One of the most popular ways of arranging window openings is the installation of metal-plastic systems. Their appearance saved homeowners from the annual tinting of frames and sealing the resulting cracks. Versatility and practicality are the most important qualities for which consumers appreciate them.
Production and installation of plastic windows is carried out by the manufacturer, but you can always refuse the latter services.
If in life the moment has come when you need to replace double-glazed windows, but there is no desire or opportunity to pay for their installation, you can do this work yourself. When it comes to replacing several window openings at once, this will save a lot.
Installation of a plastic window only seems complicated. In fact, everything is much simpler. Let's look at the technology of their installation and make sure of this.
Stages of work
Any job is much easier to do when it is divided into several stages. The process of assembling double-glazed windows should not be considered, it is carried out by employees of the manufacturer. Let's focus on workto be done after the material has been delivered to the customer and is completely ready for installation.
In this case, you will need to do the following:
- dismantle old frames (if any);
- properly prepare the opening for the installation of a new window;
- install plastic window;
- sealing the seams;
- install slopes and window sill (if necessary).
Please note that if installed incorrectly, you may experience many problems with the operation of PVC double-glazed windows. To avoid trouble, we recommend installing plastic windows in accordance with GOST (No. 30971-02).
How to carry out each stage of work in accordance with the regulations, is described below.
Dismantling old frames
As you might guess, the first step is to remove the old window frames. Of course, if you are installing windows in a newly built house, then this step is automatically skipped. And for those who will be installing a plastic window in place of the old frame, the following information will be useful.
How the frame removal work is done:
- In this case, a hammer and a large (strong) screwdriver are required. If there is none, you can replace it with a chisel. First of all, the movable parts of the window are removed from the hinges: the lower hinge is carefully pry off with a screwdriver, after which the upper fastener is lifted.
- Nowyou can try removing the window. If this fails, you need to hit the bottom of the frame several times so that it comes out of the loops. Also, metal elements can be cut with a grinder.
- After all the moving parts have been removed, we proceed to dismantle the old window sill. With the help of a chisel and a hammer, the old putty and putty, located in the grooves and in the space between the frame and the opening itself, are first beaten.
- Using a crowbar, pry the window sill from the underside and begin to loosen it until it begins to “walk” freely. Additional seals and wooden bars were usually placed under the old wooden slabs. They must first be removed.
- Now the window sill can be pry off with a crowbar (from the side of the window frame) and pulled forward with a few strong jerks. This is usually easy to do.
- Next, we proceed to dismantle the frame itself. From the side of the opening (where the plaster was), wooden spacers are removed. They are located on both sides. After that, the edges of the frame are hooked and gradually pulled forward.
If you do not need the old structures, then dismantling can be done with a grinder: just cut the window into small pieces and take everything out one by one. In this case, the glass must first be removed.
How to measure the size of the opening for ordering window systems?
Measurement and installation of plastic windows are usually performed by employees of the manufacturer. But if you opted out of their services, you will have to do everything yourself. How to do it right?
There are two mainmeasurement method: for windows without a quarter and with a quarter.
In the first version, the dimensions are determined as follows: 5 centimeters are subtracted from the actual vertical height of the opening, and 3 centimeters from the width. The resulting gaps during installation will be blown out with mounting foam. As a result, an indent of 1.5 centimeters will be obtained from the sides, and 2.5 centimeters each from the top and bottom.
After that, the parameters of the window sill and drain are measured. The result is increased by 6-7 centimeters.
Window quarter is the width of the block, which is most often equal to 1/4 of a brick (about 5-6 centimeters). It prevents the window from falling out and protects the mounting foam from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.
In cases where the quarter is missing, the profile is installed on the mounting plates. Decorative overlays are placed on top of the foam.
How do you know if an opening has a quarter? To do this, measure the width of the frame itself from the inside and outside. If the figures vary greatly, then there are quarters.
Measurements with a quarter are performed according to the following principle:
- Calculations are made on the outside of the window.
- To calculate the required width, two centimeters are added to the distance between the outer edges of the slopes.
- To determine the height of the window, two centimeters are also added to the distance between the low tide and the outer edge of the upper slope.
The mounting plane is determined by the inside of the quarter. Also from it, the dimensions of the ebb and window sill are calculated.
Installationdo-it-yourself plastic windows: preparing the opening and window systems
After the dismantling of old window blocks, a lot of debris remains, which can interfere with further work. It needs to be removed.
The opening itself must be cleaned of the remnants of putty, sealing material, wood chips and other contaminants. Proper installation of plastic windows involves working on clean and even brickwork or concrete. All irregularities, chips, cracks and recesses need to be smoothed and puttied.
Window opening ready for work? Then proceed to check the double-glazed windows and PVC parts. Make sure the block is not chipped or warped. If everything is in order, check the availability of components.
Standard system should include:
- plate for window sill;
- special corner plugs;
- mounting profiles;
- fasteners (anchor plates);
- fittings (plugs for handles or the handles themselves, hinges);
- low tide.
If you plan to line the slopes with a similar material, then purchase plastic panels of a suitable color and corners in advance. If all the materials are available, you can start assembling the tool needed to install the plastic window.
What tools are needed to carry out the work?
Installation of window blocks will not take much time and effort if all the necessary materials are at hand.
You will need:
- perforator;
- screwdriver;
- construction pencil or marker;
- measuring tool;
- foam gun;
- special primer;
- hexagons;
- level;
- expansion wedges;
- paint brush;
- low tide;
- protective gloves.
Some masters can do without half of the positions from the above list. However, if you want to carry out a reliable and correct installation of plastic windows with your own hands, then it is better not to neglect these recommendations.
Installation technology
When all the materials are assembled, you can get to work. Please note that double-glazed windows have an impressive weight. It will be very problematic to cope with their installation alone. It is much more convenient to work in tandem with an assistant.
The technology of installation of plastic windows involves the installation of two types: with window disassembly and a solid block. In the first case, you will need to completely remove the double-glazed window. To do this, it is necessary to remove the plastic glazing beads, glass, and then fix the block in the opening using anchors. Then you need to install the double-glazed windows back and fix them.
This option is quite laborious. It will be difficult for a simple homeowner to cope with the task. For this reason, we will consider the installation of plastic windows (according to GOST) using anchor plates.
The work is done in the following order:
- The inner surface of the windowthe opening must be treated with a primer. It is designed to ensure good adhesion of the substrate to sealing and vapor barrier materials. The composition is applied with a regular paint brush.
- A support profile is installed on the bottom of the opening. Many masters put the block directly on the frame. This is considered a gross violation of GOST, which negatively affects the tightness of the system.
- Next, you need to remove the packaging from the windows, and glue the perimeter of the frame with sealing tape.
- Now the frame can be installed in the opening (on the stand profile). Do-it-yourself installation of plastic windows is best done using spacer wedges. They need to be inserted between the block and the opening. At this stage, you need to check the correctness and evenness of the installation using a plumb line and a laser (or water) level.
- When you make sure that the block is standing without tilts and distortions, it can be fixed to the walls. To do this, markings for fasteners should be applied to the inner surface of the plastic frame. It is affixed in increments of 50-60 cm.
- In the designated places (on the inside), plates are fixed to the frame. After that, they are fixed to the wall. First, the lower part of the window is mounted, the evenness of the installation is checked. Then the remaining fasteners are screwed.
Finally tighten the bolts only after the final check. In this case, you should not press too hard, so as not to distort the profile. The side seams need to be blown out with mounting foam.
The most common mistakes that wizards make during window installation
Worth a lookattention to the list of errors that are most often encountered and entail problems in the operation of plastic windows. They are allowed not only by beginners, but also by experienced craftsmen who neglect the basic requirements. As a result - constant drafts, freezing, condensation and much more.
This can lead to:
- mounting at insufficient depth;
- weak sealing;
- violation of block fixing rules;
- use of inappropriate profiles.
Please note that if you position the window too close to the inside edge of the opening, this will result in lower temperatures on the surfaces around the unit. In this situation, condensation is inevitable, and, as a result, mold.
It is also important that all mounting seams are evenly blown out with foam. Otherwise, after a while, the window will begin to sweat a lot.
Installing the sill plate
At this stage, the installation of plastic windows with your own hands can be considered almost complete. The instruction for their installation further describes the steps for working with the window sill.
Its width is determined by the homeowner himself. The length depends on the parameters of the window opening. The plastic panel can be easily cut to size and then installed as follows:
- On the basis of the opening, wooden bars are laid out, a window sill is laid on them. Here you need to adjust its height. It is very important that the slab is strictly horizontal with respect to the window opening itself.
- After adjusting the height, the productis removed, and plastic corner plugs are put on its side parts (ends).
- Adhesive is being applied to wooden coasters.
- The window sill is installed in its place and pressed against the base.
- When the adhesive under the panel is completely dry, the space between the plastic and the opening is filled with mounting foam.
Now there are ready-made plastic windows in the opening. Installation and installation, as you can see, do not include particularly complex steps, so the work can be done independently.
Decorative finishing: installation of slopes
Windows are in place, but the opening is not at all pleasing to the eye? Of course, because it still needs finishing.
If we are talking about an apartment, then it is carried out only from the inside. In this case, the installation of slopes on plastic windows is carried out. It is not difficult to do this work with your own hands.
Initially, a U-shaped profile is installed along the perimeter of the window opening. Further, the entire surface of the slope is covered with a crate. It is made from thin wooden slats and screwed to the base with self-tapping screws.
A gap of 8-10 mm must be left between the top and side rail. In the future, a decorative panel will be inserted into it. Its dimensions depend on the length and width of the slopes, but the thickness may be different.
The thinnest products are considered the most economical, but they are more afraid of mechanical stress than others. Thin panels are mounted exclusively on glue, and more durable options, as alreadyit was said - on a lattice base.
The top sheet is installed first. One end is inserted into the profile, and the other is screwed to a wooden rail. Here you can use a construction stapler or small screws.
Next, the side walls are sheathed. The material is fixed in the same way. The edges of the panels are closed with F-shaped strips, the size of which is determined by the length of the corner part of the slope. The inner side of the plank is cut at an angle of 45 degrees on both sides.
You can fix the corner element on any construction adhesive. So that the bar does not fall off during the setting of the composition, it is fixed with masking tape.
When the installation of slopes on plastic windows is completed, all joints should be coated with white sealant. After application, it must be carefully leveled with a rubber spatula. Now you can enjoy the neat look of self-installed window units.
Exterior decoration
Installation of plastic windows (with your own hands) in a house or apartment is complemented not only by interior, but also by exterior decoration. This type of work includes the installation of a low tide.
The tide is a curved metal sheet that protects the space between the window unit and the opening and prevents moisture from entering.
Most often it comes with PVC systems, but it can also be made by hand.
The ebb is fastened with self-tapping screws and a bottom profile. It is positioned so that the protruding part of the installed window covers the placejoining the profile and ebb.
During installation, a profile strip is attached to the opening. The panel is attached to it. For additional reliability, the place of their connection is filled with mounting foam.
In private houses, slopes can also be trimmed from the outside. They are most often painted or plastered, but they can also be sewn up with plastic.
Features of installing plastic blocks in wooden houses
The process of installing windows in private houses and apartments is absolutely identical. The only exceptions are buildings made from natural materials, which are more prone to shrinkage, swelling and cracking.
During such processes, the window unit can be deformed and completely fail. Therefore, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the nuances of installing plastic windows in a wooden house.
They are as follows:
- It is not recommended to equip window openings in log houses that were built recently. These buildings are too susceptible to shrinkage, which is sometimes on the order of 30% of the original size. With such indicators, the PVC block will certainly fail.
- When preparing the opening for the installation of plastic systems, it is recommended to make a casing. This design is designed to prevent damage to the profile during natural changes in the parameters of the opening (as a result of shrinkage or swelling of the main building material).
- The box is made from timber, in which a kind of comb is first sawn out. On thea planed log is subsequently installed in it, in which the corresponding groove is cut.
- Next, the central risers are mounted. They are fixed in the opening with metal plates. The gap between the wood of the opening and the central riser should be about 1 cm.
- Also leave a gap on the underside of the window. It is equipped between the frame and wood. At the final stage of installation, this distance is filled with foam.
Installing plastic windows (with your own hands) in a wooden house is a little more difficult. It is very important to follow all the rules and accurately carry out calculations. At each stage, you should check the installation instructions. Remember - this work does not accept haste!
That's it! We hope you have found answers to all your questions and now you can do the above work yourself.
