Do-it-yourself wooden double-glazed window. Do-it-yourself wooden windows: we work with pleasure! Making a wooden box
Four years ago, I published an article "Window block profile drawings (wooden double-glazed window)", where I attached a photo and drawings of wooden window profiles. Over the years, I have received several letters asking for gusset drawings or more detailed drawings. A week ago, I received another such letter, and today I will try to clarify the situation with this overview article.
Letter from a reader of ModelMen.ru
Written by: Daniel
Hello Dmitry. I am from Sevastopol (Crimea, Ukraine). I was very interested in the drawings of a wooden window with a double-glazed window. (). Now I am doing repairs in the house and did not want to put plastic windows, and very expensive wooden windows came to my mind to make them myself, I began to look for drawings on the Internet and many search engines indicate yours. You write that you developed the drawings yourself, so I wanted to ask you a question as a developer. How much the window should be smaller than the frame, i.e. if you assemble the frame, then how should the frame (height and width) be calculated so that they fit exactly to each other and do not create gaps when closing (or do not cling to each other). Is it possible to make such a window without a milling machine? How to connect the corners (butt or at 45 degrees)? Under what fittings was the window calculated? I promise that if I manage to make such a window, I will post photos of the step-by-step creation of such a window. Thanks in advance. Sincerely, Daniel.
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So let's go!
Is it possible to make such a window without a milling machine?
Yes, it is possible! Moreover, such a window can be made with only a circular saw at hand. I have a modern saw blade for aluminum in my arsenal, although it was written at the time of sale that it saws wood, of course. My disk looks like this:
Specifications:
Disc diameter 255 mm.
Number of teeth 80 pcs.
Mounting hole diameter 30 mm.
Mine really has a 32 mm bore and a larger diameter, but that's not the point, it's the number of teeth! Thanks to the large number of teeth on the blade, it cuts wood exceptionally cleanly. I often asked friends to compare planed wood and sawn wood with this blade, sawn wood always won in quality. Home planers often do not give a high-quality planed surface, it turns out to be wavy, especially at the ends of the workpiece, and not everyone can afford industrial equipment.
Why am I doing all this, you can make a wooden window with a circular machine at hand and a good saw blade with a lot of teeth (soldering).
How to connect corners?
The most interesting question :) because most make a simple spike connection into one spike.
Such frames with one spike have already proven to be extremely short-lived. If you want the window to serve for a long time and withstand a large number of opening and closing cycles of the sashes, then make a spike connection in two spikes. You can of course make it in three spikes, if the thickness of the frame allows. 
The more spikes, the greater the bonding area of the parts and, accordingly, such a spike connection is several times stronger.
How to make a spike connection?
This is not as difficult as it seems at first glance, first you need to cut four blanks to size, two vertical and two horizontal. These can be just rectangular bars or already bars with a selected profile. The length of the blanks depends on the size of the box of the window block, it is better to calculate this, of course, on the drawing.
You can even saw off the blanks to length by eye, attaching them to the finished box, but given that the frame should overlap the box. Of course, in this case, a profile must already be selected in the blanks for the frame.
Spikes and eyes are usually cut on a milling machine, but we have circumstances, there is no machine, so the same can be done on a circular saw with the help of simple devices or without them at all.
It should be noted right away that the vertical parts of a wooden window or door are always eyes, and the horizontal parts should be spikes.
For example, I will show you a video of how an uncle makes spike joints on a circular using his device.
Here's a smarter one:
In both videos, box spikes are made, they are small and there are a lot of them and it is difficult to make them without devices. If you make one or two windows, then you can get by with a simple fixture as in the first video, but without a pin, then all the work will need to be done according to the markings on the workpiece with a pencil.
Under what fittings was the window calculated?
To be honest, I took the fittings and the profile of a plastic window as a basis. I don’t know if there are differences between fittings for a wooden and a plastic window, but I think that having any of them you can adapt.
At the beginning of this winter, I installed a factory-made wooden window in my kitchen on my own. Below, see the photo of the window, which elements can be taken from there when developing a drawing.
