Installation instructions for dormer windows

Mansard rooms allow the most rational use of living space, because more often houses are equipped with rooms in the attic. Like any other accommodation, the attic needs a sufficient flow of light, which does not provide only electric lighting. Therefore, they are equipped with windows that have a certain specificity in the design, due to the distinctive features of the structure of the attic itself.

Varieties of attic windows

The most popular manufacturers of attic windows are companies Velux, Roto and dormer windows Fakro. The dimensions and construction of windows are selected individually, based on the layout and needs of the attic. Windows are available in various modifications, they are divided into the following types of installation:

1. Vertical windows are the simplest modification, which practically does not differ from windows in other rooms. They are mounted in the frontal part of the attic, where the wall is located at a right angle or in a slope. Installation of dormer windows Fakro or Velux in the slope at right angles is done with the addition of a small additional structure in the form of a house similar to the starling house. Such windows allow an additional increase in the area of ​​the room, but a small amount of light is passed through.
2. Inclined windows. Mounted at one angle with the roof slope. Such a design allows more light and has a variety of ways of opening. Not only the classic opening of the sash horizontally and vertically, but also the turn of the sash by 180 ° and much more.

The following classification divides the dormer windows of Fakro and Velux by features in their design that also affect the installation process:

1. A standard window is a square or rectangle. Are the most common, in their construction have a frame and a blind or opening sash. The most popular are the structures with opening flaps, velux windows or Fakro without opening the sash must be ordered separately.
2. Transforming into a balcony window. This design consists of an inclined frame installed in the ramp, the second frame is installed on the side or bottom. One leaf opens upward, and the other one sidewards or downwards, forming a small loggia.
3. Optional element at the bottom of the window. The opening flap is equipped with a small blind element from below. This addition is used when the size of the ramp is not large enough for mounting two openings, and lighting from one window is not enough for the whole attic.
4. Extensions in the upper part of the frame. They are made round or triangular. This inset adorns the window, makes it look like a medieval loophole.
5. A curtained window. It is installed in rooms with a high chimney, in which the view through the inclined frame is limited. The inclined design is complemented by the opening vertical leaf.
6. Light tunnel. This design is not very common, it is very specific. It is installed in those places where the slope has no direct contact with the room. The design is a window through which there is a tunnel or pipe with a hole in the place that needs to be illuminated. At the end of the tunnel a diffuser light is installed.

Skylights take on a much greater impact than conventional openings in the walls. They are made of special materials that are suitable for operation under these conditions. It has its own differences and the installation of attic windows. The price for these products also differs from the cost of ordinary double-glazed windows, this is due to their increased strength and design features. For example, a design with a swinging leaf has a higher price than a window with the usual mode of leaf movement. On the possibilities in the movement of the leaflets the windows are divided into:

1. With centrally located swivel axis, which scrolls through 180 °.
2. With a swiveling swivel axis that opens 2/3 of the bottom edge of the frame.
3. With combined opening axle, which allows to rotate or lift the leaf.
4. With side axle, which functions as standard.
5. With the axle below, which moves forward.
6. Windows on the remote control. Are necessary if they are located in a zone of difficult reach.

Elements of the design of the roof windows

Skylight windows are a complex structure that withstands significant loads. This structure consists of a frame, sash and fittings, which carries out the turns of the leaf and its fixation. For Facro products and Velux suites, the price is due to these factors, as well as the presence of additional installation elements.

The Velux and Fakro attic windows are installed with the addition of a moisture and vapor protection apron, a water drainage trough, a temperature-resistant material, a protective cover and internal slopes. These elements complement the installation kit at the request of the ordering person. In general, Velux windows and Fakro skylights vary in the installation price, depending on the number of basic and optional elements installed. Self-assembly of windows significantly reduces the cost of all works.

Installation scheme for roof windows, selection of mounting location

Installation of attic windows with their own hands begins with the choice of the installation site. It is selected according to the following rules:

1. The dimensions of the window are selected, starting from the size of the attic and the gap between the rafters. In the manufacture of the opening is not recommended to violate the integrity of the rafters, the opening is pierced between them.
2. The optimal window area is 10% of the total area of ​​the room. The side edges of the frame are mounted at a distance of 4-6 cm from the rafters. If the gap between the beams does not allow the installation of a window of sufficient size, an additional opening is made.
3. The mounting height is selected according to the slope of the roof. At large angles, the openings are made at the bottom, on a gentle slope at the top. Also taken into account the location of the handle, if it is attached at the top, the window is set at a height of 100-110 cm, the lower position of the handle assumes the installation of the window at a height of 120-130 cm.
4. There is a dependence of the installation of the window from the material of the roofing, in ceramic tiles do not cut, windowlocated above the row of cover. In the sheet material, the apertures are cut out at any convenient height.
5. Modes of movement of the leaf are selected based on personal preferences and desires.

