Plastic windows and window sills, as soon as they appeared on the market, immediately won the wide appreciation of our compatriots. Even now, when the initial excitement has faded, they are still eager to buy them. But you always want to save on the expensive work of installers, and therefore many people are interested in installing PVC window sills with their own hands.
Benefits
Such their wide distribution has a simple explanation: they are not afraid of decay, they do not need to be painted and putty, PVC does not burn well and does not expand due to moisture or temperature changes. In addition, they are quite easy to put on without using any complex and expensive tools.
We take measurements correctly!
In order for the installation of PVC window sills with your own hands to be successful, you need to correctly measure everything. Professional installers often say that they often have to correct the flaws that the owners made in the process of self-installation.
So, the maximum length such a window sill can have is three meters. The maximum width is no more than 70 cm. If the product is too wide, then you have to trim, and during this work you need to carefully look at the condition of the cut line.
How to crop?
If installing PVC window sills with your own hands involves their shortening, then the cut line must necessarily pass behind the stiffeners (retreating by 1.5-2 cm). If everything is done correctly, the material will not wrinkle, being rigidly bonded to the window frame.
The rear edge of the window sill should go under the window, and to give the entire structure the necessary rigidity and strength, wedges and foam should be used. If you cut the edges incorrectly, then gradually the material will begin to wrinkle inward, and the whole structure will “go”.
Cutting is best done with a jigsaw.
Ways
Any installation of PVC window sills with your own hands can be performed using three methods.
It is easiest and fastest to use conventional self-tapping screws of the appropriate size for this purpose. In the frame, you need to pre-drill the mounting holes. First, the junction with the frame is treated with a special building sealant, then a window sill is inserted under the frame, and only then it is fixed with self-tapping screws.
Note that the seat under the product itself is thoroughly (but without fanaticism) foamed. Such a PVC window sill installation is available to anyone who has a screwdriver and self-tapping screws.
But a much more common and reliable method is when windows are screwed to the opening itself with special metal brackets. In the groove, which is formed by the gap between the window and the opening, the window sill itself is inserted, which is fixed on the same screws. Then the structure is fixed with foam.
The latter method generally does not provide for the use of any additional fixtures for fasteners. The method is quite long, but experts themselves consider it as reliable as possible. The meaning of this method is that broad wedges are gradually inserted under the windowsill. This is done until there are no gaps.
As you can see, installing plastic window sills with your own hands is not some incredibly difficult undertaking.