Window drips: installation technology step by step

The main purpose of the element is to drain water from window panes, to prevent moisture from entering the window sill and window frame. If moisture gets into these places, then the processes of accelerated destruction of building materials begin: the plaster of the facade walls falls off, the window structures become unusable. If the walls are sheathed, then the problems are even greater. In addition to the protective function, ebbs serve as an additional element for decorating the facades, they acquire a finished look, the designs of window openings look organic.

You can install ebbs both during the construction of buildings before the completion of the facade walls, and after the start of operation.

The first option is better - it is possible to use a full range of special measures to seal all joints and seams and do it with minimal loss of money and time. In the second case, the technology becomes somewhat more complicated, but this does not have a noticeable effect on the quality and cost of work.

Materials for making ebb

Today, ebbs are made made of two materials, each has its own pros and cons.

The advantages of metal castings are durability, versatility and a wide choice of colors.The disadvantage is low mechanical strength, it is undesirable to walk on them, especially if the base is not prepared correctly.

Plastic ebbs can withstand relatively large static loads, but they are used only in conjunction with reinforced-plastic windows. At a cost, metal is slightly cheaper.

General requirements for installing ebbs

Designs have one unpleasant feature - the consequences of incorrect installation are discovered late, and it will take quite a long time to eliminate them.

Sometimes it is necessary to repair the finishing coat of the facade walls. To prevent this from happening, you should adhere to a few simple rules.

Take the maximum possible measures to seal all joints, paying particular attention to the points of contact with the window frame and side slopes.

Important. Sealants should be used as an additional method of sealing, and not as the main one; their service life is limited to several years.

Subsequently, the sealants flake off, water penetrates into the cracks. Flaking occurs due to unfavorable operating conditions. The main measures to eliminate leaks are construction technologies. Which ones - we will indicate in the step-by-step installation instructions.

The low tide should be at least two centimeters wider than the slope.

The water from the glass should not immediately fall on the wall.

Achieve the most even position of the ebb tide horizontally. If it is installed at an angle or has an uneven surface, then water drips accumulate in one place and traces form on the wall. During rain, water droplets should drip evenly along the entire length of the low tide. This will reduce the degree of wetting, the wall will dry out much faster.

Make a solid and even cement-sand base under the ebb. Now it is fashionable to use polyurethane foam: the ebb is exposed in several places with wedges, the free space is foamed. It's fast, cheap, but wrong. Windows in any building should be periodically cleaned from the outside. Often they become feet at low tide, and no foam can withstand such loads.

If you see that hired craftsmen are doing hack-work, make the work redo.

The side edges of the ebb must be located under the finishing of the slopes. If the slopes are made of plaster, you need to cut into it about a centimeter. Do not rely on the use of sealant to avoid leaks. We have already mentioned that the term of its use in such difficult conditions is very short.

We will tell you how to make a tie-in later in the installation instructions.

It is difficult to install ebb tides on the windows of the second and higher floors, it is necessary to collect scaffolding or completely remove it window sashes. Do the work so that later you do not have to eliminate the marriage, do not rush, carry out all construction operations.

Prices for metal ebbs

Metal ebbs

Step-by-step instructions for installing metal ebb

The metal ebb can be ordered or made by yourself. We will describe below how to make a structure ourselves, and for example we will use a custom element.

For the initial data, we will take the following indicators: an outflow from sheet steel, a brick house with cement-sand plaster. The ebb is installed on the plastered slopes.

For work, you will need scissors for metal, if they are not there, then the use of a grinder is allowed. In addition, you need to have a square, a marker (a pencil on metal draws very badly), a tape measure, a screwdriver and self-tapping screws. If you need to prepare a cement-sand base, then prepare construction tools.

Step 1. Check the condition of the lower outer slope. If it does not meet the above conditions, then you will have to plaster. Use ordinary cement-sand mortar or ceramic tile adhesive. Glue can only level out small irregularities, and plaster is used if the place is not prepared at all.

During operation, keep the slope within 10 °.

How to slope?

1. Draw a layer of mortar, about 1 cm thicker than necessary. Remember to wet the brick surfaces before plastering.
2. Using a spirit level on the fresh plaster, make indentations at the desired angle. Press it into the mass, watch the scale readings.

   Grooves should be made along the edges and in the middle of the slope.

3. As a rule of thumb, gradually remove excess mass, control the position of the tool according to the grooves made.
4. Finish leveling the surfaces with a trowel. Continue to install the ebb after the mass has hardened.

Step 2.

Remove the low tide dimensions for ordering. It should be several centimeters longer and wider than the slope.

Step 3. Measure the slope parameters and transfer them to low tide.

Further, there are two options for the production of work.

1. Bend the low tide according to the marked marks. Cut off the folds a little with metal scissors or a grinder. The height of the side folds is about a centimeter. Make sure the edges are even and fit as tightly as possible to the side slopes. We have already mentioned that we do not recommend installing ebbs by this method, the risks of leaks at the junction are too great.

