Fitting a round window

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elscouser
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Fitting a round window

Postby elscouser » Sat Mar 24, 2018 9:04 am

Hi everyone,

Id like to try this myself but am a bit nervous - I basically need to cut a hole into a 2 layer brick wall and fit a round window. I understand what I need to do with lintel etc but whats the best method for getting a perfectly round hole with the plaster etc?

Any help would be REALLY appreciate as all i can find online is how to fit into wooden walls.

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costakid
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby costakid » Sat Mar 24, 2018 9:25 am

Look on youtube. I would be surprised if there is not any info on there.

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Trooperman
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby Trooperman » Sat Mar 24, 2018 10:29 am

whats the best method for getting a perfectly round hole with the plaster etc?
I suspect it'll be a case of making good afterwards.
Cut a hole as near as possible to the circle required - angle grinder and hammer/bolster - insert window frame and infill gaps with brick pieces, mortar and, finally, plaster/render.
nil illegitimum carborundum

ajtg1952
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby ajtg1952 » Sat Mar 24, 2018 11:38 am

Depending on how big it is you should not need a lintel. I put in one for a friend. 600 mm diameter through a stone and clay wall. The hole ended up massively bigger and just infilled the gaps with stone and mortar. Very easy job!

elscouser
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby elscouser » Sat Mar 24, 2018 11:52 am

thanks guys - i just don't want it to look botched so was wondering if there was a foolproof way of getting the round circle right....

No tutorials etc on youtube :-(

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gerryh
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby gerryh » Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:30 pm

The only way of getting a perfectly round circle is by using a very expensive cutter and horizontal drilling machine as was used on the Hatton Garden jewellery heist.
The image shows three holes drilled overlapping each other but you should be able to visualise one hole.
https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-p ... -Getty.jpg
As others have said, just hammer and chisel a round a hole as you can, insert the window and fill up the gaps.
I would try to drill a small hole, at 90 deg to the wall in all directions, and draw a circle of the required size, using the hole as the centre, on the inside and outside of the wall. Then work with a hammer and chisel from inside and outside.
Cheers
Gerry
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olive
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby olive » Sat Mar 24, 2018 1:18 pm

Presumably it comes with an internal circular architrave to finish the join between the window and the internal wall surface? If so that makes the job easier.

On the outside it might be harder if it is exposed brickwork on the outside face. If it is exposed brick then draw your circle using a template and drill lots of small holes around it. Even so you will have making good of the brickwork to do especially on the recess face. If it is rendered/mortared on the outside face then the job will be a lot easier. One word of caution. If you have a small anglegrinder don't be tempted to use it sideways to smooth things off. The discs don't take kindly to that.

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gerryh
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby gerryh » Sat Mar 24, 2018 1:46 pm

Had a quick look on Youtube and here is an example of the type of drilling machine you need for a perfectly circular hole.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn0BGzloLC8
Cheers
Gerry
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby wollie » Wed Mar 28, 2018 8:49 am

Personally i think the hole is the easy bit as Spanish building material i have seen pretty brittle but no matter what you do it is unlikely you have a perfectly round hole.
What i think you need to do is make the hole as best you can. then using the window as a template cut two circular pieces from a sheet of plywood slightly larger than the circle of the window, you then tack the lightest plywood on the outside of each plywood circle of the with of the wall.
When you have your imperfect hole made put this circle inside and fill the area around with plaster and let it set and remove.
For ease dis-assembling when set it may be a good option to cut this circle in the center and lightly tack together as if its too rigid you may damage plaster when removing.

hope this helps

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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby Manchesteral » Wed Apr 04, 2018 8:43 am

elscouser wrote:thanks guys - i just don't want it to look botched so was wondering if there was a foolproof way of getting the round circle right....

No tutorials etc on youtube :-(
When I was young man and skint I learned how to do many simple d i y jobs through trial and error.

First make a template a couple of mil or maybe 1 cm bigger than the diameter of the window, using some cast off 1 cm plywood or similar, you can do this with a hand held jigsaw.

When you have a circular (or close enough) template, trim it off then drill a hole approx 8-10 mil exactly in the centre of the template.

Next, drill a hole in the centre of the area where the window is to be located, plug it and bolt the template to the wall, score around it and while it's still in place use a hand held angle grinder to cut around the template, I found that leaving the template in place will minimise the risk of mistakes, if you try to cut around the template with a cold chisel you may take out some bigger lumps than you expected !

When you've cut around the template sufficiently deeply, say 1-1½ cm you can then remove the template and continue till you have the hole completely cut away, do the same on the other side of the wall.

Perhaps some experts will find fault with this method but it worked for me :-)

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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby TorreDelAguila » Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:56 am

Expanded polystyrene, cut to shape (hot-wire makes it easy), makes an excellent mould/template/cast for wall openings of a special shape, as well as arch-top doorways etc. Most builders' suppliers stock large sheets/slabs of polystyrene.

For small circular openings (eg for an extractor fan or vent) a sawn-off plastic bucket can be put in the rough hole, and cemented round. This plastic 'liner' can often be left in place.
Chris

Manchesteral
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby Manchesteral » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:32 am

Expanded polystyrene is okay for actually making the template if you just want to score round it and cut the hole out manually, my method using a solid template will give a much firmer base to work with and less likely to stray from the area you need to cut, as I said I found this the most reliable method, Lump hammers and chisels are not the easiest way especially if you're not used to handling them !

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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby Manchesteral » Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:00 pm

Re angle grinders and the use of, I've also found them the most effective way of cutting wall or floor tiles, very clean cut !

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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby ajtg1952 » Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:50 pm

I prefer wet cutting to prevent dust!

TorreDelAguila
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby TorreDelAguila » Wed Apr 04, 2018 4:33 pm

I recommended the use of expanded polystyrene not as an aid to cutting, but as something to cement round - or even cast around, if you're feeling really creative...
Work in progress; polystyrene and timber cast window apertures and arches
Work in progress; polystyrene and timber cast window apertures and arches
DSCF1593r.jpg (77.49 KiB) Viewed 9094 times
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Last edited by TorreDelAguila on Thu Apr 05, 2018 7:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chris

wollie
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby wollie » Wed Apr 04, 2018 5:31 pm

I think my way best and the rest of you simply do not kno what your talkin aboug??

elscouser
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Re: Fitting a round window

Postby elscouser » Sun Apr 08, 2018 6:01 pm

some great advice guys, thanks very much.


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