Mounting wedges: varieties and application features

Mounting wedges have existed for a long time and are actively popular among professionals who are engaged in repair work. The capabilities of the products are quite extensive, therefore, thanks to them, it is easy to solve a lot of problems of leveling surfaces and attaching a finishing coating to them. Consider the varieties of these mounting elements and the features of their use in repair work.

What are mounting wedges and what are they used for?

The main task of the mounting wedges is the high-quality leveling of surfaces. Despite the fact that for this you can use a variety of materials at hand, it is much more convenient to use specialized elements. This approach greatly facilitates the work and allows less scrupulous selection of the thickness of all parts. In addition, this eliminates the risk of drying and settling of the substrate, which is often encountered in the future.

Mounting wedges made of plastic are completely free from this disadvantage. Despite their simple design and unassuming appearance, they are an excellent solution to many problems. The plastic from which such wedges are made is very durable, it has a rather long service life, practically not inferior to the period of operation of other materials.

Each wedge has a triangular cross-section with a right angle. In this case, the length and height of the mounting element are determined by the legs of this triangle. The wide edges have a ribbed surface. Due to the presence of special protrusions on the wide sides, two wedges, laid side by side, do not disperse even under the influence of a significant load.

The technology of laying such products involves folding them into one rectangular block, which levels the surface. At the same time, you can easily adjust the pad height by spreading and bringing the wedges together. Therefore, the adjustment can be quite accurate so that the bearing surface is not distorted.

Mounting plastic wedges: types and features

The classification of these elements is very simple, since there are only three main types of wedges:

• small, designed for a load of 200-350 kg;
• medium - 1500-1700 kg;
• large - 2200-2500 kg.

Mounting plastic wedges, the dimensions of which correspond to the standards, can freely withstand such loads and not deform. Numerous stiffeners and a honeycomb structure are responsible for this. If you look closely at the surface of the wedge, you can easily see flat and hollow areas. They are located in such a way that the area of ​​their contact in the process of mixing and breeding is as large as possible.

Important! The loads indicated by the manufacturer are only relevant for wedges that are completely in contact with each other. Adjusting products reduces their endurance in proportion to the area of ​​contact. This must be taken into account, since in most cases the wedges converge no more than 2/3 of their length. Therefore, the passport data does not always correspond to reality, usually the pads can withstand 60-70% of the declared load.

If you move the plastic wedges inside the shoe, you will hear a clear click. This is due to the movement of the ridges in the grooves. This is normal, as each click means the last has moved one notch. The height of the largest part of the wedge is 15 mm, the adjustment range can be 15-22 mm, and one step is 0.5 mm. To get more height, a third element can be inserted between the two, which will add an additional 15 mm of height.

Usually, a plastic wedge has another interesting feature - a honeycomb structure. This makes it possible to use these elements to work in those places where the insulation contour will be located. The thermal conductivity of the insulating material is increased by the cellular structure, so this is an excellent solution, for example, when installing plastic windows.

There is one drawback to be aware of: due to constant vibrations, the wedges under the floor covering can move slightly. The master can eliminate this danger during the installation process, using through fasteners through the blocks. Additional fixation is never superfluous, and if you are not sure about the reliability of the structure, it is always better to use auxiliary fixtures.

Plastic mounting wedges: technical characteristics, advantages and disadvantages

It was previously mentioned that completely different elements can be used as homemade spacers. It can be both wooden and metal products of a suitable size. This solution has a serious drawback: the tree can react negatively not only to high humidity, but also to dryness. Drying and swelling of a homemade wedge can nullify all efforts. In addition, wood is a breeding ground for insects and microorganisms.

Naturally, finding the right size of wood can take a lot of time and effort. This is not a very practical solution, especially when it comes to a full-fledged repair, and not about the selection of one sample.

This is not the main technical advantage of parts specially designed for such purposes. The spacer plastic wedge, provided that it is correctly selected, does not deform even after a while. But the wood often sags. As a result, there are distortions of windows and doors, holes in the floor. Among other positive characteristics of these parts, the following are worth noting:

• They are distinguished by high temperature stability - from -45 to 85 ° C, resistance to sudden temperature changes and the ability not to react to this;
• it is possible to adjust the height of the wedges as accurately as possible (up to millimeters);
  do not absorb moisture;
• do not deform under permissible loads;
• do not rot, do not grow moldy;
• you can fix the elements with anything: self-tapping screws, nails or screws;
• due to their inertness to the polyurethane foam, the wedges are fixed very reliably;
• the service life of such products is not limited;
• in terms of thermal conductivity, the mounting wedges fully correspond to the windows, so that after installation the overall thermal conductivity does not change;
• sufficient width of the elements allows the window and pedestal profiles not to slip;
• wedges are characterized by even angles and can be used in odd numbers.

All these characteristics make it possible to rightfully consider plastic mounting wedges as the most correct and practical solution when it comes to the need to level the surface. Their cost allows you to abandon thoughts of saving, so you do not need to make items of a suitable size yourself.

Mounting wedges: features of use when laying the floor on logs

Leveling the lag for the floor is one of the main abilities of this type of element. Mounting wedges for lags allow you to accurately select the required height of the future surface, eliminating irregularities and defects in the subfloor. But it is worth knowing about one nuance: the hard plastic of such wedges often negatively affects the properties of the concrete surface to which it is attached. Over time, as a result of loads, concrete can begin to crumble, and the wedges will sag.

In order to avoid this, longitudinal logs are additionally attached along the surface. Then they mark the installation axis for transverse slabs. Laying is done by inserting medium to large size blocks at the intersection of the bars. Then the lags are additionally leveled.

To secure the achieved result, each block is covered on the side with a small amount of ordinary polyurethane foam. Thanks to this, lag shifts over time are excluded. About a day after applying the foam, all that remains is to drive the screws of the required length into the logs, or to fasten the bars together with the help of metal corners.

For rooms with a small area, this is ideal. For long logs, this is not a very good solution, since due to the long length, the wood will sag. Therefore, in large rooms, it is preferable to use glued beams for logs. This will be stronger and more reliable.

How to use window mounting wedges

Plastic mounting wedges are used everywhere for windows, since it is often simply impossible to do without them. This is due to the fact that the load distribution is usually uneven in the window frame, so the wooden window substrates are twisted and deformed over time. This negatively affects the heat and sound insulation properties of the window. In addition, there are serious concerns that the hardware will not work properly.

Helpful advice! The greatest load in the window falls on the areas under the imposts. Therefore, in such places, a block must be installed.

As a rule, small and medium-sized wedges are used for window installation. They are placed along the frame, further covering the pads with a thin layer of polyurethane foam. Depending on the situation, one of two types of installation is used:

• under an impost;
• at a distance of 10-20 cm from the center, on both sides.

The second option involves the use of through-frame mounts to provide additional pads retention. However, the first method is no worse, since static loads do not lead to divergence of the wedges, and wind loads will not harm due to fixation with polyurethane foam.

For an average window, the recommended thickness of the foam seam is 25-30 mm. For this, the height of 2-3 wedges is sufficient, which should touch 80-90%. First, the frame is fixed on the folded pads, and then the upper corners are exposed with temporary fasteners. They are placed in a plane and aligned vertically. Only after that do they move on to mixing and breeding the pads themselves.

After everything is done, the frame must be finally fixed and foamed. Thanks to this technique, you can not worry about possible shifts and violations. To temporarily fix the window, you should also use blocks. The main thing is not to forget to remove the mounting wedges for PVC windows after the foam dries. The voids are filled with the same foam.

Spacer wedges for doors: technology of use

Another area in which these elements are actively used is the installation of doors, and they are used for both interior and entrance structures. The only difference is in the number of sides of the vestibule.

Entrance doors, which usually have four-sided blocks, do not require additional screed preparation when installed on spacer wedges. But the required number of wedges is selected depending on the weight of the door frame to work with in a particular case. Based on this, small or medium elements are used.

Hollow honeycomb doors are quite enough for two blocks of medium-sized wedges. For heavier items, larger wedges will be required. However, this makes it easy to align complex structures with significant weight. To do this, it is enough to slightly raise the edge of the threshold with a pry bar, and then adjust it with a level and correctly install the block. If everything is level and the support remains motionless, you can safely proceed to the final fixation.

Separately, it should be said about how the spacer wedges are used to adjust the door with a three-sided rebate. In this case, the installation of two leveling blocks is required - along the vertical of the box.

