option for platbands is pine or larch. These types of wood are equally well suited for making any platbands with your own hands, regardless of the shape, size and pattern of the planks.

Drawing up a drawing of the platband

Any ready-made drawing can be remade to fit your window openings, respecting the scaling. Or design patterns of your own.

Necessary tools and equipment

As a rule, the “home master” uses what is at hand. But some tools are not in demand in everyday life, so you will have to purchase some.

• Electric jigsaw. There is no point in working manually. To achieve high quality patterns, you will have to spend a lot of time. In addition, it has limited use, since the platbands differ not only in the thickness of the board, but also in its width. This is the main difficulty of using a simple jigsaw.
• Screwdriver.
• A set of chisels - corner, cranberry, caesar, semicircular, and so on. Just one will not be enough. Even in a solid board, you will need to make a selection of materials with different widths of grooves, at different angles.
• "Thorn cutter." A specific tool, but it is extremely necessary for making eyelets and seams in platbands.
• Knives (cutter, joint).
• Set of drills (feather).
• Sander. Even with great diligence, it will not be possible to make wood absolutely smooth using sandpaper manually. Yes, and this will take a lot of time.