Recommendation points
Soft windows with polyvinyl chloride film (also called PVC curtains) are a relatively affordable and convenient solution for lovers of recreation in the country and residents of country houses, for owners of restaurants and other establishments with summer playgrounds.
Such windows, installed in the openings of gazebos, terraces and verandas as an alternative to glazing, protect well from bad weather, dust, noise and insects, and at the same time allow you to fully preserve the main advantage of open areas – the possibility of an unobstructed view, give a feeling of freedom and large, open spaces.
The production and installation of soft windows in Russia is commercialized; products of this kind and related services are widely represented on the country’s construction market. Many supplier companies are employed in this segment, however, there is no wide variety of types of offered windows – the number of standard solutions is small.
In any case, the design of each window necessarily includes only three main components. So, let’s take a closer look at what a soft PVC window consists of..
Any soft window includes:
- PVC foil.
- Edging.
- Fittings and fasteners.
Transparent unreinforced PVC film with a thickness ranging from 500 to 750 microns (0.5-0.75 millimeters) plays the role of “glass” in soft windows. Also, the film in the sectors of openings of terraces, verandas and gazebos can be combined with mosquito nets. If the opening is more than 1.4 meters wide, then due to the fact that film rolls are rarely wider, the material is soldered with transparent seams before installation using hot air..
The seam can be overlapped with seams up to 3 cm thick. This type of material joining is less reliable than arranging an additional opaque seam (made of thicker PVC with reinforcement elements). The total width of the welded surface along one seam is in this case up to 6 cm.
The edging is designed to reinforce both the film and the fasteners. It is a strip of colored PVC or synthetic fabric with a width of about five centimeters for installing fittings along the contour of the window. The need to use such materials instead of transparent PVC is due to the fact that they have increased strength, withstand increased loads, and also more easily adapt to temperature changes.
For installation, seasonal or temporary removal of products, folding the film in the windows into a roll or moving it in a horizontal plane (sliding), depending on the goals of the customer and the specific design, accessories are used, mainly locks, zippers and staples with eyelets.
Windows can be fastened in three ways:
- Swivel brackets – in the simplest designs, involving the installation of these components at regular intervals through the eyelets. The staples rotate, with the help of which the web is tensioned;
- Staples with straps – the film is fixed using silicone straps equipped with fasteners that regulate the degree of tension;
- Using a sliding scheme – PVC film is mounted in movable panels on rollers with guides.
Benefits, durability and service
The main advantage of soft windows is their cost – on average, such a product is two times cheaper than glazing. An important factor is the safety of PVC windows: the film breaks, and does not break into fragments, like ordinary glass.
Despite the fact that PVC film transmits up to 90% of sunlight, it traps ultraviolet radiation, which, in turn, significantly reduces the harm from bright light to the eyes in the height of summer. In cold weather, windows soften the effects of low temperatures, protecting the gazebos from the cold.
You can choose windows with an opaque film – this way you can hide yourself, your loved ones and guests from prying eyes. Last but not least, windows with a PVC film are valued for the minimum distortion of architectural solutions implemented in the projects of arbors and terraces..
According to the assurances of PVC film manufacturers, its service life, during which the material does not lose its elastic properties and retains its “marketable” appearance, is from five years – this is subject to operation in direct sunlight – and up to 15 years.
The film is designed for operation in the temperature range from -40 to +70 ° С and is quite durable – it can withstand the impact of hailstones and successfully withstands heavy wind. Soft PVC windows are also resistant to fungus and are not flammable.
With careful care and normal use, soft windows are guaranteed to last the entire service life. If the maintenance rules are violated, they may be damaged or completely unusable. In particular, PVC film is easily torn when damaged by sharp objects, unresistant to abrasive materials.
To clean it, use exclusively soapy water, rinsing it off the surface of the film with a jet of warm water under pressure. Using a sponge or rags can cause scratches. Do not use aggressive detergents, solvents or benzine. You can not wash soft windows at an air temperature below five degrees Celsius, and twist or dismantle – below seven degrees.
Turnkey installation cost
The costs of the customer of soft PVC windows in Russia in the event of their complete installation, including the cost of measurement, materials and fittings, assembly of structures, their delivery and installation, ranges from 1200 to 2900 rubles per square meter of area. A significant range of prices is caused by a number of factors that are taken into account by window suppliers when forming the cost of their services.
The price for soft windows is going down:
- Proportional to the increase in the area of one single window, since fewer fasteners are used per square meter.
- When ordering large volumes of work. If the total area of the windows does not exceed 15 “squares”, then each meter can cost 1,800 rubles, and 15,000 rubles will have to be paid for the installation of the entire volume. If the area turned out to be larger, but did not exceed 50 square meters, then together with the installation the cost will be 2,700 rubles, and in the range of up to 100 meters or more – 2,600 and 2,500 rubles per square meter, respectively.
- In the case when the supplier of soft windows provides its customers with the opportunity to reduce costs by refusing to directly install products. Thus, the customer can pay only for the manufacture of PVC sheets in size, as well as for the necessary components, but he will have to install the windows himself.
The price is rising:
- Depending on the type of surface on which soft windows are installed, that is, on the material from which the frames of the openings of terraces and gazebos are made. For example, if we are talking about wood, then such work will be the cheapest, and when installing windows on metal, the price per “square” will increase by an average of 100 rubles, for concrete or tiles – by another hundred rubles.
- When installing higher quality or more difficult to install components. For example, if a customer chooses a soldered edging when installing a film with a thickness of 750 microns, the cost per square meter will be 1600 rubles, a sewn edging will be up to 2300 rubles. The main accessories (eyelets, swivel brackets, brackets with straps) are included in the price, but additional straps and zippers will have to be paid for.
- If specialists have to carry out high-rise work or redo openings. Measurement will also be paid if the object is removed from the company’s production facilities at a considerable distance. Also, the customer will be forced to pay for the measurement, if in the future refuses to perform work – within 2,000 rubles.
Profitable solution for a country house
Obviously, it is difficult to call soft PVC windows capital structures, and the degree of their resistance to wear in comparison with ordinary glazing is low..
Nevertheless, soft windows are characterized by a much lower cost, as well as high speed and ease of installation, the ability to install safe and huge transparent structures in gazebos, verandas and terraces..
These solutions, in turn, make it possible to significantly increase the comfort of living and rest in private houses without major changes in their projects and at relatively low costs for such work..
What are the advantages of using soft PVC windows for gazebos and terraces?