PRACTICAL WINDOW INSTALLING

3/12/08

Over tuesday afternoon and wednesday morning we installed a timber window into a timber frame wall. We covered the theory book (installing and replacing windows) on tuesday morning to cover the guidlines and constuction industry standards on fitting windows and doors.

INSTALLING WINDOWS

We were given a naked wall frame with a widow opening in the middle. We fixed these into our vices and clad them with sisolation (brown building paper). We did this ensuring that it would be water proof with the laps being over the bottom sheet and with the sheets running horizontally. After this we were ready to install the windows. Using packers to ensure our window sash was level and plumb in the frame, we fixed the sash into the frame using nails, making sure we nailed through the packers to aviod any misshaping of the sashes. Before nailing, we also checked that our frames were set forward in the frames enough for our cladding to have enough edge to butt up to. This being important for waterproofing and a desirable looking finish.

CLADDING AROUND WINDOWS

Flashings are important for keeping water out all around the home and windows are no different. if a window is located under a large verandah in Australia, considering our limited rainfall. you may be able to get away without a flashing above a window. But on the otherhand, if a window is in a wall with just eves or no eves, it is very wise to install a flashing when cladding around a window. flashings are put in place before cladding is installed so that waterproofing can be ensured. Top flashings are essential where flashings are required and should be placed under the top sheet of cladding and should protrude coming over the top edge of the window to ensure no water can run down in behind the window. Side flashings can be installed if wanted, but the sides of windows can be waterproofed with just a bead of silicone between the ends of the boards and the edge of the widow. We cladded around our windows ensuring we kept our heights the same each side, all the way up.

CLADDING AROUND WINDOWS (INSIDE)

After we finished cladding the outside of our window, we turned our frames around started cladding the inside of our frames with 3mm mdf which was simulating gyprock. After we finishing this we installed our window sill (which we used a Router for to put a Bullnose profile on the front and side), ensuring that we made our horns long enough on each side for the architrave to come down and sit on with 10mm extra for an attractive finish. After our sills were in place we cut our window jamb strips to pack the sash out flush with the "gyprock", ready for the architraves. These Jamb strips had a margin from the original sash jamb by 10mm to keep the same profile of the sash flowing into the Architraves for a neat looking finish. Lastly we put our Architraves around the frame, covering the gap between the jamb and the Gyprock, leaving a very neat and attractive finsh. To finish this window off completely would have been to run a length of Scotia underneath the sill to cover up any gaps, or to just finish it off. This scotia would have been returned into the wall once the gap of the window frame were covered on each side.

THINGS LEARNT

- Make sure the window is made waterproof

- Ensure that the window is installed level and plumb, not bound, and protruding enough for weather baords or cladding can be butted in for waterproofing.

- Think how far out you architraves will come out for the horns on the sill.

- Flow on with the style of the window when installing architraves.

- Watch for creeping boards when cladding on either side of the windows and watch for same hieght.