Which plastic type for a temporary window glazing?

[epsilonGreedy]

I am putting in OSB window blanks at the moment to close up the house shell for the winter but would like to let a little natural light in so I am not 100% dependant on internal electric work lights. My idea is to have 2 glazed windows in the smallest apertures.

 

I need to make a decision re. plastic type and thickness. Polycarbonate or Perspex Acrylic (or even glass). Thickness... I assume 3mm or 4mm will do?

 

The largest window pane size will be 750 x 600 and the house is in a sheltered position.

[PeterW]

I’d use the twin wall polycarbonate as it’s strong and let’s light through and takes screws etc but isn’t easily broken or seen though. 

[Russell griffiths]

Avoid acrylic as it will crack if you fart too close to it. 

 

 

[Jilly]

1 hour ago, PeterW said:

I’d use the twin wall polycarbonate as it’s strong and let’s light through and takes screws etc but isn’t easily broken or seen though. 

What a fab idea! I've been stressing about how to board up on my own ?

[James94]

Could you not put a 2x4 frame and staple a decent polythene?

Regards.  James

[Gus Potter]

What about trying this?

 

Try phoning up a few double glazing installers and ask them if you can rake their skip, you may get some full frames + glass that just need a bit of trimming of the opening with some rough timber or you may just get the sealed units, some may be misted up (failed units) but they will still let the light in. For the installers getting rid of the plastic frames can be costly so a few will be glad to get them off their hands. Also, they should help as they know that they will maybe get a shout at providing your new windows!

 

The French Doors and windows in the photo are recovered from an old sunroom, now demolished. I have been dodging away building a bit out the back when not doing the day job. Been busy with the day job so have been at this on and off for a while! The doors and windows are to come out soon and this will leave an opening the width of the lintel. Basically I got the old plastic doors / windows and made a temporary sub frame from old timber. You can see there are timber studs each side of the doors.. these have a gap at the top. This is to allow the lintel to deflect a bit as the roof was built and the load goes on it... often technically called a deflection head detail. The idea is that you allow the kit to dry .. build the external skin and so on thus avoiding a sudden drop when you take out the temporary studs.

 

Hopefully, over the next couple of months we will have the new windows doors in and I'll be looking to get rid of what you see in the photos plus another back door and another set of French doors.

 

So for Build Hub members ONLY.. they will be free to a good home so long as you collect them.

 

I'm in East Kilbride just South of Glasgow so if there is any interest I'll post the sizes. The doors have one set of keys.. the window ones are lost.. and it goes without saying that no guarentee is available!

 

I will be a bit sorry to see them go as they have provided plenty light while I have been working away.. but that is the price of progress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SteamyTea]

14 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

Avoid acrylic as it will crack if you fart too close to it. 

 

 

Cast acrylic is alright, extruded is the ne that gives problems.

You can also get flexible acrylic.

By twin walled polycarbonate is probably the easy one, though it does degrade fairly quickly when exposed to UV.  Why acrylic is used on sunbeds it does not degrade.