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Polyurethane foam is used everywhere, especially when installing windows. It's convenient and practical material however, it requires protection from sun rays and moisture. That is why the question often arises - how to cover the polyurethane foam on the outside of the window? Exists large selection materials that you need to try to understand.

Why does the foam need to be covered?

What if you need to finish the slopes from the inside?

For interior work the same technologies can be used, however, in addition to plastic and plaster, you can also use: it will hide the foam from the eyes, it can be painted or covered with wallpaper. The only disadvantage of the material is that it is susceptible to moisture, so it cannot be used outdoors. Drywall is easily attached using self-tapping screws or dowels, helping to create a perfect flat surface, is inexpensive. After the panels are installed, they must be coated with a primer for better adhesion to the future finishing.

Installation of plasterboard slopes inside the building

Drywall lends itself well to any treatment, but first it is advisable to putty all the cracks and screw heads.

Please note that to install the panels you will need wood profile. If you have smooth walls, you don’t have to use the sheathing. It is enough to glue the panels with special glue. This greatly simplifies the installation task.

There are quite a lot of options for how to seal polyurethane foam on windows from the street. We have illustrated the most accessible and cheapest of them; using these tips, anyone without builder skills can close the foam on the windows.

There are many signs of cracks in windows. There is a draft blowing from under the window sill, which is also quite noticeable, mold and mildew have begun to appear around the crack, insects and other signs have appeared in the house.

Any of the listed phenomena lets you know that cracks have begun to appear between the double-glazed windows and the base of the house.

The main reason is incorrect installation of the window. In the case where the gaps between window frame and the walls were not foamed tightly enough, then there is a high probability that construction foam Over time it will dry out and voids will form.

This phenomenon occurs when installing plastic and wooden windows. The thing is that polyurethane foam is not a source of good sealing of windows or door openings. The foam only serves as a sealant and is resistant to direct sunlight, abundant moisture and various destructive phenomena.

You should begin repairing cracks in windows as soon as you notice the signs. Because it will be more difficult to eliminate them later.

First you need to clean the space with brown foam. You can remove it from the inside and clean the places where mold and wet spots have begun to appear.

WITH outside Windows need to clean the area under the tide. The ebb can be unscrewed and can be removed. We also remove the old mounting foam. The resulting hole must be foamed again. You cannot immediately return the ebb to its place. It would be better to wait until the foam dries and then cut off the excess.

To prevent cracks from appearing again, it is necessary to cover the cut of the foam with paint, this will prevent water from entering its structure. Then you can screw on the plumb line and continue the internal work.

Modern craftsmen are trying to seal cracks in windows with specialized materials, as well as newspapers and old rags. But it is better to use special materials designed for sealing cracks.

The above procedure is for plastic windows, but is all this suitable for wooden windows?

Seal cracks in wooden windows

There are individual characteristics work. Modern double-glazed windows made of wood are no different in installation from plastic ones.

If the apartment has such windows, then you need to do the same procedure as described above. Even adjusting windows and installing new slopes can help close the gaps.

Slopes on the street side of the window will be a great way to get rid of various cracks and drafts. After performing this procedure, you can even sleep peacefully near the window without fear of catching a cold.

Before installing the slope, it is necessary to carry out sealing. You can put sealant in the cracks, or just paint it concrete wall around the outside of the window.

It is advisable to use roofing rubber-bitumen, acrylic or cork sealant for work. It is important that the sealant is frost-resistant.

Silicone sealant is rarely used. Since in our frosts it will quickly lose its qualities and simply fall off, and by spring you will have to repeat the entire procedure for combating cracks in windows.

In houses with old-style windows, many materials can be used, and if the old wooden windows do not open, then almost anything can be hammered into the cracks.

Newspapers are usually used to seal cracks. They are finely torn, then moistened with water and the cracks are plugged.

The most popular method is to seal the windows. The paper strips are first wetted to good connection with frame soapy water. Then these strips are tightly applied to the frame where there is a gap and smoothed out.