Today, I would portray my profile a little differently than four years ago: 
As you can see, I increased the size of the bars to 80 mm., All the same, we have harsh winters, and I would like the heat to remain in the house, besides, a more massive frame will be stronger and look better.
In this article, I again do not give you ready-made drawings and window sizes, because in order to develop them, you need to have window fittings in your hands and understand how it is attached and works. Unfortunately, I have no experience with such fittings, so I cannot yet develop a finished drawing. Below I tried to visually depict how the corner stud connection should look like.
I found a few more photos on the Internet that show elements of the tenon joints of a wooden window. I hope the information I have provided will help you to independently develop a drawing of a wooden double-glazed window and bring it to life. Good luck!
In recent years, the demand for PVC windows has been growing rapidly, they are most often used for office premises, shopping centers, and PVC windows are also quite often installed in residential premises. But this does not mean that wooden windows have ceased to be popular, rather, on the contrary, they have moved into the elite category. In addition, wooden windows are environmentally friendly.
From the point of view of technical and operational characteristics, wooden windows are in no way inferior to metal-plastic ones. Another advantage is that you can make them yourself.
What you need to make a wooden window
Work on the manufacture of wooden windows can be classified as medium complexity, to ensure the required accuracy it is desirable to have special equipment, with the help of a conventional ruler and a hacksaw it will be quite difficult to observe the geometry of individual elements. You can go the second way - buy a finished window, for example, for a summer residence and install it yourself.
The most difficult thing in the manufacture of a wooden window is the creation of a profile, this work requires special equipment and certain skills.
But in the manufacture of a wooden window for a summer residence, the design can be simplified as much as possible. In this case, to perform work on the manufacture and installation of the window, you will need:
- for the box, it is best to stay on glued beams. You can also use a solid beam, but in this case, the likelihood of warping increases.
The box will be subjected to loads, so you need to use oak or pine for its manufacture. Soft woods will not work.
- the dimensions of the timber for the manufacture of the frame are determined by the thickness of the window, as well as by whether permanent residence is planned in the house. The main requirement in determining the thickness is that the window does not fog up. This can only be achieved if the dew point is placed between the panes;
- electric planer;
- cutter;
- measuring instruments (square, ruler, tape measure);
- glue;
- glazing beads;
- sealant;
- dowels.
In the manufacture of wooden windows for summer cottages, if the house will be used for irregular living in the warm season, you can stop at the option with a thin double-glazed window, glazing beads and putty.
Making a wooden window with your own hands
For the manufacture of the frame, you will need a bar measuring at least 6x4 cm, it all depends on the thickness of the window. As for the profile, it also depends on the design of the window, for example, in a double-glazed profile, a second groove must be provided for installing a second glass. To make grooves, you can use a conventional milling cutter or an electric planer.
With a selection of grooves, it is better to experiment on unnecessary trimming of the board.
The creation of a wooden window is performed in the following sequence:
- careful marking of lumber;
- end processing - they must be cut at an angle of 45%;
A deviation of even a couple of degrees will nullify all the work done. For sawing, it is best to use a pendulum saw.
- when assembling the frame, its elements are connected according to the tenon-groove pattern, so grooves must be selected at the ends. For greater strength of the connection, the frame elements can be drilled at the junction and a wooden spike inserted into the resulting hole, having previously lubricated the hole with glue;
For the same purpose, a double dovetail key can be used, but this is associated with certain difficulties when selecting a groove.
To install the key, the groove at the ends should look like this.
- after that the frame is assembled, the joints should be carefully coated with glue;
- after the glue dries, its remnants are cut off, and the joints are carefully polished.
If the window is with a sash, then the installation of fittings must be added to the above actions.
When the box and window frame are assembled, all wooden surfaces must be carefully treated with an antiseptic, after which you can proceed with the glazing and installation of a wooden window. The installation of glass can only be carried out after the final installation of the frame.
Double-glazed windows can be purchased directly from the factory, but for a country house, ordinary glass is most often used, which is cut on site. The size of the glass should be somewhat smaller than the opening under it, after trying on the glass, a sealant is applied to the groove, the glass is applied to it, the bead prevents the glass from falling out of the frame. The glazing bead itself is attached to the frame with thin nails.
