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How to make carved window frames? DIY templates. Drawings and sketches. Window trim for a wooden house (and not only) How to make carved trim with your own hands

The use of carved platbands in exterior decoration at home can transform any structure, even the most primitive in architecture. The word “platbands” itself is based on the meaning “on the face.” It is not surprising that with such decorations the house acquires recognition, unusualness, originality and completeness of the image.

Peculiarities

The platbands themselves perform several functions. Decorative is just one of them. With the help of such elements, you can visually make a narrow house wider, and “increase in height” a low building.

Thanks to such decorations, the gaps between window frame and a wall, which in turn leads to a reduction in noise levels from the street.

In addition, dust and water do not penetrate into the cracks, and cold does not penetrate into the house itself.

Using carved platbands, you can make the building colorful in national terms and decorate it as antique. It is important that the application of these elements is appropriate. Wooden frames on a plastic window will look just as strange as metal ones on a log house.

Kinds

Carved window frames can be made from plastic, MDF, fiberboard, metal and wood. The most common and common option is wooden. They look great, often striking with rich carvings, and can be restored. Maple, alder or birch, as well as pine, are often chosen as the basis for creating figured elements.

Such wood cannot be called particularly resistant and durable, but it is easy to cut and inexpensive.

For the manufacture of small elements, apple or cherry trees are often chosen.

Products made from beech, oak, larch or ash resist precipitation and temperature changes well, but processing these species is much more difficult.

There are several types of wooden platbands: Flat.
There is no “decorative subtext” in them. Such models are used for only one purpose - closing cracks in the house in the most economical way. Shaped.
The models have a convex surface. They may have protrusions and depressions in the form of cut-out patterns. In such “frames” the windows look very elegant. Window shutters are often especially expressive. Such products are distinguished by their special individuality, originality of shapes and slotted elements. They can fully be called decorative elements of the house. To make these products, you need a vertical milling machine.

The problem with wooden frames is that over the years the material can darken, crack or rot. To prevent this, they must be periodically treated with a protective varnish.

Metal trims look no worse than wooden ones and organically fit into the appearance of the facade, decorated using siding. The material allows you to decorate the product with complex patterns and combined colors. Such platbands are durable and can be installed without much difficulty. But we should not forget that metal is susceptible to corrosion, so measures must be taken to prevent traces of rust from appearing on the frame around the windows.

PVC windows are best decorated with plastic trim. Unlike wooden ones, these can be made in any shape and color. They will not crack over the years, will not rot, and will not be eaten by insects. The products are easy to install. They last a long time and do not require special care.

The only problem is that these products cannot be made independently, and options with truly thin relief carving Manufacturers do not offer it.

Fiberboard allows you to make any designs on it and is easy to process. That is why it is often used to decorate windows. To prevent such products from absorbing water over time and deteriorating, they must be laminated before use.

A material similar in structure is MDF - a fine fraction of wood. Essentially this is an improved version of fiberboard. This material can also be used to make platbands; it can be processed no worse than wood-fiber board.

The carving itself also differs by type.

Proreznaya. It is created over the entire area of the casing and resembles airy lace.
Invoice. In this case, the openwork elements are placed on a solid base, to which they are glued or nailed. With this approach, thinner, lighter and clearer ornaments are obtained than when using blind carvings (not through).

Platbands also differ in the type of installation.

Invoices They are simply attached to the wall near the window and nailed with nails without heads, or glued on.
Telescopic cr-shaped protrusions are inserted into the gaps between the window frame and the wall. Installing them is not as easy as overhead ones, but they provide more reliable isolation of the joint from external influences.

How to make and install?

To make wooden platbands with your own hands, you will need the following tools.

drill and drill bits for it;
jigsaw with a set of files;
chisels;
sandpaper;
flap disk for a drill made of sandpaper;
sander;
milling cutter

First you need to decide on the openwork that will be present on the platbands. People with talent and proper training can make the desired image themselves. You can also find a huge variety of drawings on the Internet.

The selected option must be transferred according to the template onto the board. Sometimes the template has to be enlarged. The simplest thing is to make a printout of the desired size, transfer the diagram to cardboard and cut it out.

The thickness of the board when slotted should be at least 3 centimeters. If the carving is overhead, you can use wood 1 centimeter thick to create the openwork.

When starting the process of creating slotted trims, many people think about whether it is possible to create a design on several of them simultaneously by stacking future products in a stack. After all, the drawing is the same.

A professional with the appropriate equipment can allow this option to solve the problem. As for home craftsmen, they often have jigsaws of insufficient power. As a result, the process of processing several boards at the same time is very slow.

When the lines are straight, the saw works at an acceptable speed; in rounded areas the process takes too long. As a result of the “wholesale” approach, the time gain is not as significant as we would like.

It should also be taken into account that even high-quality saw blades deviate when processing wood that is too thick. Therefore, sloppy cuts may appear on the bottom boards. Therefore, when getting down to business, you need to think carefully about all the nuances of the process.

It is important to correctly position the design on the wooden workpiece. To prevent the platbands from cracking, the elements must “run” along the wood fiber.

First you need to cut out the excess wood in certain places. The files are selected in such a way that required hole the diameter was slightly larger than the width of the instrument.

