One of the most important repair processes is the installation of window slopes. The gap between the wall and the window must be closed. There are many ways to do this. For the decoration of window slopes, even waste left over after construction is suitable. But each of these methods must be disassembled separately. This is what we will do in our article today.
Varieties
The choice of window slopes depends directly on what the window itself and the walls near it are made of. If the window is wooden, then a wooden slope will also be logical . It is important to choose a wooden coating. After all, then the design looks solid. Wear and deformation of the entire structure will occur at approximately the same pace.
Recently, plastic slopes are gaining more and more popularity . According to reviews, they are able to fit perfectly into any interior. In the presence of concrete or brick walls, plaster or plasterboard slopes are also used, which subsequently go through another stage of decoration.
It is necessary to consider each of the types of window slopes separately in order to take into account the full characteristics of the material before choosing it.
Drywall construction
Many craftsmen advise this particular material for window slopes. However, it must be borne in mind that it also has its drawbacks.
These include:
- Low strength. Drywall is a very fragile material. In case of mechanical damage, the structure can be restored. But for this you need to do putty and paint the coating in the future.
- Inability to replace one piece of the structure. In this case, it will be necessary to completely change the entire slope.
- Highly demanding care.
- The need for periodic repair and painting.
- Moisture accumulates between the wall and the slope, which can cause deformation of the structure or the appearance of various spots on the surface.
Installation of such window slopes is a lengthy process that takes from two to four days. Also note that the material must be resistant to moisture, since it will always be outside on one side of the house or apartment.
Stucco Options
In the installation of slopes from plaster, it is important to pay attention to every detail, and even better - seek the help of a specialist. Indeed, only in this way can one be sure that the design will be executed with sufficient quality.
It is important to note that this type of slope has low thermal insulation characteristics, which in the future can significantly affect the duration of use of the structure. Due to temperature differences and low thermal insulation, condensation may occur on the glass. This can then lead to mold or mildew at the joints of the windows.
Nevertheless, some types of such slopes still have sufficient thermal insulation properties, and it is preferable to choose them.
The downside is that the material and the solution have different expansion coefficients. Therefore, after a short period of time, cracks can occur on the slopes.
Plastic
This type of slope has a relatively low cost, and therefore recently gaining popularity. Nevertheless, before choosing it, you should also consider the list of shortcomings that he has:
- The material is not suitable for wide slopes. Over time, it may disperse, and the design itself will be unstable.
- If the coating area is not insulated, the plastic will be prone to deformation after a short period of time.
- The thermal insulation properties of such slopes are quite low.
- The service life is low due to the fact that the structure itself is hollow and tends to peel off over time.
Sandwich
Of all the above materials, these slopes of window openings have the least number of disadvantages and many advantages. They have excellent noise and heat insulating properties, they are always installed immediately with the insulation.
Outside, window slopes sandwiches will look like a single structure together with plastic windows, have the highest service life and will not require further development. In addition, they are completely tight.
Such structures can also be installed to a depth of 50 centimeters, which can not be said about any other type of material.
Stucco finish
This finishing method is suitable for both external and internal work. It is this type of window slopes that is preferred, because they are easy to install, have an affordable price and are wear-resistant.
Minuses
Of the shortcomings - low thermal insulation (however, as in many other types of finishes). But performing the correct installation, it is possible to exclude deformation and the appearance of cracks due to different temperature coefficients.
Can I do it myself?
Slopes window internal can be done in many ways. However, it is worth analyzing the most popular of them. Particular attention should also be paid to the fact that each structure must be mounted clearly in accordance with all the rules.
If you will perform the work yourself, before starting the installation it is recommended to consult with a specialist regarding the various nuances of installing each of the slopes.
Stucco and painting
This method is distinguished by its low cost, and therefore is the most common. This is due to the fact that plaster itself is a fairly cheap material, and therefore it can be safely used for facing window slopes.
To begin with, it is enough to dilute the dry mixture with water, and then proceed to work. The operation is performed in several steps:
- It is necessary to thoroughly clean the entire surface of the double-glazed unit, remove dust or any other excess elements from it, bring it to perfect condition.
- The seams of the walls should be expanded by at least ten millimeters.