But here too you can use sealant. Since the cracks close with inside windows, then you can use silicone sealant without fear that it will freeze in winter.

And the simplest thing you can do to get rid of cracks is to paint the entire frame oil paint. If the cracks are not very large, then the paint will close them and save you from drafts.

If on window slopes cracks appear, then you should not get out of the situation by covering the problem with curtains, because even small cracks can cause drafts and heat loss in the apartment. Cracks on slopes do not occur on empty space, therefore, before eliminating them, determine the cause of the damage and then repair the defects in the optimal way.

Causes of cracks

The causes of cracks on window slopes are different, but are classified into several main groups:

1. Improper installation of windows, drywall or application of plaster,
2. Unstable house foundation
3. Low quality finishing materials,
4. Violation of window operation.

If cracks between the slope and the frame appeared after installing the window, when the craftsmen were installing gypsum boards or doing plaster, then do not try to fix them yourself. Take a warranty on the work and call the experts to correct the errors. If you fix the cracks yourself, but nothing good comes of it, then no one will redo the work for free.

If the foundation “floats”, then cracks appear not only on the slopes - defects occupy the walls and, occasionally, the ceiling. This serious problem, so there is no talk about craftsmen here - contact the operating company or the contractor directly (personal cottage).

Poor quality material also leads to cracks and even peeling of plaster or drywall from the base. Main reason low quality glue, plaster mixture or putty - this is its improper storage. When purchasing material, please note that all dry mixtures must be stored on pallets, and you cannot sell the material on the street in rain or frost.

Also, strong physical activity When closing a window, you should not slam the shutters too much to show masculine strength, as this will vibrate even a well-installed double-glazed window and cause cracks to crawl like cockroaches.

Drywall

If the cause of the cracks is not the foundation or the installation of the window, then you can repair the defects yourself. Small cracks in drywall are protected with a coarse abrasive cloth until plaster is applied, after which the surface:

1. Primed,
2. Seal with two layers of putty,
3. Grind with fine abrasive
4. Re-prime and paint.

If there are many cracks, but they are small, then you will have to glue fiberglass, which will take on the functions of reinforcement. To do this, the base is cleaned, primed, glued with Bostik glue or an analogue for fiberglass web, putty again, sanded and painted over. The work is labor-intensive, but there will be no defects for years.

Large cracks can be caused by detachment of the gypsum board from the base. Corrected by complete dismantling of drywall and reinstallation of gypsum boards with a full range of subsequent finishing. Don’t forget about fiberglass, if time is running out and you don’t have it at hand, then glue the gypsum board seams with reinforcing tape - this is a must.

Plaster

Cracks in the plaster of slopes can be small or large. Small cracks just need to be puttyed and painted over again; large defects require complete or partial dismantling of the plaster.

Before starting to seal, to accurately determine the causes of cracks, tap the slope. If the sound is dull, it means there are voids and the plaster will have to be knocked down. After this, the solution must be applied in 2-3 layers, allowing it to dry. The last layer is rubbed with a float or a metal spatula (depending on the type of plaster), the slope is allowed to dry and a standard paint finish is applied (putty, cobweb, primer, paint).

If the plaster has been knocked down, then you need to rearrange it and perforated corner. At cosmetic repairs For slopes made of gypsum plasterboard, a corner is left.

Repair materials

For indoor slopes, there is no need to buy facade putty - the putty mixture Acrylic Puts, Typhoon Master or Ceresit for interior work is suitable. It is better to buy “start+finish” mixtures, as they are used for the first and second layers. Dry putty is cheaper, so buy it. For drywall, 1-1.5 kg of dry mixture is enough per window; for plaster, the consumption is higher - up to 3 kg per window.

You can buy any kind of plaster for a slope, except gypsum; as for paint, there are no comrades in taste and color. More expensive, but will not last for 10 years, is the Finnish Tikkurilla, a simpler option is Alpina, Condor or the banal Snezka.

You only need a little cobweb, but it will perfectly protect the slope from cracks in the future. When buying fiberglass, give preference to cobwebs with a higher density. A density of 50-65 g/m2 is just right.