A file is installed in the slots obtained at the first stage, and all excess is removed according to the intended pattern. You need to act precisely, but taking into account the fact that the window frame will be viewed from afar, small errors should not puzzle the craftsman too much.

If the product has a figured edge, it is also created using a jigsaw. When cutting too complex a shape, some places may not turn out very graceful. The situation will be corrected by further processing with a chisel. The finished look is given to products at such mandatory manufacturing stages as sanding, priming and painting.

The fastest way to sand is using a sander. With an emery wheel on a drill, the procedure is slower. Manual sanding is very time-consuming. If you bring the appearance of flat surfaces to completion with a grinder, and sandpaper over small parts manually, you can get the desired result without delaying the process of creating platbands.

A primer is needed to ensure that the beauty you create yourself from wood is not exposed to dampness, exposure to the sun, fungus and wood-boring beetles.

Any impregnation for external use is suitable. It is most convenient to immerse the future casing in a container with an appropriate solution for a few minutes. Another option is to go over all the curls and grooves with a brush.

For coloring, you can use different compositions. It is convenient to use wood oil that soaks into it. This coating will only need to be updated after a few years. Before re-processing, you will need to clean the surface and remove dust from it. When choosing this method of protecting a product, you need to take into account that the oil is expensive and the choice of colors is limited. If you use opaque paints, you will need to repaint the trim once a year. To keep the products looking neat, old paint

Before applying a new one, it is necessary to remove it, re-prime it, and only then apply a fresh coat.

The last stage of work is the installation of platbands. They can be mounted on a wall or backing board and only then on the façade around the window.
It is better to look for boards that have undergone special treatment in construction stores or on sawmills. In no case should specimens have large knots, resin residues or other traces of a negative property that could make themselves felt when creating a pattern. It is best to order boards whose width is 10-15 centimeters and thickness 3-4.
Before starting the actual creation of platbands, it makes sense to hone the carver’s skills and the skill of creating a specific design on cheap boards.

If you want to create not just beautiful, but also meaningful products, it is better to take into account the meaning of some elements of the design of the platbands, which have appeared on the facades of Russian-style houses since ancient times - decorations on houses served not only a decorative function, but also the function of a talisman.

When creating platbands, the owner of the house was given the opportunity to express himself, conveying certain information to others. For example, the sun in the center of the upper part of the casing means energy and life. The snake as a decorative element represents fertility and wisdom. The cross, inscribed in the carved decor of the window frame, symbolizes the harmony of spiritual and material aspirations.

Decorative framing of windows and roof ends has always been considered the finishing element that gives the entire structure individuality and recognition. But due to the fact that the labor intensity and cost of such decoration are simply enormous, many owners prefer to install platbands on windows in a wooden house with their own hands.

When planning to save on this operation, you need to soberly assess your capabilities, since the method of manufacturing and installing platbands has big amount technological nuances, ignoring which can reduce all costs and time to zero.

This review examines several methods of manufacturing and installing decorative trims and focuses on non-standard technical aspects.

Depending on the design of the casher, you may need to make it yourself different types equipment. In some cases, a standard “home carpenter’s” kit is sufficient, but if the decorative elements include wood carving, you will have to purchase special tools and devices.

Let's consider the relationship between the design of cashing and the complexity of the technical equipment used in its manufacture.

From industrial preparations

If the window frames are supposed to be made from purchased blanks with an already formed pattern or profile, then most likely there will be no need to purchase additional equipment.

When writing a review, we proceed from the fact that the workshop of the owner who decided to equip wooden house, already contains the following minimum tools:

universal screwdrivers;
pliers and pliers;
rasps and files;
hand saw;
plane;
hammer;
clamp;
axe;
measuring devices (tape measure, square, building level).

It would not be a mistake to assume that an electric drill and an electromechanical jigsaw are also included in the mandatory tool kit of any self-respecting home craftsman.

The only thing worth purchasing before self-assembly platbands from industrial blanks - this is a device for cutting boards at a given angle (“miter box”) and an end mill for punching blind holes for dowels.

We emphasize that the tools listed in this subsection are a basic set, supplemented by more specialized models as the design of the casing becomes more complex.

With elements of wood carving

In those cases where you plan to make frames with wood carving elements with your own hands, the stage of preliminary preparation of the workshop will be more difficult.

Note that it is not at all necessary to buy all the tools listed in this review, since in this area construction work there is a narrow specialization.

So, to create cut-out decorations, it is enough to supplement the basic equipment with the following tools:

Sander;
electrified jigsaw machine, in which you can use a round file.

Using a machine for cutting patterns is not necessary, but is highly desirable in cases where the patterns are large in area and contain small elements.

Another situation where you can’t do without a stationary jigsaw is making a platband from plywood, since it is extremely difficult for a manual model of such a saw to accurately follow the lines of the template.

Please note that when creating slotted patterns, it is strongly recommended to use not the flat, but the round version of jigsaws. This will avoid accidental deviations from the lines of the design, the occurrence of which is especially unpleasant in the final stages of processing the product.

To make voluminous carved jewelry yourself, you will need to purchase a set of special chisels.

To decorate the entire house with patterned decor, you need to do a very large volume work, therefore it is necessary to provide for the possibility of quickly sharpening chisels. For these purposes you can purchase inexpensive sharpening machine, which, moreover, is useful for straightening drills, knives, plane blades and some types of cutters.