Wooden window installation technology
When installing wooden windows, you must follow 2 rules:
- in no case should loads from the overlying part of the wall be transferred to the window unit;
- during installation, the window geometry should not be disturbed, the angles should be strictly equal to 90 °, and the difference in diagonals should not exceed 10 mm. As for evenness, deviations of 1 mm per 1 m of the length of the window block are allowed.
In order for the window not to warp over time, and the glass does not burst due to excessive load, even at the measurement stage, it must be taken into account that the dimensions of the window block should be 10-20 mm smaller than the window opening.
To ensure horizontality when installing a wooden window, mounting pads are most often used. After carefully adjusting the position of the window, it is fixed in the desired position with wedges.
For the final fastening of the window, mounting plates (purchased or homemade) are often used. They are attached to the window block at a distance of 25 cm from each corner. After attaching the mounting plates to the wall and to the window block, the wedges are removed.
The free space around the perimeter of the window is filled with mounting foam.
If the window size exceeds 1.5 m, then one of the mounting plates must also be attached in the middle.
The window unit can also be fixed with dowels. To do this, a series of holes are first drilled in the wall (the distance between them should not exceed 80 cm), then the window is finally fixed in the design position using self-tapping screws. The heads must be recessed into the surface of the wood.
If desired, the heads of the self-tapping screws can be masked by preparing a mixture of glue and sawdust.
On this we can consider the installation of a wooden window completed. It remains only to install the glass and complete the final finish, which includes the installation of trim and window sills. These works can be started after the completion of the hardening of the mounting foam (that is, not earlier than after 12 hours).
Installing a wooden window is a fairly simple process. In terms of time, even for an inexperienced person, installing 1 window is unlikely to take more than 1-2 hours. About the same amount will be needed for glazing and installation of the window sill and trim.
Repair of minor defects
Additionally, you can fasten the docking points with self-tapping screws, however, the holes for them must be drilled in advance, so that later, when assembling the window frame from wood with your own hands, the elements do not split.
Treatment
After the glue has dried, you can start processing the frame. To do this, it is sanded, and then covered with a primer with a brush, which raises the pile.
This is necessary so that the villi rise, you sand them, and then, after varnishing, they do not rise again. Wooden elements treated in this way will be smooth and neat.
So, after the pile has risen, pick up the skin or use the “bee” to clean off the pile, then re-cover, wait for it to dry and sand again.
The final step will be varnishing the frame. It is important to apply an even layer so that there are no smudges on the frame. We also recommend applying at least two coats so that everything is covered perfectly.
So, the frame for the windows made of wood with your own hands is ready.
Sealing a conventional wooden frame
double glazing
Frame making
First, we measure the inner contour of the sashes that will need to be inserted into the frame. Now subtract 10 mm in length and width, and in such dimensions you cut off the elements you need from the existing remote profile using a hacksaw.
Fasten the two elements together with a plastic corner. Pour silica gel into one of the parts, then put the corner back on and pour silica gel again, with which you must fill each side of the frame. So there is a frame.
Now take double-sided tape in your hands, and glue it along the frame in such a way that the glass then stands on it (that is, along the contour).
Cutting and pasting glass
So, let's move on to the crucial moment of answering the question of how to make a window with your own hands, to cutting and inserting glass into a double-glazed window.
Glass is cut with a glass cutter. You draw along the line with a tool with pressure, and then break along it. The dimensions of the glass must be clearly defined along the inner contour of the frame (do not subtract 10 mm as for the frame).
Fastening and sealing
Now put the glass on the frame you made earlier, only in such a way that 5 mm protrude beyond this frame just on all sides.
Important! Fasten carefully, it will be difficult to rearrange the glass later!
Perform similar actions on the reverse side. You should get such a double-glazed window on a frame, beyond which about 5 mm of attached glass protrudes on all sides.