After determining the installation site and dimensions of the construction, the selected sections are marked on the inner wall. To install dormer windows Fakro, Velux or other manufacturer is recommended to choose all the components from one model line.

Preparing a place for installing skylights

Consider installing Fakro or Velux skylights on an already constructed roof in a room with unfinished walls. In this situation, a waterproofing film is already placed on the inner surface of the wall, and a site for mounting is marked on it. The remaining gap from the frame to the rafters is 2-3 cm, the installation is carried out on the lower mounting beam. When marking the bottom line, leave 9 cm for roofing materials from the profile, for flat leave 4-6 cm. On the top line of the window leave 9-15 cm up. Then they act like this:

1. The marks are made on the marks in the waterproofing layer, receding 20 cm from each side. The left sections are wrapped inside the room, the roofing material is removed.
2. Leaving the rafters 2 cm, cut the grate.
3. On the bottom line fix the mounting beam, it is selected from 50 mm in thickness. The beam is fixed with an indentation of 8-10 cm from the crate. Check the horizontal bar of the building level.
4. The bottom edge of the waterproofing material is fastened to the bead stapler. The upper edges are attached to the upper crate, the side edges are pulled out.

Installation and adjustment of the roof window

When installing the frame, follow the instructions for installing the roof windows of the manufacturer whose products were purchased. Windows of different brands have constructive differences. Some firms make rectangular locks, which are fixed on rafters, others offer products with carbon brackets that are attached to rafters and crates. In all trade marks the frame fastening to the window is made in different positions. For example, to the dormer windows Fakro instruction describes two grooves with the notation V and N, which determine the depth of the frame. This indicator varies with different types of roofing and salaries. In general, the installation looks like this:

1. The gate is removed before installation, this process is described in detail in the instructions to the window. The salary is also removed, at the initial stage only one frame is mounted.
2. Brackets are mounted in the designated places on the frame. The top of the window is fixed with heat insulation and fixed with a stapler.
3. The heat-insulating material is laid on the mounting beam, pressed down with a frame and fixed.
4. The brackets at the bottom are fixed firmly, and the upper ones are not completely finished, since the frame has yet to be leveled. Mount the leaf and check the smoothness of its stroke. If there are any misalignments, adjust the level with the upper fastener. Fully fixed window must correspond to the level, the gaps on the leaf should not differ. If you do not adjust the window at this stage, then you can no longer correct the skew.
5. The installation of the roof windows ends at this stage by tightening all the fasteners to the stop. Also install to the rafters side fastening systems. The side insulation is fixed to the window, the heater is laid on the sides.

Installation of waterproofing around the frame of the dormer window

The waterproofing apron is attached to the windows of almost all brands, this concerns the Farko and Velux roof windows. The installation of the waterproofing material begins after the installation of the window base. If this material is not included in the kit, then it is purchased and manufactured independently. The cost of the installation of attic windows in this case will increase slightly. The process of installation of the waterproofing material is as follows:

1. . On the upper line of the opening, the section of the crate is cut out, its width is measured by the dimensions of the drainage gutter.
2. As a result, the waterproofing film is cut. Pull the drainage channel under the film, install it in the gap between the crate. In this construction, the water will not flow to the window, but into the gutter.
3. The apron is unpacked, laid out and labeled by its location so that the window and roof are protected from moisture penetration. The apron is fastened with a stapler, the fastening points are the frame, the mounting bar, the rafters, the upper crate. The apron is tucked under the crate, along the top line it is set under the drainage gutter.
4. After fixing the apron, the roof is reinstalled in the lower part of the opening.

Installation of a salary of a dormer window

After stacking an apron the technology of installation of attic windows provides fixing of a salary. The process starts at the bottom and then moves upward, the algorithm looks like this:

1. At the first stage, lay the bottom corrugated apron, then the parts on the sides and top, the last ones are laid on the windows.
2. In these works it is necessary to strictly follow the information in the instruction, as each manufacturer has its own distinctive features. This applies to the production of Fakro and Velux, the roof windows in some cases are provided with the use of a sealant. For example, the windows of the Roto are equipped with a sealant, under which it is necessary to make a salary and fix it there. Fakro windows do not have such an addition, the salary is fixed on the frame, on top it is covered with special elements that mask the joints and joints.
3. The frame is joined and reliably fixed to the frame and crate.
4. The lower apron is fixed at the top to the roof.
5. Upon completion of work on the salary a special element is attached, creating a tight gasket between the window and the roof.

The manufacturing of the window aperture in the attic is completed, followed by finishing work and window equipment with sun protection elements. From what materials will be chosen for this, it also depends on how much is the installation of the dormer on a turn-key basis. When sealing joints do not use a mounting foam, and acquire specialized sealants. Slopes for the attic window also have their own distinctive features, the lower part of the slope is always installed vertically, and the top is horizontal. Such a design will ensure optimum movement of the warm flow from the heaters. As a result, no condensation will form on the panes.

Installing the dormer, video lesson: