How To Choose The Right Profile For Plastic Windows

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• What to look for when choosing a profile
• The choice of profile design and glass
• Choice of fittings
• Choosing a manufacturer of plastic windows
• Profile classification
• What profiles are most often chosen?

Choosing a profile is not as easy as it might seem. The question of which profile to choose for plastic windows is quite relevant. There are many options. The range of materials on the construction market is very large, so it is easy to get confused without exact knowledge of the features of the profiles. You can choose not only among dozens of manufacturers, but also among hundreds of models produced by one company.

What to look for when choosing a profile

The profile for plastic windows is one of the most popular. Every self-respecting company produces products from it. It should be noted that most of the import companies have their own production facilities in Russia.

Each window consists of glass, double-glazed windows, profile systems, fittings. The profile is empty inside. Inside, there should be only partitions that create separate chambers that are filled with air; some manufacturers make the structure sealed and inject nitrogen into it. It is believed that such a window profile will better retain heat in the room, and the glass will not fog up.

The number of chambers, no matter what they are filled, affects the ability of the profile to retain heat - the more there are, the warmer the material. In Russia, structures with 3-5 chambers are most often used, with a profile thickness of 60 mm. Such material is relatively inexpensive, capable of withstanding severe frosts.

Note: manufacturers achieve a variety of colors by heating a special film on products. It cannot be peeled off. No fading or bubbles will appear over time.

The choice of profile design and glass

The quality of PVC depends on how long the product will last, how it will cope with weather conditions, how attractive its appearance will be. The best PVC windows must meet GOST standards and have the necessary certification.

In fact, there is not much difference which company produces products. In order for the structure to have sufficient rigidity, reinforcement is carried out. For this, steel is used. The core from it has the shape of the letter P, it can be a closed oval with a square section. The window profile in this case will be slightly more expensive, as it has increased strength.

The insulating glass unit is a sealed structure. It can include a different number of glasses. Usually there are two or three. Inert gas or rarefied air may be present between the panes if the design option is cheaper. The number of chambers of a double-glazed unit is considered relative to free air spaces: if there are two glasses, the double-glazed unit is single-chamber, if three - two-chamber. There are products with five cameras, but these are quite rare.

Double-glazed windows can differ in thickness: the larger it is, the heavier the product, but the higher its ability to isolate noise. The minimum thickness of quality glass is 4 mm.

There is energy-saving glass: the peculiarity is that, with a relatively small thickness and weight of the glass unit, it has high insulating properties and is able to replace a three-chamber glass unit, surpassing it twice in quality. The price for such a product is slightly higher.

It is worth noting the reduced weight of such a window, which is quite important if the wall structure has a weight limit. The hardware will also experience less stress and will be able to work longer without replacement.

When choosing plastic windows, the profile must be considered first, but it is worth taking a closer look at the glass itself. There is a wide variety of glasses that differ in technical characteristics and cost. For example, there are reflective glass - they can protect the room from excessive sunlight, make it cooler. There are heavy-duty glasses, and if you have children, it makes sense to install these so that they will not be accidentally broken. High-strength or mirrored glass is also suitable for residents of the first floors. Such material not only protect the window from mechanical damage, but also save you from prying eyes.

Choice of fittings

The profiles of plastic windows, no matter how high-quality they are, will not be able to serve for a long time without good fittings, because it depends on it what functions the window will have, how it will open, how tightly it will close. Any window includes at least 20 parts of the mechanism. From 15 to 20% of the cost of the window is the price of fittings. It is better to entrust its selection to a professional, since it is important that the fittings fit not only in size, but also be strong enough in relation to the size of the structure.

Window profiles serve for a long time, and during the period of their existence the sash tolerates at least 50 thousand openings. The fittings should withstand such loads without problems.

Choosing a manufacturer of plastic windows

There are quite a few companies engaged in the production of plastic windows on the market. The most bought are the following brands:

• Rehau;
• KBE;
• Novotex;
• Veko.

Each of them has its own distinctive features. Rehau is considered a leading manufacturer whose quality is matched. The products are thoroughly checked at the factory and have high characteristics. The average price for products is from 6 thousand.

Veko is a German company. Products can be recognized by their perfectly smooth plastic, pure white. profile reinforcement is always closed. The plastic is 3 mm thick, and there is a company logo on each glazing bead. The average price is from 7.5 thousand rubles.

KBE is also a German mark. It is very popular in Russia. The range of products is very wide - from one to five chamber structures of any size and type. Prices start at 5 thousand rubles.

Novotex is a domestic company. The plastic produces high quality, according to the KBE-Etalon technology. Technical characteristics are not inferior to European ones, but the average price for products starts from 3.5 thousand rubles.

When thinking about which window profile to choose, you need to take into account the characteristics of your region. If cold weather prevails, it is better to purchase a thicker glass unit. If your place is relatively warm in winter, then there is no point in overpaying.

Everyone's choice of a manufacturer is based mainly on the cost of the product of interest and trust in a particular brand. The companies listed above produce products of similar quality, which can be equipped with different fittings, due to which the cost can be higher or lower.

Profile classification

On sale you can find profiles of various classes, most often A and B. Let's consider this issue in more detail so that it is clear what this means.

• The "A" class includes products, the outer wall of which has an additional thickening. This also applies to doors. Such products are RAL certified.
• A lightweight profile belongs to class "B"; it is distinguished by a thinner outer wall.

As you can see, these types of products are notable for their strength and weight, but not quality.

Class B is somewhat cheaper, however, when choosing the types of profiles for plastic windows, take into account the peculiarities of your structure and the climate of your region.

A class B profile is well suited for glazing unheated balconies, loggias, its installation is relevant for summer houses, since this product is not very thick and is not able to retain heat in the room with high quality. Sound insulation will also be worse, but such a structure will be able to protect from rain and wind. Its low weight is also important.

What profiles are most often chosen?

Many buyers believe that the thicker the window, the better, as it is more reliable. But is it? Let's try to figure it out!

Manufacturers are actively promoting products with extra millimeters. It costs more, but is there any point in overpaying? The following types of plastic window profiles are on sale :

• Classic, width 58 mm.
• 60 mm, used on large construction sites.
• 70-80 mm, most often found in high-rise buildings.
• 90 mm - reinforced.

58 mm - this is the width that wooden windows used to have. After the appearance of plastic counterparts, traditionally, the width has not changed. It is sufficient for the structure to be warm and durable enough to isolate noise from the street well. This profile is universal for any climate. With the correct manufacturing technology, such a window is suitable for installation in any type of building on any floor. It does not have a very large mass, while its strength is high.

The profile thickness of 60 mm is mainly a publicity stunt, and the products with it are not much different from those presented above.

70-80 mm already has significant differences from other models. It is able to better isolate sound, does a good job of keeping heat inside the room. Most often, such a profile is used by residents of central Russia, since the winters there are more severe than, for example, in the southern part of the country. …

90 mm: this design has appeared relatively recently. It has high strength and good sound and heat insulation properties. Such a profile effectively saves the energy of heating devices, but it has a large mass and is not suitable for all types of residential buildings.

On the Russian market, these are not all types of window profiles. There are also thicker modifications of 104 and 124 mm. The choice of the width The choice of profile for plastic windows allows you to choose the thickness of the glass unit. For example, in a classic design, only a package not exceeding 32 mm can be installed, and in a thicker one, for example, 70 mm, a 42 mm glass unit can be installed.

For a passive heating system, thick windows are relevant, as they will help keep maximum heat inside. The colder the climate, the thicker it is required to install a glass unit. The same rule applies if you love silence.

Conclusion. Decide which profile window is best, you can only carefully analyzed the financial condition, weather conditions, design features walls and wishes for silence.

Watch the Video that will help you figure out in detail which profile to choose for the house.

Video: