PVC windows, which are often called double-glazed windows, are extremely popular today. Which is not surprising. Such designs have a lot of advantages over the old standard wooden windows, which today for the most part not only have a rather unsightly appearance, but are also unable to perform the functions assigned to them. So the apartment owners are striving to replace outdated structures in order to make their home warm and quiet inside, and beautiful and modern outside.
Today, the cost of the services of professionals in the field of construction and repair is extremely high. Perhaps this is precisely what explains the fact that today many are trying to carry out such work on their own, without seeking help from specialists. Of course, not everything can be done with your own hands, especially in the absence of the appropriate skills. However, there are works that are quite within the reach of a home master, despite their seeming complexity. Among them is the installation of PVC windows. Almost every home-grown craftsman can independently carry out such a procedure. The main thing is to correctly follow the technology of the process, carefully observing all its requirements. What, in fact, is quite simple to do if there is an instruction for installing PVC windows before your eyes. Competent and detailed. And if there is none, we invite you to read our article, in which we want to talk in detail about what constitutes such a procedure as installing a PVC window with your own hands.
Steps
Installation of PVC windows is a job that many home craftsmen are afraid to do because of the seemingly extreme complexity of the process. It is worth noting, completely in vain. It is not as difficult as it seems to some from the outside. Moreover, when installing double-glazed windows, even no special tools are required. So, almost the usual set of home masters, which is available in every home (we will dwell on it in more detail below). The procedure itself includes several stages, including preparatory. To summarize, it looks like this: first you need to correctly carry out all the measurements in order to acquire the “correct” double-glazed window; then you need to prepare the opening for installation, install the window and accessories attached to it; then refine the slopes. All these procedures (with the exception of the last one) take only two to three hours from professionals. The home master, of course, will have to work longer, but during the day he may well cope with the task. But sinceinstalling a PVC window is half the battle, because after installation you still have to fiddle with slopes, then it’s better to count on a few days. Let's say, dedicate the weekend to this case.
So let's get started. From measurements.
Calculations
In order for the installation of a PVC window to go smoothly with your own hands, you need to correctly calculate the dimensions of the structure. The fact is that double-glazed windows will have to be ordered, since it is unlikely that you can just go to the store and buy them. You can, of course, call the specialists of the company that manufactures and installs windows, however, firstly, you will have to pay for it, and secondly, such companies, as a rule, provide comprehensive services - from measurement to production and installation of each PVC window ordered from them. Prices for almost everyone today, due to fierce competition, are the same, and usually they charge about 30% of the cost for installation. As a rule, the average is about 50 dollars. And if you decide to save money, you will have to do everything yourself. Including calculate the dimensions of the future double-glazed window. And in order to do it right, you must first study the old structure and the opening itself, because there are two types of it - with and without the so-called quarter. This is a special design that is present on the sides of the opening. To find out, you must first remove the cash from the old wooden window. And then measure the width of the old frame, first from the side of the room, and then from the side of the street. If the result is the same, there is no quarter. If there is a difference, then there is a similar design. From hereand dance.
If there is a quarter, the height of the future window will be the same as the opening itself. But three centimeters should be added to the existing width. In its absence, the double-glazed window should be shorter by five centimeters and already by three. This difference is the so-called gap. When installing PVC windows, it is necessary, since the installation of such structures is carried out using foam, and it requires space between the opening and the frame itself.
Well, if we are talking about a new building, then at the moment the technologies for building houses do not provide for the presence of such a structure as a quarter. That is, you will have a clean window opening available. Feel free to measure its dimensions vertically and horizontally and go with them to a PVC window manufacturing company. There, the specialists themselves will carry out all the necessary calculations.
Optional accessories
Since the correct installation of PVC windows is impossible without the presence of additional elements, you should definitely pay attention to this when ordering a structure. In addition to the double-glazed window itself, you should additionally be provided with fittings, a special sealant, an installation profile and a window sill with a tide. As for the last two additions, here you need to know some nuances.
These items are available in several standard sizes (width). Therefore, it is enough to measure the existing old structure, and then choose the one that suits you. As for the length, it is better to take elements with a margin of at least twenty centimeters. You can cut off everything superfluous when the installation of the PVC window sill itself is carried out. Well, ebb, respectively.
After the design is ordered and the deadlines are agreed, you can begin to prepare. Of course, you can release the window opening from the old frame only immediately before installing a new double-glazed window. There is no need to explain that it is impossible to sit in an apartment without windows for a week. The installation time for a PVC window, as we have already mentioned, is about three hours from specialists. Although you are transported, without experience, all day, but the old frame must be removed, of course, only before the installation of a new one begins. But prepare everything you need for the process in advance.