Important! It is of great importance whether the door is installed on the finishing or on the rough floor. In the case of a subfloor, the block must be assembled from wedges, the thickness of which will approximately correspond to the thickness of the finishing coating. To do this, you can glue several pads together.

Mounting plastic wedges: GOSTs and standards

Special GOST 30971-2002 regulates the installation technology of window openings, so it is worth considering it in the light of how spacer wedges are used for windows according to established standards. According to this GOST, there are certain restrictions regarding possible deviations for windows vertically and horizontally. This is 1.5 mm per 1 m of length, but provided that the total deviation should not be more than 3 mm over the entire length. According to GOST, the error measurement technology and fastening methods have remained practically unchanged in recent years.

Separately, it should be said about the use of elements such as a wedge. Plastic windows rest on them, which provides additional thermal insulation thanks to special voids. In addition, they are more reliably protected from moisture, last longer and allow installation faster than using wooden ones.

Note! In the training videos dedicated to the repair, you can see how the installation wedges are used for the window sill. This is very convenient and practical, since they allow you to level its surface in the shortest possible time, with a minimum of effort.

Modern construction wedges perfectly interact with polyurethane foam, so it is not worth excluding it from the installation procedure at all. On the contrary, this sealant can be effectively used for additional insulation and thermal insulation. Foam, as usual, should be filled in the voids, regardless of the wedges installed.

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How to use laminate spacers

Wedges of this type are used directly for laying laminate and are designed to provide the necessary gap between the flooring and the wall - about 10 mm. This allows the laminate to expand freely when exposed to moisture and then contract again. This is due to the high hygroscopicity of this material and its ability to change its size under the influence of environmental factors.

Using plastic mounting wedges for the floor, you need to leave a gap along each wall, as well as indent from all built-in structures, for example, stairs, pipes, heating devices. Otherwise, it can negatively affect the coating: it will deform quite quickly. Do not be afraid that, as a result, the gaps will spoil the appearance of the floor, since they will be covered with a plastic baseboard, and in places near the pipes, you can use a rosette.

Helpful advice! In order to close the gaps between the walls and the laminate, it is recommended to purchase a plinth after finishing the installation work on laying the floor. Otherwise, there is a risk of purchasing a skirting board of insufficient width, which will entail additional expenses.

Why are these elements necessary in the process of laying the floor and are they really needed? Let's take a closer look at each aspect:

1. Helps maintain proper distance between the wall and the edge of the laminate.
2. Thanks to the wedge-shaped shape and the presence of stiffening ribs, they allow optimal adjustments. This makes it possible to avoid slipping during the installation process.

Metal wedges are also sometimes used to work with the floor, but in most cases their characteristics are not justified when it comes to material such as laminate. The plastic laminate spacer wedges more than do all their jobs. In the case of a correctly selected size, these elements do not require additional reinforcement at all.

Plastic mounting wedges: price and quality

Spacer wedges, despite their simplicity, can not only have different sizes, but also differ from each other in cost. In general, their price is quite low - from 2 rubles apiece. But you need to understand that when laying the floor, for example, you may need a lot of them.

A standard mounting wedge 143x43x22 mm will cost the buyer only 7 rubles. However, these elements are rarely purchased individually, usually manufacturers offer to buy a kit immediately. For example, a package for 50 pcs. at a size of 57x34x7 / 2 + 15/10 it will cost 712 rubles. Another manufacturer has 100 pcs. the same wedges can be purchased for 626 rubles.

Spacer wedges for plastic windows are also worth buying in a package. Alternatively - 30 pcs. in a pack at a price of 200 rubles. Of course, these are Chinese products, so in such cases you can often find a certain percentage of defective products. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention not only to what kind of mounting plastic wedges it is, the price per piece. and other characteristics, but also on customer reviews, which can tell you which manufacturers' products are better off immediately.

Helpful advice! Mounting metal wedges shouldn't cost as much as plastic wedges. Too low a price indicates a low-quality metal, which may not be sufficiently resistant to stress.

By using wedges for leveling furniture, windows, floor logs, laminate and even tiles, you can achieve maximum evenness of any surface. Thanks to the simple installation procedure, this can also be done in the shortest possible time. Using such small elements, it is possible to achieve the desired result and carry out the work, achieving maximum evenness after installation and the aesthetic appearance of the resulting structure.