   There is a more reliable option.

   

   Ebb Trimming

   

   Ebb edge

   Prices for construction metal shears

   Metal shears

   

   Edge bend

2. Using a grinder with a diamond disc, cut straight grooves into the plaster in the lower part of the slopes, up to a centimeter deep. The cut should be flat and level with the low tide. The groove in the corner between the window frame and the slope will have to be cut manually, the disc will not be enough in this place.
3. Make the low tide length about two centimeters wider than the width of the lower outer slope.

   You don't need to fold anything on the sides.

4. Insert the molding into one groove until it stops, bend it slightly and carefully insert the other end into the opposite groove. Move it horizontally so that both ends of the drip plate are in the groove.
5. Fill the groove with a small spatula with mortar. Fill the mass tightly.

   Smooth the edges with a slightly damp sponge, make the transition smooth and invisible.

Unfortunately, plastic drips cannot be installed in such a reliable way. They are mounted end-to-end, the place of contact is sealed with a sealant. The ends are muffled with special inserts.

Step 4.

Fix the bend of the ebb to the window frame with self-tapping screws. There are special recesses on the frames, make sure that the edges of the bend do not go beyond them, the bend of the ebb should be located in the groove.

If the metal drip-tips are more than one and a half meters long, then you can use liquid nails during installation, lubricate the surface of the base and then put the drip-tip in place.

Making a metal ebb with your own hands

Metal ebb tides can be do it yourself, they do not have much design complexity.

How to make them?

Step 1. Buy galvanized steel sheet with a thickness of 0.5 mm. Pay attention to the quality of galvanizing, the layer thickness should be at least 40 microns, the surface is uniform in appearance, sagging and gaps are prohibited.

Prices for galvanized steel sheets

Galvanized steel sheet

Step 2.

Measure the length and width of the workpiece taking into account the folds. Leave about two centimeters on the hem along the entire perimeter. Take the length with a margin, it is better to cut off the excess later than to throw out the ebb.

Step 3. Transfer the measurements taken to an iron sheet.

For drawing it is better to use an ordinary felt-tip pen, the lines from the pencil are poorly visible. Use ordinary felt-tip pens, do not use waterproof ones. Then the visible marking lines must be removed, there will be problems with waterproof dyes.The sheet should have a bend line for installation under the window frame and a bend line of the protruding part of the ebb. It is better to cut with scissors for metal, in extreme cases with a grinder.

After the grinder, the burrs must be removed from the cut line.

Step 4. Place the sheet on a flat edge of the table, press on it with one hand, do not allow vibration. With your other hand, gently bend it, tapping on the sheet with any piece of the board. There is a mallet - great, it is easier to work with it.

Practical advice. To increase the rigidity, you can make a drip. It not only improves the ebb but also draws water further away from the wall. Dripper - additional Z-shaped bend along the lower edge of the low tide.

Bend the metal slowly, start at one edge and gradually work towards the opposite.

The sheet should bend in a wave. Do not try to bend straight from the middle, irregularities will appear. Apply blows from top to bottom, part of the plane of the mallet should bend the metal, and the second part at the same time hit the edge of the table. From the first time, bend about 30 °, to a right angle, you need to make several passes along the line back and forth. The more passes, the smoother the bend of the sheet.

Learning to bend the sheet metal is easy, after a few centimeters, experience appears. If you are concerned, practice on unnecessary pieces of galvanized steel. You will be able to control the strength, direction and frequency of impacts, the bend will turn out smooth. In terms of quality, of course, it is somewhat inferior to a sheet bending machine, but you have the opportunity not only to save on cost, but also to make ebb tides of your own sizes separately for each window.

Video - Installing ebbs on windows

Answers to questions

How correctly remove the dimensions of the base of the low tide?

First, do not worry too much, the accuracy of removal can be plus or minus a few millimeters.

Secondly, it is quite simple to remove the size:

• measure the width of the low tide at the point of abutment to the window frame;
• attach a square to the frame and measure the small leg of the first corner in centimeters, do the same with the second corner;
• add to the length of the ebb and the window frame the sum of the legs, this will be the length of the ebb without bends or plastering;
• add to this value approximately by two centimeters, if you fold the edges and overlap the side slopes plaster and one centimeter if you make a tie-in.

How to bend the edges of the ebb?

There are several ways, each of them gives a good result.

• 1. Use the tinsmith's special pliers. They have wide jaws for great grip. You need to have minimal experience to work.

     

     Tinsmith's pliers

  2. Clamp wooden blocks or thick slats on both sides along the sheet bending line with clamps. Then put the ebb on a flat surface and press on the clamps. Keep in mind that you need to deviate from the 1-2 millimeter bend line.

     

     Pincer clamp

     

     How to evenly bend a steel sheet

  3. Place the sheet of iron on a flat table, the bending line should be at the very edge. Gradually bend the ebb with a mallet from one end, go back if necessary and correct the bend line.

