Do-it-yourself installation of plastic windows can significantly save money, while the result cannot be distinguished from the work of a professional team. Replacing old wooden frames with new plastic structures, first of all, significantly reduces heat loss, which is the main indicator of efficiency for such a cold country as Russia. Plastic windows They also have other positive characteristics, but improper installation can negate all the advantages of a frame and a double-glazed window of a modern design. How to avoid serious mistakes when installing a plastic window frame yourself will be described in detail in this article.
Content:

Construction of plastic windows
Before proceeding with the replacement of windows in an apartment or a private house, it is necessary to carefully study the design of plastic products.
Ignorance of terminology and careless attitude to, at first glance, insignificant details can lead to the need to redo the work, which will inevitably lead to an increase in time and financial costs.
The plastic window consists of the following elements:
- Frame - a frame in which double-glazed windows are placed
- Impost - a vertical element dividing the frame into 2 or more parts
- sash - opening element
- Capercaillie - fixed element
- double glazing – 2 or more glass sealed chambers
- lock fittings - a mechanism that allows the sash to be locked in the closed position
- Seals – rubber gaskets ensuring the tightness of the internal elements of the frame
- Drain holes - special channels that bring out the condensate formed as a result of temperature differences
- Low tide - an external, protruding forward structural element that protects the lower part of the window opening from precipitation
- Windowsill – a horizontal window element located on the inside, directly below the frame
- slopes - decorative plates located in the upper part and on the sides of the adjoining window frame to the wall
After the design of the plastic window has been carefully studied, you can proceed to practical steps. First of all, it is necessary to prepare the materials and tools that will be needed for the installation work.

Tools and materials
If you plan to install plastic windows on your own, then you can not do without using the following tools:
- Knife
- Foam gun
- dispenser
- Blade for glazing
- Mandrel clamp
- Chisel set
- File
- Scrap
- Hand saw for wood
- Spatula set
- Compactor knife
- Roulette
- Electric drill
- Set of drills for metal and concrete
To perform adjustment work after installing windows, you may also need: screwdrivers, pliers and hex keys.
In addition, before starting installation work, you should purchase the necessary materials, including:
- Mounting foam
- Sealing tape
- Mounting spacers
- waterproofing tape
- diffuse tape
- Silicone sealant
Also, for reliable fixation of the structure, one cannot do without the use of high-quality fasteners. Self-tapping screws, dowels and anchor bolts must be correctly selected in length and diameter, only in this case it is possible to guarantee high-quality window fastening.
All materials used must be of good quality, so after purchase they should not be stored for a long time. In addition, preference should be given to products from well-known manufacturers, which, despite the higher cost, are more popular with professional builders.
Tools can be purchased new or rented. The second option allows you to save a lot of money.

window opening measurements
So that a custom-made plastic window does not turn out to be larger than the opening or its size is not too small, it is necessary to avoid mistakes at the stage of measuring work. The correct measurement of the window opening is carried out only after the type of opening has been determined.
The window can be installed in a quarter opening or in a quarterless one. In the first case, the outer part of the window is always narrower, in the second case, the opening has the same dimensions, both on the inside of the building and on the outside. To measure the width of the quarter opening, the smaller value of this parameter is taken and 30 mm is added to it. Height is measured in a standard way.
If the window is installed in a quarterless opening, then after measurements it is necessary:
- Subtract 50 mm from the height
- Subtract 30 mm from the width
The resulting value will be the dimensions of the plastic window ready for installation.
When ordering an ebb and window sill, 50 - 100 mm must be added to the width of the opening. This must be done so that when installing these elements, you can slightly "drown" them in the wall.

Where to order a plastic window?
For the manufacture of window construction, it is better to contact the manufacturer directly. In this case, you can save a lot of money and time.
In order to place an order, you will need to present a drawing of the window. Also at this stage, the necessary fittings are selected, the number of sashes and vents in the structure is indicated. It should also be noted, when ordering a new window, how thick a double-glazed window is needed. As a rule, the greater the number of hermetic chambers used, the higher the sound and heat insulation provided.
You can order a new plastic window without leaving your home. Many window manufacturers have their own websites where it is easy to get comprehensive product information.. On some portals, it is possible to independently calculate the cost of a window using a special calculator.