Since plastic windows are the most common due to their qualities, it is quite rare to find houses where they are not present. A very common problem that arises after installing plastic windows is the appearance of cracks between the frame and the slopes.

They can arise for various reasons and can cause both aesthetic problems, and through such cracks dust and dirt can get in, windows can leak. Of course, this problem must be solved, otherwise the quality of life in such a room will deteriorate significantly.

1. Causes of cracks between the frame and the slope

Reasons for occurrence cracks between the plastic window frame and the slope There are quite a few, but the main ones include the following:

• Poor quality installation of plastic windows. The thing is that when installing windows, the gaps between the frame and the wall are usually sealed with polyurethane foam. It often happens that installers skimp on this, as a result of which, due to lack of insulation, a gap may appear.
• Over time polyurethane foam tends to crumble under the influence of various factors, for example, sunlight. For this reason, when the foam becomes insufficient, a gap forms between the window and the wall, and as a result, it begins to blow from a crack in the slope of a plastic window.
• Plastered or plasterboard slopes almost always develop cracks between the frame and the window due to the properties of the material. This occurs due to temperature differences between indoors and outdoors.

2. Repairing a crack near the window frame

How to repair a crack between the frame and the slope? In some cases, if you are not satisfied with a radical solution to the problem or there is not enough money and time, but you need to update the surface, then you need to do the following:

In the case of a radical and complete elimination of the crack, the first thing you need to do is pick out the crack and see how well the cracks between the window and the wall were filled with foam. In most cases, it is not enough and therefore it is necessary to clean the gap from the remnants of old foam, and then blow it out again in sufficient quantity. When the polyurethane foam has dried, the residue must be removed and finishing of the slopes can begin.

A global solution to the problem is best done in the warm season, when the walls of the house are warm throughout.

3. Slope options

There are several ways to finish slopes:

Thus, the most the best option finishing slopes is the use plastic panels. This is explained by the fact that:

1. The surface of the slopes will be of the same type, and they will look harmonious with plastic windows.
2. No risk of occurrence cracks in the slope of a plastic window, which is most important after a crack occurs and is repaired.
3. Plastic panels allow you to additionally insulate the slope, which prevents it from freezing. This prevents the formation of condensation and moisture accumulation, and as a result, mold and mildew will not form on the window.
4. Plastic panels are easy to maintain and do not require painting. It is enough to wipe them from dust, just like a plastic window.

4. Seal the crack with plastic slopes

In order to finish slopes using plastic panels. You need to do the following:

• Prepare the surface for fixing the panels. To do this, excess foam after sealing the cracks must be trimmed using stationery knife. After which the surface of the slope must be cleaned of dust and dirt.
• Installation of the guide profile. To do this, it is best to use a U-shaped profile of the required width. It needs to be cut into required areas, after which the profile is fixed along the outer edge window frame using “bug” screws with an interval of 20 cm. At the top the profile must be secured to the entire length, and on the sides from the window sill to the top rail.
• Installation of sheathing. For this purpose they are used wooden slats 20x40 mm. They need to be secured using dowel nails in increments of 30-50 cm on the corner of the slope farthest from the window at the top and sides.
• Installation of the upper slope. It is necessary to measure the required length of the panel and cut it. After which PVC panel you need to insert it into the upper guide profile and secure it with self-tapping screws.
• Installation of side panels. Installing the side panels is no different from installing the top slope. The space between the panel and the wall can be filled using foam, but this must be done very carefully so that the foam does not bend the panel. When filling with foam is completed, the panel must be secured with self-tapping screws.
• Platband installation. An F-profile is usually used for this. They must be cut to the required length and then inserted along the edge of the panels. Where they contact the screws, it is necessary to make cuts on interior wall corner.
• Sealing panel joints. The joints are sealed using white sealant. To do this, you need to apply it to all joints and press it with your finger.

Conclusion, conclusion

In conclusion, it should be noted that when making slopes using plaster or drywall, there is a very high chance of a crack occurring. To eliminate it, you can use a sealant, but to prevent it from occurring again in the future, the problem needs to be solved more radically, and the best way is to redo the slopes using plastic panels.

