Advice Please - Gaps Around Window Frames

[Planesailor]

Afternoon all.

Does anyone have any suggestions regarding badly fitting frames? These are the original windows, installed when the house was built (around '89) and I have discovered that the (excessive) space between the frame and the masonry of the reveal has been filled with all kinds of rubbish. This is now beginning to crack.

Apparently this is fairly common, to fill larger cavities with all sorts of pug - and we found a similar situation when we had to have a couple of other windows replaced recently. But we have one cavity that is probably a couple of inches across and now needs to be filled.

Should I back fill towards the frame with plaster, sealing with silicone to finish, or is it better to trust expanding foam? Either way, this will be temporary as the situation here has convinced me that I will need to replace the windows next year.

 

[JohnD]

expanding foam is good, but I would use mortar to pack where you can

it is extremely messy, and will stick to walls, windows, hands, feet, hair, clothes, eyeballs and rubber gloves.

have some spare gloves handy and cover the floor.

I got neat results by covering the wall and windowdrame with cling-film and taping it in place.

clean out the gaps and spray with water before applying foam, it sticks better and expands and sets faster.

if you nail a batten over the gap on one side of the wall, it stops it exdanging out where you can't see it, and it sets to a flat surface. wrap the batten in cling film. you can even put a batten on both sides and inject through a hole drilled in the batten, then it can only expand into the gap.

you can paint it to look better, once set.

I used stained wooden trim round one of windows where the gap was visible, like an architrave.

trim off bulges with a serrated knife once hard..

 

[squowse]

if you're going to use foam - which i would - use a gun, it makes a world of difference. You can put it down as thin as toothpaste. Otherwise you are a bit out of control and the remains of the can contents is wasted after. If you mist or spray the joint with water it helps the curing process but it will expand more. this can help in winter though when the curing can be a bit slow.

the guns are cheap now - look here

http://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/...n/&SubGroup=600&Group=Latest_Offers/bond_It&#

finish off the outside with frame sealant (preferably not silicone for me) or mortar, but not too rich in cement or it will crack. Or you could use a wooden trim (or upvc i can't remember what your windows are) if you're feeling really keen.

I usually allow a small gap (with an overhang if possible) at the bottom to allow any water to escape. usually it can be arranged so that the water falls away from the gap not into it.

finish off the inside with decorators acrylic or cover it with architrave.

 

[midknight]

Not meaning to hijack this thread

Where a wooden window sits on a concrete lintel - when viewed from outside - there is a gap of 1 - 3mm

should this gap be sealed with mastic or not?

Thank you

 

[squowse]

others may have a different opinion but i am of the belief that water / moisture should be allowed to drain away from the wood. if you have ripped out a set of timber windows where the sills are saturated then you will know what i mean.

so i ideally would even leave a larger gap - 5-10mm falling in level towards the outside and make sure that ii is totally sealed against draughts on the inside.

having said that i am mostly used to dealing with solid walled properties and a cavity wall might allow the frames to drain / ventilate via the cavity although a concrete sill is another hindrance to this process.

i would be interested in others views on this, especially if based on experience over the long term.

roger