- First, the walls are plastered, and only then it comes to the slopes themselves. Despite the fact that there may be several layers of plaster, each time you need to wait for the drying of the previous coating layer. If this rule is neglected, after a short period of time the stucco may begin to fall away. Soon, repairs will have to be redone again.
- The terms of plastering are at least two days, you should not rush in the process.
- The gaps between the double-glazed windows must be eliminated with mounting foam. In private houses, special heaters can be used to close the gaps.
- After applying the foam (which is needed to increase the noise reduction properties), you need to wait for it to completely dry, and only then proceed to the next stage.
- The sinuses of the slope should be completely filled with mortar. However, this must be done carefully, with a layer of not more than seven millimeters at a time. Each time you need to wait for the solution to dry, and then proceed to applying the next.
- It is also important to monitor the even position of each of the slopes, for which a wooden rail, which should be fixed on top, is perfect.
- It is also necessary to keep the corner from the box in order to preserve the presence of dawn from the window. This should be done on each side.
- After completely leveling the surface with a wooden lath or other devices, you need to apply the final layer of the solution, and then carefully clean it. The stripping procedure takes place exclusively after complete drying. Be careful, otherwise you may damage the final layer.
- It is important not to forget about the cleaning procedure, because the final form of the construction will depend on it. If necessary, the last layer can be repeated or corrected all the flaws already during painting.
- When painting, you also need to wait for the drying of each previous layer and try to make them all as thin as possible.
- If a mixture of several colors was chosen for work, it is advisable to mix the shades in an amount sufficient to cover several layers. The thing is that the second time to create the same proportion of colors will not work. As a result, the color may differ in places, which will be quite noticeable from the outside.
Plastic panels for window slopes
Installation of this type of structures takes place in a fairly short period of time. Everything takes about two hours. This is due to the fact that the panels themselves already have all the necessary properties, do not need re-finishing or plastering.
In addition to the short installation time, such slopes are also convenient in that they can be used to create the most original design solution that will fit into any interior. To clean plastic panels is very simple - they only need wet cleaning, which in this case will in no way damage the structure.
The steps for installing plastic panels are as follows:
- From PVC you need to cut the slopes of the desired width (it is measured in advance).
- The panels are fixed with liquid nails.
- With the help of various kinds of battens (wooden or any other, which are easiest to fix in a certain interior), plastic panels for slopes are fixed.
- The end face between the slope and the wall is covered with special plastic corners. Such corners are necessary not only directly for the installation of plastic panels, but also in order to extend the life of the wallpaper near the window. The latter are often peeled off due to various mechanical damage in these areas.
Before starting installation, it is important to consider that not every PVC material is suitable and used for plastic panels. They must be resistant to UV rays and mechanical damage. The best option is considered to be sandwich panels, which have the best properties among any other plastic panels.
Drywall
It is important to note that not any drywall is suitable for decoration. It must be moisture resistant. If itโs not possible to purchase one, a regular drywall is bought, which later needs to be finished with a special solution.
Without this, the use of material in the decoration of window slopes is strictly prohibited. Otherwise, the design will not last for a long time and will soon require replacement.
The algorithm of actions here is as simple as possible:
- Before installation, the blocks must be fixed in the groove for the window. This is not a requirement, but in this way you can achieve greater structural strength and reliability.
- Next, special panels are installed in which there is already room for drywall inserts.
A few words in conclusion
As you can see, window slopes can be of different types. All of them have their own characteristics. Nevertheless, it is quite feasible to install each of the structures yourself if you apply a sufficient amount of effort.
During the installation process, it is important to adhere to all the advice of specialists indicated above, otherwise the design will not last for a long time and will soon require replacement. This is quite disadvantageous, because each time you have to buy new materials and again spend a sufficiently large period of time on installation.
Before proceeding to the choice of material, it is important to make all measurements, to compare the necessary characteristics and the permissible price category of the material. Only in this way can you be sure that in the near future you will not regret the selected material, and it will serve exactly the period of time for which you were counting.
It is important to consider the factor of the selected double-glazed window and the type of material from which the walls are made. The design that will look solid will look much more interesting, and its details do not differ from each other or do not stand out much from each other.