Using machine profiling

Overview of the tools used during exterior finishing wooden houses, will be incomplete without mentioning manual and stationary milling machines.

A relatively inexpensive manual model of such a device will allow you to solve the following problems:

creation from ordinary edged boards profiled frames for external and internal platbands;
quickly cut grooves for tongue-and-groove joints or chamfer when assembling frames “with overlay”;
make patterned figures on the blanks, both using the slotted technique and in the form of volumetric carving (and do this in the shortest possible time).
inlay wooden panels using the original internal carving technique.

Note that when buying a router, you need to decide in advance which types will be needed in the future, and add the appropriate items to the purchase estimate. The figure below shows the most used designs of edge and internal cutters.

We select the material

We talked in detail about what platbands are made of in our article.

Let us remind you here that when making cash, you must be able to find a balance between the technological qualities of wood and its climate resistance.

In general, the following rules should be followed:

for volumetric carving, use soft wood species (linden, cherry, alder);
For the manufacture of frames, use strong and stable types of wood (larch, oak, ash, pine).

If decoration is done using cutting technology, then all elements of the casing can be made from hardwood, since hand-cutting patterns is practically not used today.

Let us separately emphasize another advantage of the slotted technology - ordinary plywood can be used to make such decor. Surprisingly, this material, after impregnation with water-polymer compounds, becomes as strong as oak, while remaining the most convenient for cutting out patterns.

Moreover, three-dimensional compositions can be made from plywood by gluing several layers into one overlay block.

The only disadvantage of such glued compositions is that to cut out large patterns you need a stationary machine that allows the installation of a round-shaped jigsaw. It is almost impossible to go through all the curves of the design without errors and serifs, using only classic flat files on such a thin material.

When making platbands with your own hands, it is necessary to take into account that any decoration, although it is an original element of decoration, at the same time remains part of the structure of the window opening.

First of all, cashing should not interfere with opening windows and closing shutters. This requirement, simple at first glance, is not so easy to implement in practice, and it is when determining the dimensions of the frame that mistakes are most often made.

The internal dimensions of the frame must be such that the platband completely covers the end of the frame, but does not interfere with the full opening of the windows. That is, when drawing up a drawing, you must first determine work area windows in the open position and only then develop the installation diagram of the platband.

In cases where the platband joins external slopes (and this often happens when PVC installation double-glazed windows in a casing made of embedded timber), its internal contour must correspond to the outer perimeter of the slopes.

Following general requirement to the platband design - the upper block (bar) should be thicker than the lower one. This is necessary to reduce the amount of water falling on the bottom of the cashing.

In classic designs of platbands for wooden and timber houses, this requirement was implemented in the form of a massive cornice, creating a kind of cover for the entire lower part of the window.

More strict options for exterior window decoration do not involve a difference in the thickness of the slats, but the installation of ebb and flow, both under the window and above the frame.

We would like to emphasize that the casing is exposed for a long time to direct exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation, as well as strong changes in temperature and moisture. No matter how high-quality the wood processing is, it will in any case change the original dimensions and begin to allow moisture to pass through to the fasteners.

Therefore, the classic method of assembling it does not involve the use of metal nails and screws (they rust and fall out). The best option production of a wide frame and panels for platbands - the use of glued compositions from boards and wooden dowels.

Below is an example of making a prefabricated shield for a decorative cornice without the use of metal parts.

The illustration shows that the shield is assembled from boards glued end to end. Laying of boards is carried out in accordance with the internal pattern of the wood. Adhesive composition - PVA or waterproof wood glue (curing time - 2-3 times for glue polymerization).

The tightening is done using ropes and pegs that enhance the compression.

Manufacturing of slotted platbands

As a detailed answer to the question of how to make platbands for a window opening in a wooden house yourself, we will consider the technology for manufacturing and assembling a slotted platband.

Despite the fact that there are more complex options for framing frames (for example, with three-dimensional wood carvings), this description sufficiently conveys all the subtleties of this stage of facade finishing.

First let's give full list operations that must be performed to make the platband:

Drawing up a technical sketch and calculating the main dimensions.
Choice artistic scheme products (drawing patterns, preparing templates).
Preparation (or purchase) of necessary lumber and fasteners.
Marking of parts and connections.
Cutting blanks and adjusting sizes.
Manufacturing the supporting frame of the platband (for those cases where the invoice has a slotted pattern).
Transferring template designs to workpieces.
Development of a cutting pattern and determination of points for drilling initial and final holes.
Cutting out the picture.
Chamfering and grinding.
Antiseptic treatment and priming of all parts.
Paint each part individually (especially if multiple color schemes are used).
Installation of overhead parts on the frame.
Installation of supporting slats on the wall of the house (if the house is made of timber or frame, this operation is not necessary).
Installing a frame on a window opening.

Now let's look at the most difficult stages in more detail.

Selection of drawing

Let us immediately note that, without having practical experience in wood carving, the design for the platband should be chosen as simple as possible, without small details.

The easiest way to take ready-made template and print it in full size. It is best to do this on a large plotter, but you can use the sectional printing feature found in many graphics editors.

Frame making

There are two different approaches to making a frame for the platband:

Cutting out a solid frame from laminated board.
Assembly of each element of the base from boards (frame, shield for decorative cornice).

The first option was discussed above, but to use it it is desirable to have the appropriate experience and skills.

The second scheme is classic and consists of assembling a square frame from four planks.

Corner joints are made in two ways:

“tenon and groove” method;
overlapping

A tongue-and-groove connection is considered more reliable, but its manufacture requires special equipment (a milling cutter). The overlap joint is made using a simple hacksaw and drill.

Please note that the base of the platband may include not only a frame, but also a triangular panel for placement decorative elements cornice. When assembling it, the problem arises of connecting several boards into a single whole. If you exclude end gluing, this problem can be solved using anodized staples and screws.

Production of carved elements

The slotted casing can be either applied or solid. In the first case, the frame and patterns are made as separate structural elements. In the second, each frame strip simultaneously performs a functional and decorative role.

The most popular is the first option (invoice), due to its manufacturability and versatility.

Cutting the pattern is done after transferring the pattern from the template to the workpiece. Through holes are drilled at the starting points of the cut and in the area of bends.

The working tool in this case is a manual or stationary jigsaw.

If you still use a hand-held saw model, then in order to avoid distortions, the workpiece must be secured with a clamp on a horizontal plane.

In most cases, the cutting plane is strictly perpendicular to the outer surface of the board, but to give a volumetric effect, chamfers can be removed from the outside of the design.

After completing the drawing, the workpiece is cleaned of large burrs and chips (inside and outside), after which grinding is performed. The surfaces inside the decor are cleaned using a drill and a schreiber. It is most convenient to finish the outer surfaces with a grinding machine.

Protective treatment and painting

All efforts to make a wooden frame will be in vain if measures are not taken to protect it from rotting and moisture deformation. This is especially true for carved elements, since they are made from unstable wood species, as well as internal platbands installed in baths and saunas.

To properly process carved and power elements framing, we recommend following the following sequence of actions:

Painting.
Protective varnish coating.

The antiseptic composition can be used the same as that used to stabilize logs during the construction of log houses.

Painting should be started only after the antiseptic has completely dried. Please note that most modern protective compounds have priming properties, so a separate primer coating may not be required.

Narrow brushes are used to cover the inner surfaces of the pattern, and wide ones for the outer surfaces.

Varnish treatment is carried out before assembling the product: when painting of all products is completed and after the paint has completely dried.

To protect the platbands on wooden windows Acrylic varnish for wood is suitable.

In cases where plastic decorative overlays are used, all operations listed in this subsection apply only to frame elements.

Platband assembly

After all the necessary components have been manufactured and painted, they must be assembled into a single structure.

It is best to do this on a flat surface, before installing it on the window opening.

Attaching decorative elements to the supporting frame can be done in the following ways:

self-tapping screws;
finishing nails;
blind wooden dowels with glue fixation.

In cases where it is necessary to cover the upper edges of the platband with carved patterns, the decorative element and the frame are joined perpendicularly. Reliable fixation This type of joint provides mounting angles.

Separately, we note that the most durable casing will be obtained by planting the decor on wooden dowels. At the same time, not only the contact area, but also the entire inner surface of the carved element is covered with glue (to prevent moisture from leaking in).

If you still use metal fasteners, then you need to select the most protected samples of screws and nails.

Tip: a good “camouflage” for screw heads is made from a mixture of fine sawdust and waterproof wood glue.

Window installation

In order to correctly install the assembled platband, it is highly desirable that this operation be performed by at least two workers. This is necessary in order to accurately align its position before final fixation.

Despite the fact that the installation of the assembled frame is carried out at pre-marked points on the casing, visual correction of its position will still be required.

It should also be taken into account that when assembled, the entire structure can be very heavy, and if you follow all the safety rules, then installation of such products should only be carried out from scaffolding.

Conclusion

To conclude the review, let’s look at one more feature of the platbands: the non-standard connection to the wall of the house.

Since it is impossible to make fixed connections between the elements of the framing frame and the wall of the house, the problem arises of sealing the gap between the inner surface of the platband and the uneven contour of the logs. From a technological point of view, its presence is insignificant, but from an aesthetic point of view it is very noticeable.

Therefore, in cases where the platband too clearly emphasizes the uneven contour of the wall, they install between the wall and the platband wooden slats, providing sliding contact and giving everything window block more finished look.

The Master Srubov company accepts orders for the full range of work performed during the transformation of a log or timber frame into a comfortable house, including the manufacture and installation of platbands. You can clarify the terms of cooperation and calculate the cost of the work by going to the page and contacting us using any of the methods of communication published there.

Wooden window frames - element decorative finishing facade of private houses, which is more common in rural areas. They embody the traditions of original Russian architecture and are true works of art.

It is difficult to find beautiful carved platbands on sale, since this type of facade decoration is gradually losing its popularity, and the craftsmen knowing the subtleties There are fewer and fewer of them to create, and their services are not cheap. But connoisseurs of traditional home decoration can decorate their home themselves by making the trim with their own hands. Of course, this work will require patience, training and preliminary study of the technology. Helpful hints You will find information on the manufacture and installation of wooden platbands in this article.

What are window frames needed for?

Platbands will decorate the facade and keep the house warm

Previously, people believed that certain patterns on platbands were endowed with magical properties and are able to protect the inhabitants of the house from the evil eye. Now they are valued mainly for their decorative qualities: the ability to emphasize the style of the house, give it a complete look and enliven the facade. In the case of log houses, this type of window decoration is the only possible one, since plastic in combination with wood will look out of place, and the building will lose its flavor.

However, platbands also have functional purpose. This window element protects the room from heat loss, drafts, dust and noise by closing the gaps between the opening and the frame. The only drawback of wooden platbands is the need for their proper processing and careful selection of wood.

Types of wooden platbands

The production of platbands depends on their design features and installation method. By design, they are shaped, flat, figured and openwork. Flat ones do not have threads and are easy to manufacture; shaped and figured ones have a convex surface with a non-through pattern applied to it and are produced on a milling machine. But handmade products are valued higher, since the equipment cannot create an end-to-end openwork pattern.

Wooden frames are installed in two ways:

Overhead – the structure is secured with metal or liquid (adhesive) nails and screws.
Telescopic - the casing is supported on protrusions that connect to the grooves of the window frame. This method is more complicated than the previous one, but appearance the product does not deteriorate from traces of fasteners.

Design options

There are also many varieties of visual design. We will look at specific patterns and the technology for creating them below.

Wood for making platbands

The material must be easy to process

To make wooden window frames that will last you a long time, you need to choose the right type of wood for them. Suitable for this purpose are: larch, linden, oak, pine, beech, walnut and fruit trees (apple, cherry). You can decide on the option that is suitable for you by assessing the qualities of these breeds:

Hardwoods such as beech and oak will last longer, but are more difficult to process. Cutting patterns from these materials will take a lot of time.
Soft varieties (alder, linden) are easier to process, but require mandatory impregnation with moisture-repellent compounds.
Larch is resistant to rotting, but very fragile.
Coniferous species (pine, spruce) are considered the “golden mean”. They are durable and yet flexible.
Fruit varieties are suitable for making small parts - overlays.

Advice! In areas with significant temperature changes, high humidity or, conversely, excessive dry air, it is recommended to use platbands only made of hard wood.

Tools required for work

The manufacture of carved frames will require the use of tools designed for woodworking, namely:

chisels (semicircular, flat, curved at an angle);
knives with ground and wedge-shaped blades;
jigsaw;
drills;
milling machine.

You can’t do without a ruler, pencil or marker and a pattern with a pattern. You will also need a tool for filing spikes. To make it yourself, you need to take 3 slats, place 2 hacksaw blades between them and fix the structure. This tool allows you to simultaneously saw through the eyes and tenons of the platbands.

Set of chisels

Meaning and creation of patterns

The appearance and meaning of this decorative element depends on which pattern you choose. When the art of creating platbands arose, patterns were created not only for the sake of beauty, but also endowed with meaning. Here are interpretations of some of them:

the sun is associated with energy and life, it is placed on the kokoshnik - the upper part of the casing;
the snake is the embodiment of wisdom;
the cross is designed to create harmony between spiritual and material values;
the bird is a symbol that unites different times;
wings represent strength;
plants represent unity with nature;
earrings placed at the bottom of the structure speak of the hospitality of the owners.

Having decided on the desired images, find the corresponding patterns on the Internet and print them out. Make slits in the diagram and transfer it from paper to plywood or thick cardboard, so you will get templates for carved platbands. You can read more about making templates (stencils) in.

Platband templates

The main methods of creating window decorations are slotted and applied carvings. In the first case, using platband templates, the pattern is transferred to wood, and then individual structural parts are cut out of it. In the second case, first the platband is made from a solid board, then overlay patterns are cut out using patterns and fastened with nails, creating a three-dimensional pattern. The ornaments of all parts must be harmoniously combined.

The upper part of the structure is made in the form of a kokoshnik, the lower part is in the form of a towel, and two sidewalls are placed between them. The parts are connected to each other with spikes. The upper part needs to be made 1 cm larger than the lower part and given a slope to prevent moisture stagnation.

Kokoshnik made with slotted carvings

When cutting out patterns, movements are made along the wood fibers, otherwise the material will quickly crack. It is more convenient to make round elements with an electric drill. The ornament is made up of repeating patterns, it is desirable that among them there are more rounded parts - they are easier to make.

Basic Rules

The design should not interfere with opening the window. To achieve this, the dimensions of the internal frame of the platband are made a couple of centimeters larger than the window frame.
It is necessary to eliminate uneven walls before installing platbands. To do this, wooden slats are nailed around the perimeter of the window, adjusted to each other.
For work, use only well-dried wood.
All windows are decorated in the same style.

Preparing for work

To make wooden window frames with your own hands, first of all measure all sides of the window and select durable boards the required size, with a thickness of at least 3-4 cm. This thickness ensures the strength of the structure without interfering with the opening of the window sashes. The width is chosen depending on the pattern; standardly it ranges from 15 to 30 cm in different parts of the casing.

It is better to compose a pattern from large elements, since too small details, when viewed from afar, lose out, merging into a single whole. In addition, creating a small pattern takes more time. Before cutting out the “finish” version, it is worth testing window trim templates on unnecessary pieces of wood. This will allow you to “get your teeth into” and check whether the patterns you have chosen look good on the material.

Practice cutting out a pattern on a small sample.

