The Construction and Installation of Window Sills

An important aspect of any window is its window sill. This is because the window sill is a feature that helps to channel water in a path away from the home or building. In order for the window sills to be effective, they must be constructed from quality material, which will allow them to function for years to come. Today, window sills are not just limited to wood and can be constructed from a number of different materials such as aluminum, vinyl, PVC and natural stones like slate, marble, granite and limestone.

Important Aspects of Window Sill Construction

Since the main function of a window sill is to carry water accumulation away from the home or building structure, it is necessary for the builder to slope the top surface of the window sill downward. For the window sill that is made from brick, there should be an approximate fifteen-degree slope from the horizontal position, and the degree of the slope will, of course, vary depending on the type of material that is used. When installing the window sill, it should be measured and calculated so that an average of at least an inch extends beyond the wall of the structure. The contractors may also wish to consider using brick units that are not cored for the end pieces of the window sill, so that there will be no cores visible to view.

The Evolving Trends in Window Sill Construction

It was once a common practice for brick masonry window sills to be done right on site of the construction. However, even though on site fabrication is still practiced, newer methods such as prefabricated units have emerged, and this is especially so when the sills are combined with a spandrel.

Prefabricated and pre-cast stone window sills are a convenient method today because they are available in pre-cut section lengths that make them more practical to install and more likely to resist stress during installation. That is why today, the contractors responsible of window sill installation are recommended to keep the length of the window sills to a limited length, which makes handling easier; though, they must make sure to soft joint between the longer window sill sections.

The Designer Look in Window Sill Construction

First and foremost, the window sill must maintain its functional quality, but that does not mean it has to give up any detail and aesthetic value. This can easily be achieved by combining the structural abilities with the artistic design of the window sill, and a sure way to do this is by choosing quality material to work with. Todays designers are not limited by choice of material and are able to add the artistic element with ease.

Home page

Guide To Window Treatments
Your information source for window treatments.

The Window Sill & Window Treatments
Your guide to dressing up window sills.

Where to buy
A trusted store where you can buy window treatments.

Disclaimers
Our contact and privacy information.