Dismantling works
When the new window is delivered, dismantling work should begin. Removal of the old window should be carried out in dry and calm weather. If it becomes necessary to replace the frame in the winter season, then the installation of the plastic frame should be done only using frost-resistant mounting foam.
When removing an old window, a large amount of dust is generated, so it is recommended to cover all the furniture in the room with plastic wrap. The dismantling of the old window is carried out in the following sequence:
- Frame freed from glass
- Plaster is removed from slopes
- The window sill is being dismantled
In order to significantly speed up the process of removing the old frame, you can use a hand saw for wood. To perform dismantling, it is usually enough to cut the middle and lower parts of the frame.

window installation
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Installation of a plastic window can be carried out with the removal of sashes and double-glazed windows from the frame and installation without dismantling the structure.
The first installation option is carried out as follows - the frame is released from the sashes and double-glazed windows. To remove the opening sashes, they must be closed and fixed in this position using the built-in fittings. Then you need:
- Remove plastic pads from hinges. To do this, it is enough to carefully pry them with a screwdriver.
- Remove the pins from the top and bottom hinges with pliers.
- Open the sash and, holding it from above, carefully remove it from the frame
If the window does not have sashes, then double-glazed windows on capercaillie are removed. For this you should:
- With a narrow and wide tool, for example, a spatula, the capercaillie bead is moved to the side. Thus, the narrow plate is shifted along the entire perimeter
- The bead is completely removed.
- Removing glass from frame
- Removing the protective tape from the window
- The frame is installed in the opening and fixed with mounting wedges
- A drill with a drill, the diameter of which must match the thickness of the anchor bolts, makes three holes on each side. On each side, a middle hole is made and 2 extreme ones, which should be located at a distance of 150 - 180 mm from the edge of the frame
- Check the position of the frame using a level and a plumb line
- A vapor-permeable film waterproofing is glued to the outer part of the frame in the lower part.
- Ebb is installed, which must be introduced into small strobes, previously made on the sides
- Foam all the free space between the frame and the wall of the house. Also, the lower part of the ebb, which is adjacent to the wall, is processed with foam.
- Shutters and double-glazed windows are installed back into the frame
- A window sill is installed on wooden blocks, pre-treated with an antiseptic composition and installed on the bottom of the opening. This element should also be slightly inserted into the wall on both sides, for which purpose recesses are made using a perforator or drill, which should be approximately equal in width to the thickness of the window sill
Thus, plastic windows are installed with unpacking. Despite significant labor costs, this method allows for greater strength of the window frame.. If the window during operation will not be affected by a significant wind load, then it can be installed without dismantling.

Installation without unpacking
The first thing to do when installing a window in a CIP way is to install metal mounting plates. These elements are used to fasten the frame to the window opening. The number and installation locations of the mounting plates completely coincide with the location of the dowels when using the collapsible mounting method. That is, three elements on each side with a mandatory indent from the corners of the frame by 150 - 180 mm.
The plates are attached to the wall with dowels, the frame is fixed in this way on ordinary self-tapping screws with a wide cap.
When installing the frame, it is also necessary to align it vertically and horizontally using a level and plumb line. After reliable fixation of the window, foaming is carried out around the entire perimeter, after which the tide and window sill are installed, as well as decorative elements of the window structure.
When using high-quality connecting elements made of metal of considerable thickness, this method of mounting a plastic window will only slightly yield to the anchor method of fixing the frame.
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Tips & Tricks
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- If, after removing the old window, deep potholes and cracks have formed in the wall, then before proceeding with the installation of the plastic window, it is necessary to carefully repair such irregularities with cement mortar
- The final performance check of the window structure should be carried out no earlier than 24 hours after installation. During this time, the mounting foam will completely harden.
- Windows with single-chamber double-glazed windows should be installed only in the southern regions of the country. Despite the greater weight and cost of multi-chamber products, only such a design will make it possible to retain heat in the room with high quality.
- For more efficient removal of liquid, it is recommended to install a drainage system with a slight slope.
- When installing plastic structures in walls in which the insulation is in the middle, the window should be located on the side of the outer layer, as close as possible to the insulation. If installation work is carried out in a homogeneous wall, then the frame is installed strictly in the middle
- You should not save mounting foam when distributing this material between the frame and the wall. The excess can always be removed, but if during the foaming process there are areas free from foam, then the window design will not only be not strong enough, but the thermal insulation will also be of insufficient quality.
- When ordering a plastic frame, preference should be given to products of the "Standard" class. Windows of this type have a fairly strong body, excellent thermal insulation and relatively low cost.
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