Installation of platbands on windows

The cut out parts of the structure are sanded with sandpaper and connected. Fastening is carried out using the tongue-and-groove method; both parts are coated with synthetic glue before joining.

The installation of platbands on windows differs depending on whether the structure is attached to a wooden or stone facade. To work with stone walls you will need:

mounting syringe;
liquid silicone to eliminate cracks;
drill and drill bits with pobedite coating;
self-tapping screws;
wooden choppers for screws;
a brush and paint to match the color of the casing for covering the fastener heads.

Finished structure before installation

Platbands for the windows of a wooden house require a different set of tools and materials, consisting of:

nails 5 cm long;
liquid silicone and a syringe for applying it;
hammer;
suitable paint and brush.

In addition to the above, in both cases you will need a stepladder.

The finished structure is mounted on the wall using self-tapping screws or nails, making sure that it fits tightly to the edges window slopes. All formed cracks and loose joints are coated with silicone, then the fastener heads are hidden, painting them with a thin brush. Do-it-yourself wooden platbands are ready.

Final finishing

Although the carved platbands themselves look original, correctly selected decor will make them more attractive. In addition, wood processing is needed to increase its service life. It is recommended to impregnate the finished product with a moisture-repellent composition and coat it with paint or varnish.

Painted platbands

Among the ways to diversify the design are: painting, firing and painting in contrasting colors. Painting can repeat patterns and focus attention on individual details, and contrasting coloring looks good when combining several types of carvings in a product. No less beautiful window trims are obtained by firing. Processing wood with a blowtorch or gas burner forms spectacular tan marks on its surface.

Contrasting coloring of elements

Whatever processing method you choose, remember that the structure needs careful care and periodic minor repairs, then the platbands will decorate the facade of the building and delight you for many years.

Installing external frames for window openings is usually practiced in wooden houses, where it is necessary to cover the gaps between the frame and the wall with something. The issue can be solved in different ways: by nailing planed boards around the perimeter, or by first cutting out the trim for the windows, and only then attaching them to the walls with your own hands. There is a third option - to supply ready-made products purchased in the store. Our task is to explain how to make such cladding yourself.

Types of decorative strips

For the external framing of windows and entrance doors, platbands made from the following materials are used:

wood, thick plywood;
metal;
Styrofoam;
polyurethane.

Wooden cladding, which has adorned log houses for centuries, remains popular to this day. It is performed in two styles - Russian, where beautiful carvings with rich ornaments prevail, and Finnish - more laconic. The latter is distinguished by the straight shapes of the elements and a small hinged visor, as shown in the photo:

Framing in Finnish (left) and Russian style (right)

Reference. The scope of application of wood strips is not limited to log houses. Now they can be found on country cottages built from timber and brick, including with plastic windows. As the photo shows, the openwork pattern looks great even on a stone wall.

The main advantage of wood is not ease of processing, although this also matters. Another thing is important here: carved platbands, made according to an individual sketch, will give the facade an exclusive appearance that you will not see anywhere else. This good reason take up self-production, because ordering such products from a specialist will not be cheap. This equally applies to metal flashings - you can also cut them yourself if desired.

Window cladding made of polystyrene foam and plastic – more modern way resolving the issue. And although polymer elements for windows are not exorbitantly priced and are easy to install, they are completely devoid of individuality. The reason is clear - many enterprises have mastered the production of polyurethane decor.

Facade decor made of polyurethane

Cutting out a wooden frame without a stencil

This method is suitable for those who want to decorate door and window openings, but do not have wood carving experience. First you need to select a material - boards 2-4 cm thick, whose width is determined by the selected pattern, and the length - by the size of the window.

Advice. Choose lumber from soft woods - linden, alder or aspen. Cutting a pattern in solid beech or oak is not an easy task. Spruce is too knotty, and pine easily cracks along the grain, so it is not advisable for a beginner to use it.

The window casing consists of 4 main parts shown in the drawing: two side panels, a frieze and a window sill board. The design can be supplemented with a decorative top (otherwise known as a kokoshnik). The elements are joined together at an angle of 45 or 90° - at your discretion.

To make flashings with a simple flower pattern, proceed in this order:

Draw a line down the center of the board. Using it as a guide, draw circles along the entire length with a pencil (you can outline a round object of suitable diameter). Using a square, draw lines at 90 and 45° angles through the centers of all circles.
Take a drill and drill a hole in the center of the circle and two more on each line. Draw petals of future flowers around them.
Using a jigsaw, cut out each petal and trace the outer contour of the product with a pencil, as shown in the photo. Cut off the excess part and thoroughly clean the resulting ornament. In the same way, make all 4 parts.

Advice. If you are not very good at drawing, use a regular pattern to draw curved lines.

After cutting, homemade platbands must be carefully processed inside and out with a rasp, and then with coarse sandpaper. The last stage is coating with an antiseptic and painting (or applying yacht waterproof varnish). To better understand the process, watch the video where a little boy does all the work:

Important point. Nothing bad will happen if during the work the board cracks into 2 parts. They can be fastened together with steel plates screwed on the reverse side.

Manufacturing according to template

This technology involves applying a complex pattern to a wooden surface using a stencil, from which the trim is cut out with your own hands. Some samples of templates available for sale are shown in the picture:

Note. You can make an individual stencil yourself by drawing a pattern on a sheet of cardboard, thin plywood or plastic, and then cutting it out with a jigsaw or scissors.

