Laminated windows: important features

A standard white window is not suitable for any interior. A plain white surface does not always go well with furniture, wallpaper and textiles. An alternative may be to install laminated windows. Finishing the profile with a polymer film makes it possible to make the window indistinguishable from a wooden one — at the same time it retains all the advantages of PVC structures in terms of functionality and energy saving.

How the profile is laminated

When making a laminated profile, a thin but very durable polymer film is applied to the plastic surface. The most popular are films with the color and texture of natural wood, but other modifications are also used. The choice of film and the quality of lamination depends on how attractive the finished window will be.

Lamination technology:

• Preparation — cleaning of the profile, degreasing of surfaces and treatment of the base with a primer (a compound that increases adhesion with glue).
• Gluing — the film is evenly distributed over the profile.
• Warming up — for the final polymerization of the adhesive, the structure is heated. The adhesive, which is activated at high temperature, polymerizes quickly and provides a strong fixation of the lamination on the base.
• Alignment — the film is rolled out with special rollers, pressing against the base and removing microscopic air bubbles.

It is very important that the air in the room where the profile is laminated is cleaned of dust and other impurities. A perfectly smooth surface of the laminated profile is possible only if there are not even the smallest dust particles or villi under the film layer.

Pay attention! Lamination is possible only in factory conditions. It is difficult to laminate an installed window, and even a satisfactory result is not always achieved. In 90% of cases, the film with a self-adhesive layer lies unevenly and quickly peels off.

Lamination options: types and colors

Decorative film can be glued in different ways:

• For interior design solutions, internal lamination is used.
• If it is important how the window will look from the facade — choose a design with external lamination.
• With double-sided lamination, the profile is covered with a film both from the inside and outside.

The WDS Color lamination line includes more than 30 shades, so it will not be difficult to choose the right shade in the palette. At the same time, it is possible to choose not only the color of the lamination, but also the color of the profile itself (beige, white, gray), as well as the color of the seal (black, gray, beige).

In addition, when choosing laminated windows, you can abandon the standard fittings in favor of a model with decorative overlays. Visible fittings can be made in different colors, but metallics are most often used — chrome, bronze or gold. This allows you to organically fit the fittings into the color scheme of the window specified by the laminated construction.

Advantages and disadvantages

The key advantage of laminated windows is obvious — they look more attractive than standard white products. The window "under the tree" looks much more harmonious in most interiors — and therefore such solutions are often used in designer houses and apartments. Besides:

• Dark lamination is more practical than a white profile — dirt is practically not visible on it.
• The durable polymer film does not wear out — the window serves for several decades and does not lose its attractiveness.
• High-quality lamination does not discolor under the influence of ultraviolet light.

The main disadvantage is the price of laminated windows is higher than the price of standard PVC products. The cost price is growing due to the fact that high-quality laminating films are rarely cheap, and the decoration process itself requires the equipment of a modern high-tech workshop.

The second important factor to consider is that the laminated profile is darker, because it will be subject to temperature deformations. This should be taken into account both when developing a glazing project and when installing metal-plastic laminated windows.

What to consider when designing and installing

The task of the designer is to choose the shade of lamination in such a way that the window looks most advantageous in the interior. But it is important to keep in mind the behavior of the laminated profile, which affect the mechanical characteristics of the window itself.:

• The dark profile heats up more under direct sunlight and deforms more when heated. The tendency to temperature deformations is taken into account when designing windows — and in some cases, engineers do not recommend using structures in dark lamination.
• The tendency to deformation during heating is necessarily taken into account during installation — it is compensated by correctly placing the support pads and choosing the optimal step for installing fasteners. You should not neglect these nuances, because you need to trust the installation of laminated windows to teams with a good reputation and many years of experience.

In fact, the tendency to temperature deformations is not fatal. But so that it does not affect the service life and functionality of the window, qualified specialists should design the structure and mount it. Therefore, it is worth ordering such windows only from trusted manufacturers.

Care of laminated structures

For lamination of the profile, durable polymer films are used — but with careless handling, the decorative coating can be damaged. To make the window last as long as possible, and at the same time not lose its attractiveness — follow the simple recommendations:

• Immediately after installation (or immediately after finishing in the apartment), remove the protective film from the profile. The glue that holds this film polymerizes in about 2-3 months, but after a month it will be very difficult to remove it without traces. And it is much more difficult to remove glue residues from a laminated surface than from a white profile.
• To wash windows, use compositions without aggressive acids, alkalis and solvents. Chemically active substances can damage the lamination or cause it to fade.
• When cleaning the window surface from contamination, do not rub the corners too hard. It is there that the joint of the films is located, and excessive friction force can cause the lamination to peel off.

A properly selected laminated window will be a real decoration of your home or apartment, and professional installation will ensure its impeccable service. Well, in order for the design to serve as long as possible, follow simple care recommendations.

You can order a high-quality professional installation of metal-plastic windows by following the link