     

     Galvanized sheet can be bent using a mallet

  4. If the sheet steel is very thin, you can bend it with your fingers.

We strongly recommend that you protect your hands with mittens during the tin work. It is very easy to cut yourself on sharp edges, and such injuries take a long time to heal.

And one more practical advice. In order for the ebb to bend more easily, and the line turns out to be even, push the groove on the back side.

Lay the sheet on a flat surface, press a shallow furrow under the ruler with a metal object. Make sure that the zinc coating is not damaged. But even if it gets scratched, it's not a problem. The line will always be on the opposite side of the low tide and moisture does not get on it.

Prices for sheet bending machines

Bending machine

What are the features of installing metal sills on wooden houses?

The difference is one, but fundamental.

If a cement mixture is used as a base on stone walls, then for wooden walls you need to make a supporting frame from bars. In some cases, several strips of various thicknesses, laid along the window opening, are sufficient. They are fixed to the uneven bars with nails. To prevent snow from falling under the tide and to strengthen the fixation to the wall, it is recommended to use foam. Before foaming, press down on the ebb from above, choose a load such that it does not bend the iron and at the same time does not allow the foam to raise the ebb.

How to connect two short sheets?

This is another way to reduce the cost of metal casting. There are two ways, choose the best one for yourself.

1. By soldering.

Ordinary solders are not suitable for galvanized steel, they either do not etch the zinc coating or etch very slowly.

You will need a large soldering iron of at least 200W, the more the better.

To solder galvanized sheets, you will have to use hydrochloric acid. Ordinary solders are unsuitable for iron, they cannot remove the zinc coating, you need to use concentrated acid.

Work with it carefully, do not let the chemical liquid get on the mucous membranes.As soon as trouble occurs, immediately rinse with running water.

1. Overlap two sheets of galvanized steel, if there are large gaps, eliminate them: press down with any weight, put a flat board on top and bricks on it, etc.
2. Pour in place the joint of two sheets is a thin layer of acid. Can be generously lubricated with a brush, as long as there are no gaps. Otherwise, the sheets will not join in these places.

   

   Acid application

3. Heat the soldering iron to operating temperature.

   Determining the degree of heating is simple. If the solder melts quickly on it, you can work. Take the POS 60 grade solder. It contains 60% tin and 40% lead.

   

   Solder POS-60

4. Move the heated end of the soldering iron with solder along the soldering point.

   The metal heats up, the acid etches the zinc, and the solder is firmly bonded to the sheet iron.

   

   Soldering zinc plated

5. Do not remove the weight until the solder has hardened.

Important. When acid boils, very corrosive vapors are released into the air. Work only outdoors, be sure to wear respiratory protection.

Always make a seam from the front side of the ebb, with a gap visible from the back. If in doubt about the strength of the seam, turn the sheet over and repeat the seam seam. The acid etches zinc to iron; due to this preparation, the metal is combined at the molecular level. After completing the work, the surfaces must be washed in water with baking soda, thus the acid is neutralized. It is recommended to rinse the clean outflow in running water again.

2. With a lock.

1. Bend the sheet along the edge at an angle of 90 °, turn it over and secure with clamps. Edge width 10 mm.
2. Insert a wide metal spatula into the bend and press firmly.

   Bend further with light tapping. We have already mentioned that it is recommended to make several passes, each time the sheet is bent at a small angle. The more times the operation is repeated, the better, but the number of passes should not be less than three at an angle of 90 °. Fold the strip parallel to the plane of the sheet. The size of the gap depends on the thickness of the trowel and should be no more than 1 mm.

3. Slide the edge of the curved sheet 15 mm wide, a slight difference ensures a tight connection. Secure it with clamps on both sides.
4. Begin to bend with a mallet. Insert the spatula into the slot and continue bending at an angle of 90. Stick out the first edge with the spatula until it becomes perpendicular.

   Remove the clamps. In exactly the same way, prepare the second piece of the sheet.

5. Insert the folded edges into one another and with strong hammer blows on the resulting seam, align it in a horizontal position. Make sure that the connection does not come out of the lock during compression, otherwise the segments will not be parallel.

   

   Aligning the lock with a sledgehammer

6. Turn the joined sheets over to the other side.

   Work carefully, constantly monitor the position of the edges. Try to make the lock as flat as possible, without bumps and dents. The work is not physically hard, but it will take enough time. Especially if you are making a connection for the first time.

   

   Joining two galvanized sheets

The lock can be cut with scissors for metal, enlarged sheets are used for making large-sized castings .

..

Video - How to sew two sheets of galvanized iron without a machine

As you can see, you can do everything yourself, but only if two conditions are met: you need to have a desire and at least minimal knowledge. Do not be afraid, try to do it, practical experience will not replace anything.

Video - Setting low tide for window