Drilling a workpiece for a jigsaw

There are 2 ways to make wooden window coverings:

Take the boards and make a slotted pattern, as described in the previous section.
saw out complex elements separately, and then attach them to the boards using glue, screws or tenons. This is how patterns with protruding parts are made.

No matter which method you choose, the cutting process is the same. An ornament is applied to the surface with a pencil through a stencil, after which the outer contour of the product is formed with a jigsaw. Where you need to cut out the internal pattern, first drill holes for the jigsaw blade to fit into. To confidently work with thin curved slots, it is better to take a file of small width.

A finished element, which is then attached to the frieze or side framing board

Note. The same technology is used for the manufacture of platbands from thin sheet metal or corrugated sheets. You just need to choose a different cutting tool.

We bring to your attention another video that tells you how to make window cladding using a template without using a jigsaw, using only a drill with a core drill bit:

Installation instructions

There is no special trick to installing platbands with a slotted pattern. The structure can be assembled on a table and then placed on the window as a whole or attached in parts. In a log house, for installation of cladding, it is necessary to prepare areas around the perimeter of the opening, cutting the logs to the width of the board.

Element-by-element assembly using self-tapping screws is carried out in the following order:

Treat all carved parts with varnish and place them in places on the prepared board to form a pattern.
If you need to make a large top, then use several boards connected by corners as the base.
Screw each element to the base by screwing in the screws on the back of the board.
Install the finished casing flush with the window frame so that it closes the gap, and secure with long screws. For doors that open outward, make an indent of 1-2 cm so that they swing open 90°.

Advice. To prevent the ornamental elements from moving during fastening, carefully pull them to the base with clamps.

How to correctly install carved flashings is shown in the video:

Conclusion

Cute platbands with beautiful patterns look great on any windows, both wooden and plastic. This is not to say that they are difficult to manufacture, but they will take some work. Success largely depends on the quality of the wood and your qualifications. In order to avoid mistakes, beginners are advised to choose a simpler design and “get to grips” with the facades facing the backyard. Then you will decorate the front side of the house impeccably.

Design engineer with more than 8 years of experience in construction.
Graduated from Eastern Ukrainian National University them. Vladimir Dal with a degree in Electronics Industry Equipment in 2011.

The ancient tradition of making and installing carved frames on windows in a wooden house was remembered relatively recently, when the first boom in the construction of log houses from rounded logs and timber passed. Having lived for several years in a new wooden house, the owners almost always begin to treat it as a living being, so it is not surprising that on the windows and entrance doors Amazingly beautiful carved patterns began to appear from wood, serving as both decoration and protection.

Functions and purpose of carved platbands

Most experts involved in the culture and history of wooden architectural monuments note that carved window frames, photo, are almost a status item. A house without carved patterns looks like a wooden hut, even if it is very large and beautifully decorated, with platbands - it turns into a tower.

Traditionally, carved window frames are installed for two purposes:

Protection of cracks around the perimeter of the window frame from the penetration of rain, snow and wind;
Additions and decorations to a window opening and the facade of a wooden house as a whole.

For a wooden house, builders traditionally offer wooden or metal-plastic window frames complete with double-glazed windows. window profiles. Ordinary plastic PVC trims can also be ordered in a carved version. It’s just that you most likely won’t be able to choose a design or pattern; carved plastic window frames are made according to traditional templates by stamping and only give the appearance of handmade work.

Advice! Today, many restoration workshops and companies have at their disposal three-axis milling machines that can automatically cut a pattern of any complexity from polycarbonate, foam plastic and epoxy plastics.

Such work will not be cheap, but the quality of the carved platbands for plastic windows will be even higher than manual cutting. All that remains is to choose the design and pattern.

Rarely any home owner can speak more or less clearly and reliably about the third task of window casing. We are talking about protective functions that protect wooden house from the “evil eye”, diseases and uninvited guests. You can have different attitudes towards beliefs and traditions, but it will obviously not be amiss to take into account the specifics of choosing a pattern for the trim in your home.

Patterns and figures on carved wooden frames

It is clear that any self-respecting owner will not hang the first available frames on the windows of a wooden house; the process of selecting a theme and design can take a long time, so you should not overuse the use of symbols whose meaning is unclear or unknown. If the mystical and cultural part of the carved frames creates psychological discomfort, you can treat carving as a way decorative design window openings of a wooden house.

It was no coincidence that they were invented to decorate carved frames, and were carefully stored and passed on practically unchanged. Most wood carvers cut simply as copyers, so you will have to plan and decipher the design on your own.

Advice! In any case, before using carved wooden frames on windows with patterns and pictures of incomprehensible content, it makes sense to try to understand the meanings of the carving elements, patterns and figures.

For example, figurines and images of animals have always symbolized positive wishes for prosperity and prosperity to the home:

The snake or dragon has always signified wisdom and strength to protect the home;
Birds in flight mean cordiality and friendliness; birds sitting in the corners mean attention to guests and news;
Fish, deer, bunches of wheat and grapes mean a wish for prosperity.

It was not customary to depict domestic animals and human figures, especially in the same canvas as climbing plants and flowers.

More modern designs on carved wooden frames usually have a traditional regular pattern.