Of course, plastic windows have long won our hearts. However, for a budget way to replace windows, it is a wooden frame that is suitable. And if you decide to carry out such repairs in your country house or on the veranda, then wooden windows can be made with your own hands. When I attached a veranda to my house, I immediately decided to glaze it and the option with plastic windows did not suit me. Of course, production machines assemble window frames much better and faster, but you always want to do something with your own hands. But if you follow all the rules for processing wooden material and the technology for connecting parts, then it is quite possible to achieve good results. Today we will look at step-by-step instructions for making wooden windows.
Making a wooden box
wooden box
When I decided to make a wooden window with my own hands, I thought about what kind of wood to use. From myself I want to advise you to use pine - it is quite affordable due to its cost. If you, like me, decided to try to make a wooden frame for windows yourself, then give preference to this particular material. Oak can be considered a good alternative, but it is more expensive than pine and I was afraid to use it for the first time.
Important! If you decide to experiment, then you should not immediately purchase expensive materials. It is possible that you will not succeed and the wood elements will be damaged.
Stock up on the necessary tools in advance, although many home craftsmen have all these items in constant use:
- Drill and screwdriver - a mechanized way of tightening self-tapping screws will speed up the assembly process
- glass cutter
- electric planer
- Chisel and hammer
Before buying, always check the condition of the boards. They should not have cracks or chips, protruding knots or any deformations. They must also be completely dry. Step technology:
- For my window, I chose a board measuring 150x50 mm
- In all wooden blanks he made a groove resembling the letter "G". The depth of the groove was 15 mm
- After that, I connected 4 parts together. For joints, wood glue is used, and the corners should be 90 degrees each. After the box is glued, drill holes in it for a wooden rod, which is 3 cm long. This is an additional fixation and provides 90 degree corners
- The box is inserted into the already prepared opening for the window. Everything is simple here: you drill holes into which you insert dowels, and then fix the box with self-tapping screws. I did not perform such actions - my goal was to make a window with my own hands
Important! All cracks must be filled with mounting foam. With this fixing, the mobility of the tree with a temperature difference is not taken into account.
DIY wooden windows
The wooden box is standing - we make a frame
DIY wooden windows
Step-by-step instructions for making a frame for windows with your own hands depends on what kind of window you want to make. I made a single-glass profile with 2 grooves:
- The window frame is made from a wooden bar, the size of which depends on the design of the windows. I used a 6x4 cm wooden beam, but you can take larger sizes
- If the window profile is double-glazed, then the design will have 1 more groove - 2 grooves for glass and 1 for fixing in a box
- The profile is made using a milling cutter or an electric planer - I chose 4 mm glass, and 10 mm bead
- In order to assemble the parts, they need to be cut. To get 90 degrees, cut the edges obliquely, that is, 45 degrees. Self-tapping screws should be used for high-quality fixing and immobility
As a beginner in this business, it was not immediately clear to me how the whole process takes place. The instructions for making wooden windows were written for me as if in an incomprehensible language, but having bought all the necessary materials and tools, I started work. Having considered all the drawings and photos that can be found on the Internet without any problems, it turned out that making a wooden window with your own hands is not such a difficult task.
Important! More recently, cashing was used to hide flaws in the installation of wooden windows or their thermal insulation. Now cashing plays not only a practical, but also a decorative role. Cashing is suitable for wooden houses and is used only for them. It can be carved or resemble images of animals - it all depends on the imagination of the master.
Only a little remains - we insert glass
We make wooden windows with our own hands
The most important thing in this process is the exact choice of glass dimensions. Thanks to this, cold bridges are not created, and the glasses adhere qualitatively to the wooden window frame. Deviations of 1 mm can already have negative consequences - and we do not need this.
Important! Remember safety precautions when cutting glass. You should definitely have gloves to protect your hands and goggles - protection from glass chips is a must.
You need to cut glass with a diamond glass cutter, and fine-grained sandpaper is suitable for polishing the edge. The cutting technique is very simple. It is enough to stock up on a ruler that will be longer than glass and lead along it with a glass cutter. Before you smear the edges with sealant, you need to attach a glass for fitting. If everything is successful, then sealant is applied to the grooves, after which the glass is finally inserted into the frame. After that, we use a glazing bead - it should hook both the frame and the glass, and then fix it with thin nails. If the fillers are wider, then fix them with self-tapping screws - choose thin fasteners.