The appearance of cracks in wooden window structures is a common occurrence. Even a new window can skip cold air if it was installed incorrectly. You can check the quality of window installation in the old proven way, using a spark from a lighter. By running it next to all the joining seams, you can make sure that the master installer did everything correctly and did not leave any gaps anywhere. However, this method does not provide a 100% guarantee, because some defects may not show themselves immediately.

Do not be upset in advance if you are installing wooden windows. The risk of frames being installed incorrectly is quite low. It is enough to contact a specialized company with a good reputation; their help will cost you much less than repairing a window just a few months after installation. But the formation of cracks due to drying out and desiccation of wood is a more common cause. Even if quality installation, using good wood as a material and correct operation, windows tend to change their behavior and begin to let air in from the street.

In this case, you need to think about how to cover the cracks in wooden windows. There are several methods for getting rid of cracks. The old method, proven over decades of Soviet reality - to seal the gap with a newspaper rolled into a bundle - is not suitable if you have modern windows. Neither from an aesthetic point of view, nor from a functional one.

This also includes caulking cracks with cotton wool, rags, gluing them with paper strips and other methods involving the use of improvised materials. Their effectiveness is extremely low.

A more modern solution is to use a sealing cord made of foam rubber, rubber or polyvinyl chloride. But when choosing them, you need to take into account a lot of nuances such as climate, frequency of opening and closing windows, and much more. And such a cord, even a wide one, cannot provide 100% protection against heat loss. Without additional putty, it will still allow warm air leave the room to go outside.

If you are still looking budget method, regular paraffin can act as a window sealant. It needs to be heated in a metal container, preferably in a water bath, then in warm water heat a plastic syringe, remove the needle from it, draw liquid paraffin into it and treat problem areas, for example, where the sash does not fit tightly to the glass. This treatment of problem areas is quite effective, but only from the inside. In addition, after it the window will require painting. Although paraffin does not leave a mark on glass or wood, it can crumble in winter or melt out of cracks in summer.

Large cracks, especially if the outside needs treatment, can be covered with a homemade mixture. To do this, you need to take one part of gypsum and two of chalk, fill them with water, stir until smooth and apply with a spatula. A place treated in this way will not stand out too much against the background of whitewashed or painted walls, much less than a window opening covered with polyurethane foam.

Insulation technology

Sealing cracks in windows is a task that is often remembered only with the onset of cold weather. And this is a big mistake. It is best to do this in the warm season, then the materials will set better and it will be possible to carry out a full repair without the risk of freezing all the inhabitants of the home.

Ideally, before you start caulking the cracks, you need to remove the sashes, wash them and dry them. Old putty must be removed, as well as glazing beads. Glass should also be temporarily removed from its frame. If the window is old, you should remove the paint, level the surface, carefully fill the uneven areas, and use putty to remove particularly large cracks in the wood.

Before application, the putty should be rolled out in your palms into thin sausages about the thickness of a pencil. Then, with the tip of a spatula, it must be pressed into the cracks and rubbed into the cavity with even, firm movements. It is important to ensure that the putty evenly fills the entire space between the glass and the sash. You can then remove the excess before the putty hardens. In terms of quality and price ratio, window insulation with putty is the most economical and practical, even if you buy it in a store and don’t do it yourself.

Then comes the stage of painting the frame and new glazing beads. The glass can then be installed in place, and the joints can be filled with sealant. When the paint and sealant are dry, you can install the sashes in place.
The cracks under the slopes can be sealed without these procedures, but it is important to remember that polyurethane foam and silicone sealant are ineffective in sub-zero temperatures.

Not enough to install quality windows made of wood and put in a good seal. They still need to be properly maintained. For aggressive environment outside the window with her sub-zero temperatures and humidity, any gap in the window, be it a crack in the wood or a poorly sealed seam under the window frame, is the same as a hole in the fence at a protected facility. Only good putty and a properly performed insulation procedure will help you keep your house warm even in the coldest winter.