Window outward escarpment: material selection and installation

Replacing windows is a responsible process. From its correctness depends the comfort of people living in the house. To reduce heat loss and seal the opening, it is necessary to equip the external slope. If you have the necessary equipment and enough free time, you can do it yourself. Even a novice master can do it well.

Before starting the installation, it is necessary to study what materials are used for such purposes and how the installation process takes place. Correctly having executed all actions, it is possible to warm new windows qualitatively. External slopes give the door a neat appearance. It is necessary to perform all actions in accordance with the existing technology.

Slope Functions

External window slopes are important for protecting joints. When installing a new block, the opening space is blown with a mounting foam. This is a very strong material. It prevents heat loss, creates additional sound insulation. But also foam is susceptible to negative environmental effects.

If the window unit has not been protected from ingress of moisture, exposure to high and low temperatures, its thermal insulation qualities will decrease. With time, condensation will collect inside, and a fungus will appear along with it. Durability of window operation will be insufficient.

It is slopes that can protect joints and mounting materials from negative environmental conditions. Whichever type of window is placed in the house, during their installation it is necessary to equip the external and internal slopes. Moreover, with them the opening looks neater.

Materials for insulation

Creating an external escarpment, the master selects the best material. Today, there are many options that can reliably protect seams from external influences.

Each material has its advantages and disadvantages. When choosing them, they must be taken into account. The most popular materials today for such purposes are plaster, plastic, siding, and plasterboard. Whichever type of finish is chosen, it is necessary to give preference to the quality products of a proven manufacturer.

Experienced masters assert that saving on material will result in significant costs in the future for installing a new window. Poor quality finish also causes large heat losses. The owners of the house will spend a lot of money from the family budget to pay for energy. Therefore, the selection of materials should be given special attention.

Plaster

The cheapest option for finishing the window joints is plaster. For its application, the cement is mixed with water and the mixture is applied in layers. Each of them is applied only after the previous base dries. Therefore, the shortcomings of such a method should be called a long work time. The whole process takes about 3 days.

It should be noted that this is not the only drawback. The fact is that the plaster never adheres perfectly to the substrate. Over time, it will freeze and flake. This is one of the most durable finishes. To prolong the life of this coating, special plasticizers are added to the cement slurry.

In addition, such external slopes for plastic windows lead to the formation of condensation in the cold season, the fungus develops. And this has a negative impact on health. Professional builders do not recommend making slopes from plaster.

Plastic

One of the most suitable materials for external slopes is plastic. It has a number of advantages.

First of all, external plastic slopes are characterized by a long service life. At the same time, the heat loss level is significantly reduced.

Plastic is not afraid of temperature changes, wet weather (if quality material is chosen). Also, this option of finishing 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 version of the skin. But for a white plastic window, it is more expedient to select a 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, such as sandwich panels. They allow you to quickly mount slopes to windows. The external surfaces are covered with plastic, and under them is a layer of foam insulation.

This material looks quite aesthetic. Installation of slopes in this case takes a minimum of time. The cost of sandwich panels is relatively high. But with the arrangement of 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 usually on sale. Over time, the top coat may turn yellow. It is also worth noting that such sheathing is inferior in terms of its energy-saving characteristics to mineral wool. It will not be practical to apply it in this case.

Metal

Increasingly popular are the metal exterior slopes, or siding. This is the most durable material. It is a sheet of galvanized steel. In production, they are coated with special polymer compositions. Due to this, the metal becomes resistant to weathering, does not rust.

It also perfectly seals the joints, blown up by foam. Due to this, the metal slopes keep the heat inside the building well. 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 the slopes is foam. It is characterized by high thermal protection indexes. Mounting the outer slopes with your own hands, this kind of finishes will be easier to equip than other materials. The installation process will require a minimum of effort and time.

Normal foam in this case will not work. It will need to be additionally treated with putty. Special polystyrene on the front side is treated with acrylic components. They are associated with marble chips.

This decoration will create an unusual decorative effect. This coating additionally protects the foam from the environment. Also, this combination enhances the thermal insulation qualities of the slopes. Installation of panels is very simple. Therefore, even an inexperienced installer can perform such work.

Drywall

The external escarpment from gypsum board is considered one of the inexpensive types of finishing the window opening. Such material is suitable for insulation of joints, for example, inside a loggia. Drywall, however, does not react well to the effects of moisture. It can deform with time.

Also this material needs careful processing of the base of the opening. It is impregnated with special antiseptics. Otherwise, the decay processes will quickly destroy the slopes and the window itself.

When assembling a sheet of drywall it is possible to create a perfectly flat surface. It will be enough to simply paint it, so that the appearance of the finish is aesthetic. But with the arrangement of external slopes that will be exposed to moisture, it is better to use other materials that are more resistant to unfavorable environmental conditions.

What is required for installation?

Installation of external slopes can easily be done on their own. To do this, you will need to prepare all the necessary materials and tools. First of all, you should determine the main surface, from which the finish will be made. It is usually mounted on wooden slats or profiles.

Between the material and these slats you get free space. Experienced masters advise filling it with mineral wool. It is a non-flammable, environmentally friendly material. Its heat-insulating qualities are better than those of styrofoam.

Fastening of all materials takes place with the help of screws and silicone. To do the job it was convenient, you need to prepare a screwdriver. You will also need to prepare a hacksaw, a construction stapler, a level, a knife.

Depending on the material used, other tools may be useful. Then you can proceed with installation.

Siding installation

As mentioned above, the outer slope is best made from metal sheets (siding). The size of the panels is selected in accordance with the standard of windows. Domestic manufacturers expect to use panels more than 20 cm. In this case, the siding is mounted only on the j-profile.

Eurostandard presupposes the installation of slopes less than 20 cm. In this case, a finishing or j-profile is used. It installs panels. The space inside is filled with mineral wool.

Cut siding can be special scissors for metal or hacksaw. In service this material is very practical. If desired, it can be painted in any other color. Washing 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 acquainted with the existing materials for installing external slopes, as well as the technology of carrying out such work, almost everyone will be able to perform all the actions independently. If you follow the recommendations of experts, the result will be pretty good. Such slopes will be durable and will effectively protect the premises from heat loss during the cold period.