I've installed my first ever window, and filled the gaps round the frame on the outside with foam. What's the best thing to make good over the foam, and match to the brickwork? I can use silicone at the top where it meets the lintel and at the bottom where it will hardly show, but I'd like something tidy at the sides.
Making good over foam.
Jul 26, 2003
16 Replies
if the gap is bit to much for silicone,you can use either a small d profile or a 40mm pvcu strip superglued to window then sealed with mastic,clear to brick and white to white
Alex
Done this in Italy where I simply pointed over the foam using lime mortar, and a frenchman to ensure a neat finish. It's lasting well.
Interesting. The rather limited instructions with the windows caution against using mortar because of expansion of the frame - it's UPVC.
Where should such a strip be obtained?
Ah righto, frames in Italy are wood.
In article , Dave Plowman writes
Ok, so how about 2mm thick of frame sealant applied in the same way, it'll get a nice key of the open cell foam.
Same place as you bought the windows? Not sure I'd use D profile (upper or lowercase) but lower case u. ie all but one corner square. This stuff should be available in a variety of widths and thicknesses.
Superglue might work but is not water stable. There are "special" adhesives for sticking these trims onto the frames, they are more vicious and have better gap filling properties than superglue.
Round here there are numerous 'glasing and conservatory' merchants, who stock things like polycarb roof, uPVC channel. and finishing strip. Not sure what they come under in yell, but there must be some round your way.
The one I've replaced was, and rotten after only about 20 years. Magnet, and kept well painted. So I thought I'd try a maintenance free one.
The original sash windows in the rest of the house are over 100 years old and still fine.
Thing is the bricks aren't that even down the side, and anything non mortar coloured would look rather tatty. I should really have rendered the inside of the reveal before installing it, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Diffeent problem in Italy, uPVC isn't rot resistant. Its lifespan in Italian sunshine is just a few years. All window frames are therefore wood or aluminium and I prefer wood.
The one sash window we have is the same, other windows are now 260 years old and also rot free. Decent seasoned wood doesn't seem to be tasty to fungi or woodworm.
Alos, Wickes have a variety of PVC profiles/strips.
I stuck my internal ones on with Mitre Fast (basically a two part Cyanocrylate). In this situation I think would use some white silicon sealant to bed them down onto (to seal behind and to hold them on)
Thinking about it, we had some UPVC windows fitted last year, IIRC (it's dark) the fitters used a very dark brown sealant in this situation and I think that looks pretty neat and tidy.
I'm curious, what did you use teh Fenchman for, and how did this ensure a good finish? Was he your 'style Nazi'; or summat?
Or did you incorporate him in the lime mix? Should add a pleasant colour and preservative tendnecies due to the garlic...Its traditonal to hang, draw and quarter first tho.
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To finish off the mortar joint.
God, do they smoke MORTAR over there?
No surprised you let him finish it then :-)
Man, what did the French do to upset you??
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