So what do you need?
Tools and materials
When installing a PVC window with your own hands, the master should have a certain and, most importantly, mandatory set of tools and materials, without which the installation process cannot be carried out. Therefore, you should take care of the acquisition:
- Drills.
- The mounting gun, which will be needed during the procedure for foaming the seams.
- Building level.
- Chisels.
- Rubber mallet.
- Stapler.
- Hacksaws.
- Professional foam mounting.
- Vapor-proof tape.
- Building screws, the length of which must be at least 12 mm.
- Mounting wedges.
- Laminated foilwater vapor barrier tape.
This is the basic kit that is required when a simple installation of PVC windows is carried out. If you plan to mount the structure using anchor plates, then, of course, you need to take care of purchasing them. In this case, it is worth paying attention to their strength. It is advisable to buy fasteners made of thick metal, since PVC windows will still be installed, which are quite heavy, and not some kind of light suspended structures.
Preparatory procedures
So, new double-glazed windows have been delivered to you, which means you can start preparatory work. First of all, you need to free the room from furniture as much as possible. Installing a PVC window with your own hands is a procedure that requires a large amount of free space, so we remove everything that is possible from the room. After that, you can begin to dismantle the old structure. Naturally, it is quite possible that the installation of PVC plastic windows will be carried out in a newly built house with new window openings. In this case, this stage, of course, is omitted. However, most often home craftsmen are interested in exactly how to install a PVC window instead of a wooden frame that has served its time. And for them, the information below will be extremely valuable. Although there is an assertion that breaking is much easier than building, nevertheless, everything must be done wisely so as not to damage the window opening. By the way, he will suffer quite a lot without it, sotry to carry out the dismantling procedure as sparingly as possible.
Remove the old window
If the wooden structure is so dilapidated that the glass literally almost falls out, then they must first be removed. To do this, it is enough to first remove the glazing beads holding the glass. If it is still quite strong, then you can try to remove the existing doors from the hinges along with the glass. However, be more careful. It is better to get rid of the glass, so as not to accidentally damage your skillful hands. As a result, a frame without sashes and a window sill should remain in the window. Arm yourself with a hacksaw or, even better, a grinder equipped with a concrete wheel, and saw through the old frame in several places. Then use a pry bar to remove it piece by piece. As a result, there will be a window sill. Do the same with him. Cut first, then break. The problem can be delivered by a window sill made not of wood, but of concrete. In this case, you will, of course, have to tinker. And best of all, a jackhammer will help to cope with the problem. In the absence of the latter, use a grinder and a perforator.
After the old window is removed, carefully inspect the opening. Remove all protruding pieces of reinforcement, fragments of plaster from it. In general, make sure that, despite the somewhat unsightly appearance, it will be a reliable basis for the new design. And, of course, remove all dust and dirt.
Next, you can start preparing the double-glazed window.
Preparing a new window
Professionals install PVC windowsalmost always without disassembling them. Which is quite understandable, because they already have a lot of experience. It is better for the home master to play it safe and remove the opening doors from the hinges, and remove the double-glazed windows directly from the deaf ones. Many are afraid of this procedure, however, there is nothing complicated in it. To remove the sash, you just need to remove the pin, which is located in the upper hinge. To extract it, it is enough to have only pliers (picked up and pulled out). And then remove the sash from the bottom hinge. As for glass, there are no difficulties here either. It is only at first glance that a PVC window seems to be a monolithic structure. In fact, it has exactly the same glazing beads as in wood. This is a plastic frame located on top of the glass. You just need to pick them up with a knife and push them out of the grooves. Then take out the glass.
Of course, the installation of large structures is not always required. In private homes, sometimes a single-leaf small window is replaced. In this case, you can not be puzzled and proceed with the installation without disassembling it.
After the window is prepared, you need to remove the protective film from the outside. All. You can proceed directly to the installation.
Types of mounting
There are two of them. The simplest is fastening the frame directly to the opening using dowels. The second is installation using anchor elements, which are first mounted to the inside of the frame, and then attached to the opening. Professional craftsmen in some cases combine both of the presented methods,that does not contradict the requirements of technology. We will try to tell in detail about both options.