These can be intertwined flowers, leaves grapevine, arranged in a regular pattern. In the carved compositions of the 18th-19th centuries, more modern images of columns, porticoes and chapels used in the wooden architecture of that era have already appeared.

Most of the carved frames are ordered from master carvers. If desired, it is not difficult to make carved window frames with your own hands using templates or ready-made diagrams. The simplest lines and drawings can be transferred to a blank and cut out with an engraving attachment; with more complex patterns you will have to tinker and remember drawing lessons at school.

The upper part of the frames was called the ochele, this is the most complex and beautiful part of the decor. On the one hand, the ochele set the general tone of the carved composition, on the other, it served as a canopy over the window opening. At the top of the composition was a diadem, symbolizing rising Sun, and in the center a medallion or crown of plants was always depicted. The lower part of the window was covered with a carved apron, usually in the form of an open fan.

If the mystical and cultural part of the carved frames creates psychological discomfort, you can treat the carving simply as a way of decorating the window openings of a wooden house.

An ordinary interwoven pattern of vines or flowers will be far from any mystical content, while the beauty of the trim and carvings of the window frame of a wooden house will only intensify. Carved frames with a regular pattern have a serious advantage over a complex multi-tiered composition:

Firstly, patterns of carved window frames are transferred to a wooden or plastic blank much easier and faster than a drawing with a complex multi-tiered composition;
Secondly, even if you cut out an intertwining vine or edging with your own hands and make small mistakes, it will be almost impossible to see them in a patterned field, this is how human psychology works.

Therefore, before making carved window frames, choose a simple pattern for yourself, with a minimum number of individual details. Even the most uncomplicated pattern on the facing strips can transform the appearance of a window in a wooden house beyond recognition.

Options for making carved platbands with your own hands

Wood carving has always been and remains a rather expensive undertaking, so instead of buying ready-made trims, cut or stamped on furniture equipment, you can try to make decorative strips with simple patterns with your own hands. At home or in a carpentry workshop, you can use one of three methods:

Transfer the template to the prepared board and cut out patterns using an engraving set;
Cast patterns under the carved platband from polyester or epoxy resin followed by painting or finishing with wood-look laminate film;
Cut out the overlay pattern of the platband using a jigsaw.

Before you try your hand at making carved frames, you need to select suitable material. For carving and engraving, you will need hard types of wood; beech or oak are good, pine or spruce are a little worse, poplar and aspen are not suitable. To cut out the overlay pattern, you can use a regular floorboard, but the material must not have knots, defects or complex interweaving of fibers.

Templates for cutting out an overlay pattern

For making the most simple patterns You can use the simplest drawings of intertwining plants, flowers, grapes. Essentially, this is a flat tracing paper from more complex carved reliefs. This pattern can be used to decorate the vertical side trims of the casing.

To decorate a window frame, you need to look not for regular, but for single patterns, for example, a composition of symmetrically arranged figures or interlacing plant stems.

The same pattern can be translated into a contour line and turned into a flat ornament, which is quite simply cut out of plywood, boards or even MDF boards.

The most complex relief or volumetric patterns are made using the typesetting method. Initially, ordinary wooden frames are made from slats; individual cladding elements are carefully adjusted to the size of the window and assembled into a finished frame.

All other decorative elements are sequentially cut out of wood, cast from casting polymer or cut from MDF boards, after which they are sanded, primed and glued to the prepared frame.

Making carved platbands with your own hands

Most often, patterns for window decoration are cut out of waterproof OSB boards in the form of overhead decorative elements. Initially, on tracing paper, a piece of graph paper and using a program, the necessary template for the drawing is developed.

Next, you need to make a working template, with which you can transfer the pattern onto a wooden substrate an unlimited number of times, photo. To do this, the printed pattern is glued onto a sheet of fiberboard and cut out using a perforated attachment for a drill or ordinary metal scissors.

After marking the wooden blank, you can begin cutting out the casing. The easiest way to make cuts is with a jigsaw on a carpenter's workbench.

Along the line of the made cuts, you need to carefully remove the chamfer with sandpaper so that during further processing the front surface of the carved pattern does not chip. If a sufficiently thin strip was chosen as a blank, then the cut out carved part of the decor can be glued onto a fabric base.

In the same way, small overhead elements in the form of rhombuses, squares, rings, and braids are cut out. After sanding, the cut out elements are ground on an electric grinder with a wood polishing stone. Using a circle, you can quite simply give a rhombus or any other geometric figure the required shape, form edges or transitional curved planes.

After gluing the decor, the carved frames are primed with hydrophobic impregnations and subjected to aging. This is done in order to remove the whiteness of freshly sanded wood. For this purpose, solutions of iron, copper, and chromium salts are used. As a result, it is possible to choose the color and shade of the carved frame to match the wooden window frame. All that remains is to open the wood with varnish or oil impregnation and install carved decor on the window.

Conclusion

Very often, owners of wooden houses, instead of making new decorative elements, prefer to buy old carved frames that have been preserved in villages, abandoned houses and buildings. Often, the cost of a set of carved frames for three windows on the facade of a building is cheaper than hand-carving one frame by a modern craftsman. In some cases, among the old decor, you can find real works of art made by hand by craftsmen of the last century. Such carved frames are usually subjected to deep restoration and are installed not on the outer parts of the windows, but indoors.