Do-it-yourself slopes from sandwich panels: installing plastic products on windows in different ways (video)

Installing slopes from sandwich panels is one of the options for finishing window openings, which has its undeniable advantages. The fact is that this material combines several advantages at once. Firstly, the product has a sandwich shape, that is, there is insulation between two layers of plastic, which provides excellent technical characteristics. Secondly, installation is carried out without much difficulty; there is no need to invite specialists or use complex tools.

Why are slopes needed?

Many people believe that slopes are optional, so they put off finishing them until the very last moment. In fact, this is a very important procedure that ensures not only the safety of open areas of the walls, but also the installed window frame.

Installation of slopes made of sandwich panels is important for the following reasons:

Protection of assembly seams from destruction. Therefore, finishing of plastic windows should be carried out outside and inside the room.
Prevents moisture penetration. That is, the object itself, and mostly the walls, are protected from the penetration of moisture, which leads to the appearance of mold.
Improved thermal insulation. Slopes on windows are the most vulnerable place; cold air from the street can enter the room through it, and warm air can also escape from the room.

Summarizing the above, we can conclude that slopes are an irreplaceable part of the room that needs high-quality finishing.

Slopes made of sandwich panels can improve the thermal insulation of windows and prevent the appearance of moisture

Advantages of finishing with sandwich panels over other types

Finishing slopes with sandwich panels is an excellent solution that has many more advantages than using other types of finishing materials.

Window finishing with gypsum plasterboards. This option is considered quite labor-intensive. It is convenient to work with sheets of plasterboard when you plan to cover walls or construct a frame. Otherwise, you have to purchase much more material than is needed for the window slopes.
Using plaster. This method is loved by many due to the fact that it does not require any special financial costs. But it must be taken into account that finishing areas using solutions is a very labor-intensive process. If you don’t have certain skills, it’s almost impossible to create a smooth surface. Also, we must not forget that the work is accompanied by dust and dirt.
MDF products. Of course, they perfectly imitate natural materials, for example, cut wood, but using them for cladding plastic windows is not quite the right decision. After all, you need to take into account that the products must be combined with each other.

Indeed, sandwich panels for installing window slopes are an option that deserves special discussion. Although many have not yet appreciated the advantages that this material provides.

What does a window opening consist of?

In a building's design, the space for a window is called a window opening. During construction, to save time, the installation of windows is carried out after the construction of the main load-bearing structures of the building. For houses built using monolithic frame technology, the insertion of frames is done after the building is completely constructed.

Before installing the double-glazed window, the opening looks like this:

below there is solid brickwork 50-70 cm wide;
on both sides of the opening there is a brick wall;
There is a concrete floor beam at the top.

On both sides of the opening, there is a small protrusion of brickwork on the outside. The same protrusion is also present on the concrete beam located above it. This design allows you to insert the frame and make it securely fixed.

The supporting frame of the glass unit is inserted from the inside of the opening. It is 4-5 cm wider and higher in size than the outer size. This allows you to securely fix the frame during installation and ensure a tight fit of the box to the brickwork.

During installation, the structure is first fixed using wedges, then fastened with anchor bolts. And after this, the voids are sealed with mounting foam, which securely fixes the window to the wall.

After installing a metal-plastic window, the inside of the opening - the window slopes - remains unfinished.

The need for interior decoration is not only an aesthetic issue. Having untreated brickwork inside an apartment is not entirely pleasant. Yes, and it’s never superfluous to insulate the window. A window, even with a three-chamber double-glazed window, will constantly fog up due to cold bridges formed along the entire perimeter of the opening.

Features and choice of material

Plastic sandwich panels are a universal material for finishing windows. He has successfully supplanted other options in this field that do not have so many advantages. It should be noted that this product can be used even when working with wooden structures.

Of course, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the material. They depend on the variety that will be used for installation work. So, there are several product options that differ in their technical characteristics.

Sandwich panels are a universal material for finishing slopes with many advantages.

Sandwich panels for slopes are distinguished:

Consisting of two layers. They consist of polystyrene foam (or other rigid insulation) and a protective layer of plastic.
Having three layers. This product is distinguished by the fact that it has another protective layer. That is, the insulation is located in a space that is closed on both sides.

The first type is considered the most acceptable. After all, having another layer of plastic that will be in contact with the surface to be finished is not the best option. It requires a better approach to sealing and an additional layer of insulation.

