How to Cut Sandwich Panels for Slopes

Finishing slopes is a procedure that is the final touch in the process of installing plastic windows. It not only gives the whole design an aesthetic appearance, but also with the right choice of material provides protection against mold and freezing in the cold winter season.

Those who want the windows in their house to have the above qualities should give preference to finishing sandwich panels. a material that will help to achieve an effective result when installing slopes.

What is a sandwich panel?

This material is a light plate, consisting of several layers, where the two outer layers are rigid canvases that can be made of various materials. Between the sheets there is a heater (polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam, mineral wool).

Bonding all elements of sandwich panels performed in two ways. cold or hot pressing. The material itself is of two types. wall and roofing. Most often, sandwich panels are used in the construction of prefabricated buildings.

Standard sizes of sandwich panels in terms of length, width, thickness are:

• 300x115x3.2 cm;
• 300x115x2.4 cm;
• 300x115x1 cm.

The largest sizes have roof slabs, the parameters of which are 12×1.2×0.3 m. For the construction of internal partitions, most often use slabs with a length of 1.5 m, a width of 1 m.

For installation of slopes apply special sandwich panels with a size of 10x1500x3000 mm., consisting of the following materials:

• PVC. the outer side of the panel is made from it;
• the back side is made of polystyrene sheet;
• foamed polystyrene foam or mineral wool is used as the internal insulation layer.

You may be interested in learning how to slope the front door. Read this article.

Pros and cons

Positive material specifications:

Due to the surface structure of the sandwich panels, which looks similar to the structure of plastic windows and window sills, the material does not need additional decoration and processing.

If we compare the panels with drywall, the latter clearly loses, as it is susceptible to cracking and getting wet as a result of the influence of condensate. Sandwich panels reliably protected from a similar effect, thanks to the plastic coating.

Panels provide better thermal insulation. The product itself, although it does not allow the cold to pass, but most often the structure is additionally insulated, however, it is done more in order to immobilize the panel and to obtain an enhanced bond of the material with the window block by means of mounting foam.

Cleaning the surface of the panels is not difficult. Any stains are easy to remove. with a plastic coating with a rag dipped in soapy water.

Panels easy to install, which does not require any special skills.

Long life. according to the indicators specified by the manufacturer, is 15-20 years.

Video: How to Cut Sandwich Panels for Slopes

Flaws sandwich panels are mainly associated with the quality of the material itself:

1. Poor quality panels, due to the influence of high temperatures, which are usually caused by direct sunlight, can become deformed and turn yellow.
2. In addition, poor quality also affects the strength of products, which in dishonest manufacture leaves much to be desired.

How to make slopes on the windows with your own hands?

After installing windows wait at least 24 hours. During this time, the mounting foam will dry completely, after which it can be cut with a knife flush with the surface of the frame.

Before mounting the slopes you need prepare the working area, clean from dirt and treat with antiseptic.

Read also the article on how to install external slopes made of metal.

Installation:

On the prepared surface first thing fasten the start profile. The strips of the U-shaped profile cut off by the size of the perimeter of the window opening are screwed along with the screws.

For extra rigidity slopes you can build a crate of wooden battens with a section of 2×4 cm. The battens are fixed along the outer edge of the window niche using self-tapping screws, while they must be bolted flush with the wall plane, without protruding beyond it.

Panels start to install from the top of the window. The cut-off part is inserted into the starting profile, making sure that the edge of the material fits tightly, but does not bend. The gap between the wall and the panel is filled with mounting foam, and its second end is screwed to a wooden rail.

In a similar way, panels are installed around the perimeter.

It is recommended to cut the panels with a circular saw or a hand jigsaw.

To give an aesthetic appearance to the outer edge of window slopes indoors, it is performed F-profile lining, fastening it to a wooden plank with a construction stapler. At the joints of horizontal and vertical elements, the profile is cut at an angle of 45º.

Joints close up with sealant or liquid plastic in order to protect them from pollution and moisture penetration.

Sandwich panel slopes: video tutorial.