On this, the manufacture of wooden windows with their own hands is completely completed and only one thing remains: the placement of wooden windows in prepared boxes. I did not need this action, but if you still decide to install, then:
- We insert the structure into the block and fix it in the grooves
- Using self-tapping screws, we fix the frame - the elements must pass through it directly into the wall
- All cracks are blown out using mounting foam and waiting for it to dry completely
- In the future, you can make slopes with your own hands in the most convenient way for you. But for wooden structures, everyone is used to using plaster, since plastic slopes will not look harmonious.
Renovation of an old wooden structure
We restore old windows with our own hands
I would like to raise another important question: how to update old wooden windows with your own hands? Despite all the defects that appear on wooden structures after many years, they remain very strong and durable. Therefore, there is not always a desire to change old window structures and spend a lot of money on it.
Usually, do-it-yourself restoration of wooden windows involves installing seals and painting frames, but in some cases a more time-consuming process is required. If gaps appear between the wooden frame and the box, seals should be used. You can use rubber, foam rubber or polyvinyl chloride. But if a skew has formed, then closing or opening the sash on the windows becomes a real problem. In order to correct the situation, you can try 2 methods: first, check the loops - maybe they have settled and it’s enough just to find a new place for them or cut off the excess with a planer. The fact is that wood tends to swell and therefore there may be places that need to be adjusted over time.
Very often, windows do not close due to a corny thick layer of applied paint. To do this, it is necessary to remove excess layers of paintwork materials from wooden structures with sandpaper. However, the most terrible problem may seem to be rot in certain areas. Oddly enough, there is a common solution to this: using a chisel, you need to cut out the damaged area, it would be better if you grab some more usable material. Coat the resulting recess with epoxy or wood glue, then insert the new material and secure it. When the adhesive solution dries, the entire surface is processed with a grinder. The final decision will be to open the frame with varnish or paint with paintwork materials.
Results
As you can see, there is nothing wrong with making new wooden structures or updating old wooden windows. In order to do all the work yourself, it is enough to study the technology, as well as stock up on the necessary tools and wooden materials. Having chosen the right wood, you will be able to build a window structure yourself and subsequently glaze your summer house or veranda, and possibly a summer kitchen.
Metal-plastic windows perfectly protect from street noise, have good thermal insulation properties, are easy to use, but wooden frames are more environmentally friendly and have a respectable appearance. The production of wooden windows with double-glazed windows is an excellent solution for combining all the advantages of wood and PVC structures:
- Noise isolation. Double-glazed windows have good soundproofing characteristics.
- Thermal insulation. Wood has a low thermal conductivity, and in combination with multi-chamber double-glazed windows, it will maintain the necessary microclimate in the room.
- Air circulation. Wooden windows "breathe", saturating the air inside the house with oxygen.
- Strength. Hardwood windows can withstand significant loads.
- Durability. With proper installation of the structure, high-quality raw materials and wood processing, windows will last for decades.
- Aesthetics and respectability. Wooden frames add coziness to housing, and high-quality windows look expensive.
The tree is also chosen during the restoration of old buildings in order to preserve the historical appearance.
Timber window profile designs
The technology for the production of wooden windows is relatively simple, but requires professionalism from workers, high-quality equipment and raw materials.
Making a wooden window
Structurally, wooden windows are most often:
- Scandinavian (Finnish);
- European (or German, Bavarian).
Windows of Scandinavian design are distinguished by the presence of an additional external frame with one glass. The main frame with double glazing is combined with an external special screw. Such translucent structures have the highest energy efficiency values. But they can only be “open”, they cannot be put into the “ventilation” mode. So, due to the large profile width, high weight and operational difficulties, Scandinavian windows are not often used in mid-latitudes.
Eurowindows are more common due to ease of use, simpler production, which affects the price of the finished product, and a variety of frame profiles that allow achieving high levels of noise and heat insulation.
For the manufacture of wooden windows, regardless of the shape of the profile, pine, larch or oak are most often used. Pine is popular due to its affordable price with relatively high strength and durability. Larch has higher strength indicators, and the cost of windows increases by about a third.