Further actions

All excess gaps must be filled and leveled.
Excess acrylic must be removed with a damp cloth or sponge. This must be done carefully until the surface is completely clean. Manipulation is carried out in small areas. The acrylic should not be allowed to harden, otherwise there will be problems with its removal. It is more convenient to seal cracks immediately. The horizontal slope panel is processed first. After this there are joints, then they move downwards. First close the gaps on one side, then on the opposite. Lastly, the joints with the window sill are processed. It takes 12 to 24 hours to dry, depending on the characteristics of the sealant. If the gaps are large, the acrylic may be pulled into the seam. All these areas must be worked out again using the same method. After the second layer has dried, if there are unevenness and roughness, you can smooth out these defects with fine-grained sandpaper, folding it in half. It is recommended to carefully level the materials while they are gray, otherwise the plastic may suffer mechanical damage.

The slopes can be considered installed. They should be puttied when the final polymerization of the foam occurs. Their surface should be flat relative to the plane of the walls. After this, the protective blue film is removed.

Panels are considered the most unreliable material for installing plastic slopes. Even wall ones are easily pressed through, and their front layer is imperfect. It is enough to shine light on them, and the jumpers will be immediately visible. This is not observed in plastic window sills and sandwich panels.

Advantages and disadvantages of the product

Currently, sandwich panels for windows are produced that have excellent properties. The following can be distinguished:

The presence of a layer of foam is an excellent opportunity to retain heat in the room. This material does not transmit cold from the walls, which creates a special microclimate in the room, and the windows are not covered with condensation.
The sandwich panel has an energy-saving effect - it reflects heat, limiting its loss as much as possible.
Large selection of colors and textures. Naturally, the most popular shade is white, but if you wish, you can choose any color scheme.
Window slopes made of sandwich panels can have different sizes. The material is selected directly based on the size of the treated areas.
There are ready-made options that simplify the installation process.

Plastic sandwich panels come in a wide variety of colors.
Of course, there are some disadvantages. These should be taken into account:

The material must be cut very carefully, because it can be very easily damaged, which will lead to damage to the entire part.
Surfaces need to be prepared for work. Although this procedure will not cause any special problems.
This option is not suitable if the distance between the wall and the hinge installed on the frame is small. That is, the material hides some space that is necessary for its installation.

You must work with the material very carefully, otherwise it can be damaged.

Preparatory work

Before thinking about how to make slopes from sandwich panels, it is advisable to prepare the tools necessary for the job. For this event you will need:

Miter box – for cutting material at the required angle. This device significantly reduces work time and also allows you to create a more beautiful coating.
Set of spatulas. Although the process itself will only require a medium and small option.
Metal hacksaw or electric jigsaw.
Screwdriver or set of screwdrivers.
Level and roulette.
A special construction gun that is used to apply “liquid nails”.
Stapler. A more professional option is needed, which belongs to the middle price category. Such a tool will be useful in the household, so the cost of purchasing it will be justified.

Tools required for installing slopes made of sandwich panels
To install slopes made of sandwich panels, a number of preparatory measures are required:

All areas that will not be involved in installation are covered with plastic film and cardboard. This will prevent damage to the window sill and the window itself.
The slope areas are well inspected. It is necessary to make sure that the surface is completely dry and there are no traces of mold.
Excess polyurethane foam is trimmed off. A simple utility knife is perfect for this.
The condition of the base is immediately checked. If necessary, apply a layer of putty. The presence of crumbling areas indicates that the area needs to be completely replaced.
To prevent the appearance of fungus, use a primer with an antiseptic.
The installation seams are additionally sealed.

Preparatory work before installing slopes
Thus, you should get a clean surface, without any defects. It must be taken into account that after applying the primer, the work area must dry thoroughly.

How to cut the right size

When starting renovation work, every builder is faced with the main task - correct measuring measures. After all, the integrity of the structure and its attractive appearance will depend on the quality of the selected dimensions and finished cut sheets. Therefore, SIP plates should be prepared as follows:

First you need to prepare the surface for installing slopes, level the walls, cut off excess installation materials after installing the window or doors;
Then the stage of measurements and transfer of data to layers of construction products is carried out.
Measuring work must be carried out in stages, first at the top, from corner to corner and depth, then using devices for cutting SIP panels (a jigsaw is quite suitable), cut off the required size of the plate.
Using a building level, you need to attach the finished sandwich panel to the future slope and see whether the product fits tightly to the wall, at the right angle or not.
If everything is done correctly, the same manipulations are performed with the side walls and the bottom (if necessary) of the opening.
When transferring slope width data to a multi-layer building sheet, 10 mm must be added to this indicator. This is necessary for high-quality pairing of the product with the window frame.