Technology
First, on the lower surface of the opening, that is, in the place where the window sill will be located, construction wedges are laid out. The prepared frame is inserted into the opening, leveled with a building level and markup is carried out. That is, they mark on the wall itself the location of either holes for dowels or fixing anchors. The frame is then removed. Further, the algorithm of actions depends on the chosen installation method. If it is planned to fasten with dowels, then at the place of the marks, a hole of the corresponding diameter is drilled under them. In those cases where installation is provided using anchor plates, professionals recommend that you first gouge recesses under them, and only then drill holes for self-tapping screws. Why is this needed? Yes, so that these very plates do not protrude very much above the surface of the slopes. If this happens, it will significantly complicate the finishing process.
When everything is ready, reinsert the frame. Just before that, you need to glue it on the sides with a hydro-vapor-tight tape. Then the frame is fixed on the sides with construction wedges, carefully leveled. Then they are finally fixed (either with dowels directly, or with self-tapping screws anchor fasteners). Moreover, experts do not recommend strongly tightening these elements. It is even better if the head of the anchor or dowel protrudes a millimeter above the surface. Once it is clear that the structure is solid andset exactly according to the level, the removed glass and sashes are returned to their place. After that, with the help of mounting foam, fill the gaps on the sides and top, while not forgetting to remove the wedges.
As for the foam itself. Fill carefully so that there are no gaps. However, it is not recommended and do it in excess. Therefore, it is best, especially considering that this is the debut of a home master, to carry out this procedure with short breaks. We filled half a meter - we waited a bit, at least twenty minutes. Foam tends to expand over time. And if you make a mistake the first time, then the next time it will be much easier to regulate its supply.
From the outside, after the installation of the window, a low tide is installed. For the same foam. And for greater confidence, they are also screwed with self-tapping screws to construction wedges, which, as you remember, remained with us at the bottom of the structure. As for the window sill, first it is measured in length, and the excess is cut off. Then they are inserted under the lower edge of the frame. It is enough to have a window sill under the window only two to three centimeters. From below, the window sill is foaming.
Important! If there is a very large gap between the window sill and the lower edge of the window opening, then it is not recommended to fill it all with foam. It is best to lay wooden blocks. Or even bricks. And after that, fix the structure with foam, while not forgetting, of course, to set it in level.
This completes the installation process. Now it’s better to forget about the double-glazed window for a day and not touch it, so that, slamming the doors for no reasona new window, do not violate the integrity of the structure. After that, you can begin to remove excess foam and finish the slopes.
And then we will talk about some features of the installation of double-glazed windows in wooden buildings and on balconies.
Installing a PVC window in a wooden house
There are some nuances here, which are due to the fact that wooden buildings, due to the characteristics of the material from which they were built, are capable of shrinking. Logs are able to practically move with temperature differences, contributing to the deformation of window and door openings, walls, etc. This can cause all kinds of flaws in double-glazed windows. It is for this reason that in the first year after the completion of construction, they are not installed at all. PVC windows in a wooden house, in addition, are mounted not directly in the window opening itself, but in a special structure. It's called a casing. Simply put: first, a special wooden frame is made from well-dried material. Then it is inserted into the window opening, aligned and fixed. After that, a PVC window is already mounted in it. This casing will reliably protect the double-glazed window from deformations and flaws. Which, you see, is very important, especially considering the cost that PVC windows have. The prices of even the simplest designs, though not exorbitant, are still impressive - on average, a small window costs about two hundred dollars. And under such protection, the window is not afraid of any shrinkage. The only thing to consider is that the gap between the window and the casing is recommended by expertsleave more - at least 5 centimeters on each side. In all other respects, the process of installing a double-glazed window is the same as described above.
Installation of PVC windows on the balcony
Balcony glazing also has some specifics. If a complete structure is inserted into the window opening, then on the balcony the PVC frame consists of several parts that need to be fastened together. This is done with the help of anchor rails, and some experts additionally recommend smearing the joints with liquid nails. Since the lower part of the windows is installed directly on the railing, it is necessary to carefully check their integrity and strength before installation. And if necessary, carry out the necessary repairs. After that, a frame is constructed from a wooden beam, firmly fixing it around the entire perimeter of the balcony. Then a visor is attached from above from the outside. Next, PVC windows are mounted, which are attached directly to the beam. First, the front group is installed, after which they proceed to the installation of the side ones. As for the method of attachment, use any of the two described above, at your own discretion. The only thing to consider is that it is better to make at least four attachment points on the sides, and at least three on top for one window. The gaps are also foamed, after which a low tide is installed on the outside, and a window sill is installed on the inside. As you can see, everything is quite simple.
Conclusion
We tried to tell as much as possible about how to install a PVC window in a concrete opening, inwooden house and on the balcony. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the procedure. In the presence of skillful hands, dealing with it is quite simple. We hope that now, after reading the detailed instructions, the installation process will be easy and fast.
