Replacing windows is a critical process. The comfort of the people living in the house depends on its correctness. To reduce heat loss and to qualitatively seal the opening, it is imperative to equip the external slope. If you have the appropriate equipment and enough free time, you can do this work yourself. Even a novice master can do it well.
Before starting the installation, it is required to study what materials are used for such purposes and how the installation process occurs. Having correctly completed all the actions, you can qualitatively insulate new windows. External slopes give the opening a neat appearance. All actions must be carried out in accordance with existing technology.
Slope Features
Exterior window slopes are important for protecting joints. When installing a new unit, the opening space is blown with foam. This is a very strong material. It prevents heat loss, creates additional sound insulation. But also foam is subject to negative environmental effects.
If the window unit was not protected from moisture, exposure to high and low temperatures, its thermal insulation properties will be reduced. Over time, condensation will collect inside, and with it a fungus will appear. The durability of the window will be insufficient.
It is slopes that can protect joints and installation materials from negative environmental conditions. Whatever type of windows are in the house, it is necessary to equip the external and internal slopes during their installation. Moreover, with them the opening looks neater.
Materials for insulation
Creating an external slope, the master selects the best material. Today, there are many options that can reliably protect the seams from external influences.
Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages. When choosing them must be taken into account. The most popular materials for such purposes today are plaster, plastic, siding, and drywall. Whatever type of finish you choose, you should give preference to quality products from a trusted manufacturer.
Experienced craftsmen argue that saving on material will result in significant future installation costs for a new window. Poor finish also causes large heat loss. The owners of the house will spend large amounts of the family budget to pay for energy. Therefore, the selection of materials should be given special attention.
Plaster
The cheapest option for finishing window joints is plaster. For its application, cement is mixed with water and a mixture is applied in layers. Each of them is applied only after the previous base has dried. Therefore, the disadvantages of this method should be called a longer duration. The whole process takes about 3 days.
It should be noted that this is not the only drawback. The fact is that plaster never adheres perfectly to the base. Over time, it will freeze and exfoliate. This is one of the most durable finishes. To extend the life of this coating, special plasticizers are added to the cement mortar.
In addition, such external slopes for plastic windows lead to the formation of condensate in the cold season, the development of the fungus. And this negatively affects health. Professional builders do not recommend making slopes from plaster.
Plastic
One of the most suitable materials for outdoor slopes is plastic. It has a number of advantages.
First of all, external plastic slopes are characterized by a long service life. In this case, the level of heat loss is significantly reduced.
Plastic is not afraid of temperature changes, wet weather (if high-quality material is selected). Also, this finish option eliminates the appearance of condensation. The listed qualities make the presented material popular.
A huge number of colors and shades allows you to choose the best option for lining. But for a white plastic window, it is more advisable to select material of the same color. He creates a single composition with the whole block. The disadvantage of plastic is the higher price and the lack of repair in case of damage.
Sandwich panels
Today, this type of material is used as a sandwich panel. They allow you to quickly mount slopes on the windows. The outer surfaces are covered with plastic, and under them is a layer of foam insulation.
This material looks quite aesthetically pleasing. Installation of slopes at the same time takes a minimum of time. The cost of sandwich panels is relatively high. But when arranging a large number of windows, this option will be the best solution.
Of the shortcomings of the material, experienced repairmen call a limited number of sizes. Large panels are more often on sale. Over time, the topcoat may turn yellow. It is also worth noting that such cladding is inferior in its energy-saving characteristics to mineral wool. Its use in this case will already be impractical.
Metal
More and more popular are metal outdoor slopes, or siding. This is the most durable material. It is a galvanized steel sheet. In production, they are coated with special polymer compositions. Due to this, the metal becomes resistant to the effects of weather phenomena, does not rust.
It also perfectly seals joints blown up by foam. Due to this, metal slopes well retain heat indoors. In this case, the formation of condensate and fungus is excluded.
The only drawback of metal slopes is their high cost. But their high cost pays off, because the service life of the material is very long.
Styrofoam
One of the successful materials for slopes is foam. It is characterized by high thermal performance. Mounting the external slopes with your own hands, this kind of finish will be easier to equip than other materials. The installation process will require a minimum of effort and time.
Conventional polystyrene in this case will not work. It will need to be additionally treated with putty. Special foam on the front side is treated with acrylic components. They are associated with marble chips.
Such a finish will create an unusual decorative effect. Such a coating additionally protects the foam from environmental influences. Also, such a combination enhances the insulating qualities of the slopes. Installation of panels is very simple. Therefore, such work can be done even by an inexperienced installer.
Drywall
An external slope made of drywall is considered one of the inexpensive types of finishing a window opening. Such material is suitable for insulation of joints, for example, inside a loggia. Drywall, however, reacts poorly to moisture. It can become deformed over time.
Also, this material needs careful processing of the base of the opening. It is impregnated with special antiseptics. Otherwise, the processes of decay will quickly destroy the slopes and the window itself.
During installation, a sheet of drywall allows you to create a perfectly flat surface. It will be enough just to paint it so that the appearance of the finish is aesthetic. But when arranging external slopes that will be exposed to moisture, it is better to use other materials that are more resistant to adverse environmental conditions.
What will be required for installation?
Installation of external slopes may well be done on their own. To do this, you need to prepare all the necessary materials and tools. First of all, you should decide on the main coating from which the finish will be made. It is usually mounted on wooden planks or profiles.
There is free space between the material and these slats. Experienced craftsmen advise filling it with mineral wool. It is a non-combustible, environmentally friendly material. Its heat-insulating qualities are better than that of polystyrene.
All materials are fastened with self-tapping screws and silicone. To perform the work was convenient, it is necessary to prepare a screwdriver. You will also need to prepare a hacksaw, construction stapler, level, knife.
Other tools may come in handy depending on the material used. Then you can proceed with the installation.
Siding installation
As mentioned above, an external slope is best done from metal sheets (siding). The size of the panels is selected in accordance with the standard windows. Domestic manufacturers suggest using panels larger than 20 cm. In this case, the siding is mounted only on the j-profile.
Eurostandard involves the installation of slopes less than 20 cm in size. In this case, a finish or j-profile is used. Panels are installed in it. The space inside is filled with mineral wool.
Siding can be cut with special scissors for metal or a hacksaw. In service, this material is very practical. If desired, it can be painted in any other color. To wash such slopes is very simple.
All installation work will not take more than 2-3 hours, even if the master does not have sufficient experience in carrying out such work.
Having become familiar with the existing materials for installing external slopes, as well as the technology for carrying out such work, almost everyone will be able to carry out all the actions independently. If you follow the recommendations of experts, the result will be pretty good. Such slopes will be durable and can effectively protect the room from heat loss in the cold period.