Sealant around sliding doors

[tokyotecubate]

Hello all! Happy Monday!

 

We had our sliding doors in the loft installed last Friday - I couldn't be on site as that day ( as the installers have continuously rescheduled our installation, with myself having taken 5 work days off previously just to wait for those guys 🥲 so I didn't take a day off work to be on site)

 

After installation, when we were on site to check out the windows, I noticed that the sealant around the edges looks pretty weird - does it look normal? The 'bluging' around the edges looks pretty weird to me. 

 

Granted, it will be plastered over, but the 'chunks' seems pretty weird. As a novice, I honestly have no idea 😂 Would love your thoughts on this, and whether we need the installers to come out again to re-apply the sealant. 

 

Thank you so much for all your help! 

 

[MikeSharp01]

That looks like Ilbruck air tight sealing foam, they just have not pressed it in flush with the foam. Our installers waited for it to skin then just pushed anything that stuck out back into the gap nothing stuck out. You can probably still do it as the Ilbruck foam stays flexible anyway. You can then run the final plaster board reveals round and plaster from there, assuming that is your build up.

[tokyotecubate]

1 minute ago, MikeSharp01 said:

That looks like Ilbruck air tight sealing foam, they just have not pressed it in flush with the foam. Our installers waited for it to skin then just pushed anything that stuck out back into the gap nothing stuck out. You can probably still do it as the Ilbruck foam stays flexible anyway. You can then run the final plaster board reveals round and plaster from there, assuming that is your build up.

Sounds great - so looks like nothing to worry about? 

 

We noticed more sealant bulging on one side and less sealant in some areas in the middle, are we safe to assume that this is normal? As re there any tests that you recommend for us to test water and weather tightness of the install? 

 

Thank you so much! 

[Mr Punter]

The internal expanding foam is to help airtightness and insulation between the frame and the structure.  The outside seal (Compriband tape or mastic seal) is mostly the bit that makes it weathertight.

[MikeSharp01]

11 hours ago, tokyotecubate said:

Sounds great - so looks like nothing to worry about? 

Would be good to see the outside finish, should be Compriband, might be mastic as @Mr Punter says, post a picture to confirm.

[tokyotecubate]

Thank you for all your comments and help!

 

@Mr Punter @MikeSharp01This is the bottom of the door from the outside - my builder has pointed out that there is a huge gap ( as in his whole hand can go through ) on both the bottom and top of the doors, and we would need a window cill to ensure there is no water ingress. 

 

I've asked the door supplier about adding the cill, and this is his reply: 

 

With your pitched roof detail we would normally sit on the lead. There is not enough space beneath our doors for a 25mm sill and the 25mm sill will not have a sufficient flat surface to take the triple track of the sliding doors (210mm) and your balustrade. Epdm that the doors are sat on acts as a sill and will prevent water getting into house. Potentially could get a aluminium sill pressing made (just a 2mm thick L shape of aluminium) to your sizes. This would just tuck underneath the floor track and could be a preferred aesthetic.'

 

But again, I still don't understand how there can be such massive gaps underneath the doors? 

 

Does this mean this requires a total reinstall? What should we do? 

 

( P.S we have had multiple problems with this glass supplier/installer, where they had multiple instances (more than 6 times!) of missed planned installations, etc. at this point quite frankly we are not confident at all with the work, but just wanted to make sure with you all about whether their claims of just having the EPDM layer is enough, and whether even having those gaps underneath the door in the dormer is normal? ) 

 

Thank you all again! 

 

 

 

Edited August 15 by tokyotecubate
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[Redbeard]

Confused! Where is the balustrade going to sit? Fixing through the lead to a sturdy timber (???) underneath the lead?

 

The EPDM appears to fall down to the lead, and the lead rises to the tiles. Are you planning a pond? I think we'd have to know more about the alu section (and how and where the installer would intend to fit it - or does he expect 'others' to fit it?) before we could comment about its suitability. I hope there's a hell of a lot of packers close to each other under that bottom rail, or is the whole unit hanging on the sides? Looks v strange to me.

[tokyotecubate]

It is confusing right?  We also have no idea how it can be fixed like that as well. @Redbeardthank you for your comments, you just made me realize how badly installed this is. 

 

The blaustrade is going to be fixed on the reveals on both sides( in front of the sliding doors), and hence will not need to be considered for the fixing at the bottom.( Ie it will just sit on top of the cill) 

 

I asked the installer about the current gaps ( and the current set up) and he says that this is the final finish, and that the EPDM layer is the waterproofing layer. He has planned no cill, and apparently when the installers are on site, they say that there is a 'gap' between the frame and the opening, and this is the way they fix the gap. There is the same gap on the top of the doors too. 

 

The current details is definitely not the cross sectional details that they had on their product website ( I had been badgering the supplier / installer to give me the actual details since having paid the deposit but no details were ever provided, so can only base this on the drawing I downloaded off their website.)

 

We have requested a new install, and the installer says he will add a 25mm tall cill that will sit underneath the sliding doors when we do the new install.

 

Does that sound like the right plan? Would love to know the usual detail and finishes for the bottom of sliding doors for the dormer to ensure there is no water ingress.

 

Though to be honest, the fact that the installer can claim to have finished a 'job' leaving a detail like this is extremely alarming ( especially after having to bear with their last minute no show for more than 6 times!) - would you say we give up on this installer, and just find a better one that can do the right job? 

 

Thank you so much for your help!

[MikeSharp01]

5 hours ago, tokyotecubate said:

We have requested a new install, and the installer says he will add a 25mm tall cill that will sit underneath the sliding doors when we do the new install.

Good plan

 

Either way you still need an external seal, mastic / silicon or compriband (or similar) (I note they say on the section image that this seal is by others but that must be the installers as the drawing is from the manufacturer) and the EPDM under the window needs to be lapped up the rear of the frame, or when fitted the sill, somewhat to prevent water getting in. It is a poor detail in the way it has been done here by the looks of it but we cannot see how it is detailed. The occasional use of a a few packers looks wrong and the continuous sill sounds like a good outcome. Check the registration details of the installers (well the people you are paying) EG FENSA and then consider talking to them about the quality of work as they may well have sanctions they can use if the reinstall is not to your satisfaction.