Important to remember! In order for the slope structure to have a beautiful, holistic appearance, sandwich panel plates should be cut to strictly measured widths so that the plates do not protrude beyond the edges of the walls. In this case, after finishing, the wall will smoothly transition into the constructed slope

Also, when carrying out measuring activities, the possible unevenness of the walls should be taken into account, so measurements should be taken from the top, middle and bottom of the wall (or, respectively, in several sections of the upper and lower strips of the window and door opening).

Installation methods for sandwich panels

Installing slopes from sandwich panels with your own hands is possible in three ways:

Cladding using polyurethane foam.
Application of "liquid nails".
Mounting using wooden slats.

Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is advisable to take this into account when giving preference to one of them.

Foam mounting

Many people believe that this method is the simplest. For this installation option, it is necessary to purchase a sandwich that will have two stiffeners. The procedure itself is divided into several stages:

Measurements are being taken. You need to get accurate data, otherwise there is a high probability of making mistakes when pruning.
The starting profile is installed. It is a plastic element that has a groove used to secure the material. It must be taken into account that the profile is attached directly to the edge of the plastic frame.

Installation of the starting profile
The measurements are transferred to the facing material.
Trimming is done using available tools.
On a note! Sometimes there is advice that pruning can be done using a construction knife. This is a wrong decision. This tool is only suitable for plastic panels that are used for wall cladding.
The first thing you need to do is set the top bar. It is inserted directly into the groove of the guide profile. You should make sure that the part is completely in place.
The gap between the wall and the panel is foamed. This should be done in such a way as to minimize the expansion of the foam. Therefore, a professional option is chosen, which is applied in a small layer.

Filling the gap with foam
Immediately fix the plastic element. This is done using masking tape.
Then the vertical sections are covered with sandwich panels. The process is completely identical.
Give time for the foam to dry well. Its excess is cut off, and areas are covered with overhead corners.

Fastening sandwich panels to slopes in this way allows you to create an additional layer of thermal insulation. In addition, the mounting composition perfectly withstands any impact and is not subject to destruction from moisture.

For a better understanding of the technology, we suggest watching this video:

You should know! Installation on foam can be done without the use of guides. Slopes on windows are attached directly. The technology is as follows: a sufficient amount of foam is applied to the panel. The part is pressed to the surface and torn off for a while. Next, fix it tightly by installing a spacer. This method is inconvenient because it can lead to distortion of the structure.

A similar technology is used when “liquid nails” are used. They are more convenient because they do not expand as much as foam. But this method requires a better prepared surface.

Using “liquid nails” allows you to avoid expansion caused by polyurethane foam

Mounting on wooden slats

You can install slopes made from sandwich panels yourself using wooden slats. They are most convenient to use together with a guide profile. The procedure is:

Dimensions are taken and transferred to the panels. Details are trimmed.
Wooden slats are installed along the edge of the window opening, which is located on the outer part. They should form a complete outline. Correctness is controlled using a level.
The profile is screwed to the plastic frame.
A small area will form, which will represent a void. It is filled with mineral wool or filled with polyurethane foam.
The panels are installed in the profile, but are not glued, but are nailed with a stapler. The backing layer of PVC is pierced with a staple. Therefore, this option is suitable for three-layer products.

On a note! If you do not use a profile, then the elements must be glued. Then the inner corner is treated with sealants to hide possible defects.

Thus, covering windows with sandwich panels using wooden slats is an excellent solution that makes it possible to carry out installation quickly and efficiently.

Fastener "P" profile

A starting profile is cut according to the dimensions of the slopes, resembling the letter P in cross-section. It is attached using self-tapping screws exactly along the edge of the window profile. The distance between the screws is approximately 10-15 cm. In this case, first of all, the profile should be installed at the top. Then the side elements are brought close to the top profile, leaving no gaps.

A nuance: it is possible to install slopes using a sandwich panel without using a starting profile. In this case, the strips of sandwich panels are placed closely behind the window profile, 1 cm deep. This is done with step-by-step foaming of the niche to fix the slope. The process is more labor-intensive than using a “P” profile, but the result is more aesthetically pleasing.

DIY sandwich panels

Few people know that sandwich panels can be made independently. This technology is used in cases where it is necessary to obtain material of non-standard width.

If you have the necessary materials, you can make sandwich panels yourself

The general principle is:

Prepare a layer of foam. Its thickness is selected individually.
Buy plastic or other material.
The protective layer is smeared with glue and insulation is laid on it. The top is covered with another panel.
To fix the structure, use a clamp or other press.

The result is excellent material that will allow you to perform the necessary work. Of course, this option should be used as a last resort, because factory products are of higher quality.