piercing a timber framed wall
Questions answered and a range of solutions on problems and issues encountered with timber framed buildings

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Nearlyman
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piercing a timber framed wall

Post by Nearlyman » Wed Sep 21, 2011 7:14 pm

My property is a modern detached house - six years old - timber framed construction with a brick and render external wall.
Clearly, to save money, the developers did not put a window in the integral garage whose external, timber framed wall is the common gable end of the property. Of the eight houses I've lived in over the past 45 years - 5 were pre 1960 and three new or recently built - only this most recent, new build, came without a window in the garage. I use it - as I have all my garages - as a workshop for my DIY activity. To see at all lights are needed and are mostly left burning the entire day now that in retirement I spend a great deal of time in the garage "pottering" - as of course retirees commonly do :=). I am told also that frequent switching on and off energy saving bulbs shortens their lives. Anyway we all know that these bulbs take an eternity to reach full brilliance, which isn't that hot anyway; all said and done.
So, I want to pierce this external wall to get some proper light into the garage and fit a double glazed window approx 4 Ft wide x 40" deep - although I could suffer a 40"x40" if these are standard. As the gable end where I want to pierce the wall faces almost directly south not only will I get the maximum possible amount of daylight during the day the sun will warm up the garage - even in winter - and thus help to conserve energy: at the moment it's akin to the black hole of Calcutta and needs artificial light even to access the small freezer we keep there.
Problem is I will need to apply for planning and building control approval, which by definition, will require drawings. Being a retired engineering design draftsman this I can do without too much difficulty as I also used CAD in my last ten years of my job. The problem is the actual design of the opening and the necessary requiremnets re lintels, damp proofing and making good the unavoidable damage to the water proof membrane.
I did once briefly see a manual - very expensive - which seemed to deal with this, but I wondered if there is anything on the web - in the form of a CAD drawing - showing a typical detailed section through a x2 glazed window set into a timber framed wall, which I could download directly into my CAD drawing?
I know for example all sorts of images on the web can be downloaded, but I have not had any success with architectural stuff of the kind I am looking for. I feel sure it's out there, but I am clearly looking in the wrong place......:=(
If anyone knows how I can obtain such info I'd be keen to follow it up.

welsh brickie
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Re: piercing a timber framed wall

Post by welsh brickie » Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:40 am

I have done a job similar to what you require,Same problems but no planning was required.With being a rendered exterior it was hard to match the existing render.So I used a diamond bladed saw to cut the opening and had the DG window fully reinforced with a steel plate screwed to the window head and extened 150mm past the jambs so It would slide into the groove I had cut for the window bearing.I also made a upvc window lining around the inside to stop damp penitrating through the wall.
I hope this helps

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