Oak is the most durable material - it has high hardness, is resistant to moisture. Its price corresponds to the characteristics, which makes oak products an elite product.
To make windows, use 78 * 80 mm with a moisture content of 8-14%, without damage, knots. Structures must be treated with special compounds: antiseptics, flame retardants that protect against insects. A double-glazed window is preferably two-chamber, with a thickness of 38 mm or more. Windows must necessarily comply with GOST 15613.1-84.
Production of wooden windows with double-glazed windows
Do-it-yourself window production
The price of wood windows made in factories is quite high. If the requirements for tightness are not so great (for example, you need to glaze a balcony, cottage or greenhouse), then making wooden windows with your own hands will help save money.
A prerequisite for the production of wooden windows is precision.
The manufacturing process requires the following tools:
- electric planer;
- chisels;
- screwdriver;
- drill;
- jigsaw;
- sandpaper with different grain sizes;
- mallet;
- drill;
- glass cutter;
- milling machine or milling nozzles for a drill.
Materials needed to make windows:
- glued laminated timber with a cross section of 60 * 40 mm and a board 150 * 50 mm;
- glazing bead;
- window panes;
- silicone sealant;
- wood screws and small nails.
Creating a box
For a window, you need a base that will protect its integrity in case of shrinkage of the house. Therefore, a box is made. To make it you need a board 150 * 50 mm. In the workpiece, a groove is made with a depth of 1.5 cm L-shaped.
The parts are glued together with wood glue. To maintain an angle of 90 °, holes are made in the corners of the product, into which rods 30–40 mm long are inserted. The finished box is inserted into the opening and fastened with dowels. The gaps are treated with mounting foam.
How to make a frame?
For the manufacture of window frames, glued laminated timber with a section of 60 * 40 mm is required. The shape of the profile depends on the number of glasses and is created using an electric jigsaw and a milling cutter.
For a single-glass profile, two L-shaped grooves are made in the workpiece. To install glass, the groove size is 10 * 14 mm, and for connection with the box - 15 * 20 mm. Three grooves are made in a double-glazed profile - for glasses, two grooves 10 * 14 mm and one 15 * 20 mm for mounting into the base.
For the manufacture of window frames from wood, glass is taken 4 mm thick and a centimeter bead. The profiles are joined with a tenon-groove connection, and the ends of the parts are processed so that a 45 ° bevel is obtained to create right angles. In another way, you can strengthen the design with a metal corner. It is placed in the corners of the frame and fastened with self-tapping screws. This option is suitable if the finished frame does not require a good aesthetic appearance.
Glass sheet installation
Before installing the glass in the frame, it is important to determine the dimensions to the nearest millimeter. The glass must fit snugly against the wood without forming gaps.
With the help of a diamond glass cutter, glass sheets are cut, which must first be cleaned and greased with a little grease. Along the ruler, which should be longer than the material being cut, the tool is led with a continuous movement. The cut glass is placed on the edge of the table and pressed, simply breaking it off.
The edges must be sanded with sandpaper to prevent cuts on the hands. After that, the glass is tried on the frame.
Important! Be sure to wear protective clothing while working with glass - goggles, thick rubber gloves and a face mask.
Before finishing installation, silicone sealant is applied to the grooves of wooden parts. Further, the glued glass is additionally fixed with a glazing bead, into which small nails are hammered or self-tapping screws are screwed. It is not worth covering the hats with paint so that the window can be easily disassembled for repair in the future.
To prevent the window from fogging up from the inside, a dehumidifier is placed between the panes. It is possible to fill the space between the glasses with dry air if a compressor is available. For this purpose, a hole is made in the sashes, which is then closed with a wooden pin. All surfaces are treated with varnish or paint in two layers.
And also do not forget to monitor the cleanliness of the glass during operation. After each step, it must be wiped dry.
window installation
The necessary fittings are mounted on the window frame. Next, the frame is inserted into the box and fixed with self-tapping screws. The gaps between the wooden parts of the window must be treated with sealant or foam. At the final stage of work, a window sill is installed and slopes are made.