Information
Storage, handling, installation, maintenance and use
In order to gain the full benefits of Premdor's product guarantees and prolong life, it is essential that these guidelines are adhered to.
Factory finished products
Coated surfaces require regular maintenance and cleaning at least annually to remove surface pollution. Some 'chalking' of the finish may occur over time due to natural erosion of the microporous paint film. This does not detract from the systems protective performance.
On occasion timber products may exude resin after installation. Typically, if resin is present this 'bleeding' cannot be prevented.
Discolouration can occur which will require attention and maintenance to retain the aesthetics and integrity of the coating. Resin exudation is excluded from our performance guarantee.
Exposure conditions can vary significantly according to location. South facing elevations and coastal sites will reduce to some extent the finish life to first maintenance. Our guarantees are intended to cover reasonable average UK conditions.
Exterior and interior doors
Storage and handling
Doors should be stored and handled as prescribed in BS Code of Practice CP151.
The door should be laid flat and kept dry and clean inside the polythene packaging until immediately before painting/staining. Do not store or install in an area which may be subject to extremes of temperature. Use a dry, well ventilated building, in areas which have not been recently plastered.
It is essential that precautions are taken where there is a risk of moisture content build up.
Particular care is needed in centrally heated or air conditioned buildings. Premdor must be informed at the time of tender and order whenever doors are needed for such buildings. The testing and rapid switching on and off of heating during the construction is detrimental to joinery.
When stacking doors it is essential that at least 3 load bearers are located along the door length to evenly distribute weight and avoid damage.
Doors should not be exposed to sunlight since natural shading or fading might occur. It is important that any packaging material (shrink wrap etc.) is left on the door for as long as is practically possible to avoid damage to door surfaces. This is particularly relevant to fully finished products.
Installation
Doors should be fitted as prescribed in the BS Code of Practice CP151.
It is essential that doors be fully sealed and any air gaps plugged, immediately after delivery. They should be sealed and knotted and primed on both faces and all four edges, and should then be fully finished, preferably before installation. Edges of flush doors with lacquer finish should be sealed and if any surface is subsequently cut, it should be primed or lacquered before the door is fixed into position. This particularly applies when end grain is exposed.
It is essential that if the preservative seal is broken in any way (e.g. trimmed, drilled or cut for letter box, hinges etc.) then any such exposed area should be preservative treated, painted/stained.
If, when installing doors, a reduction in overall size is required, it is important that equal amounts are taken from opposite edges. Interior moulded panel doors can be reduced by a maximum of 6mm on all edges. Flush doors can be reduced by 5mm if lipped, 6mm if unlipped.
When fitting locks and latches in doors, it is important to ensure that the construction and performance of the door is not adversely affected.
If a mortice lock is to be fitted, it must not be located opposite the mid rail of the door. Letterplates, locks etc. should be installed prior to the door being hung.
Use 11/2 pairs of 4" quality brass or steel hinges for exterior doors.
For lightweight interior doors use 1 pair 3" hinges. If the weight of the interior door exceeds 20kg, or if the door is to be hung between areas of contrasting humidity levels, then 11/2 pairs of hinges are required.
Fire doors must be installed in accordance with Certifire instructions as provided with each door.
Finishing
Decoration should be carried out in accordance with BS 6150: 1991 and BS 8000 Part 5: 1990.
Products must be clean and dry prior to finishing, having a moisture content which is no greater than the average for the intended location. Always follow the instructions provided with the stain or paint which is to be applied. Where necessary, Shellac knotting may be applied to honey primed door frames to aid resistance to resin staining subsequent to paint finishing.
The use of dark coloured paint finishes should be avoided on all softwood external joinery to minimise solar gain. A neutral colour undercoat should be considered when it is desired to finish frames in pastel shades.
It is important that the finishing system is balanced by equal application to both sides at the same time to ensure that an imbalance of moisture does not occur, particularly in the decoration of doors.
The complete surface area should be fully treated with topcoat paint or stain prior to installation. To ensure adequate coverage at least three coats of topcoat paint/stain needs to be applied. All edges, rebates for glazing and any areas which have been cut, drilled, etc must be fully painted/stained to the same standard as the rest of the door.
Maintenance
At annual intervals or more frequently if necessary, inspect and lubricate all ironmongery, hinges, pivoting and sliding parts. Inspect the condition of the decorative and glazing systems on all external joinery at maximum intervals of one year and carry out remedial work as required.
Weather protection
It is recommended that exterior doors which are to be located in exposed areas should be protected by a canopy or porch in addition to a weatherboard.
Please note: Finger-jointed materials may be used in manufacture, enhancing product stability.
Windows and door frames
Storage and handling
All Premdor windows and door frames are produced with a carefully controlled moisture content, as specified in British Standard BSEN 942: 1996. If extra moisture is picked up during storage or at the time of fitting, components within the window may swell or distort, possibly causing lasting damage to the products appearance and function.
Please handle windows with care. Ensure that frames are lifted not dragged. Because impact loads on corners could damage the frames, they should not be put down unevenly or heavily.
Take particular care with large composite frames, and avoid twisting as this can put undue strain on the joints.
Store windows under cover, in a dry ventilated area. Unglazed windows should be stored flat on level bearers in stacks up to a maximum of 1600mm in height. Glazed frames should always be placed in a vertical position.
If stored outside, the frame should be placed on level bearers and protected by a tarpaulin. There must be space for air to circulate around and between the frames.
Do not use window and door frames as scaffold supports, and avoid all other misuse.
Inspect frames periodically during storage to maintain correct conditions and to check that the base coat or primer is in good condition.
Before fitting, if window frames have been supplied with a base coat or a primer only, it is recommended that at least one additional coat of "high build" stain or paint, or exterior quality paint is applied to the edges of the frame that will be hidden once the window is built in.
Window and door frames should be installed into openings, ready prepared in the brickwork or other structure.
The practice of using the window or door frames themselves as formers while the brick work is built up around them is definitely not recommended.
Installation
Fixings should be positioned at 150mm from each of the four corners, at both sides of every corner and thereafter at a maximum of 500mm intervals in between.
Check that the frame is perfectly square by measuring the frame diagonals. These are exactly the same length if the frame is square.
Fire doors must be fitted with Certifire approved intumescent seals and ironmongery.
Open all sashes and operate throughout their entire movement to check that they do not bind against the frame or the surrounding structure.
Fill the gap between the frame and the wall, on the outside face, with a non-setting approved perimeter sealant.
NOTE: On external door frames for fire doors, the gap between the frame and brickwork must be packed with a non-combustible material, for example, mineral wool fibre.
Glazing
Premdor recommend the use of timber glazing beads for both stained and painted windows, whether single or double glazed. Most window types are supplied complete with matching glazing beads, pinned loose to the frame.
Unless otherwise advised, windows when factory double glazed, will be fitted with annealed glass.
Feature frames and front entrance frames will continue to comply with safety requirements for glazing into risk areas as defined in BS6262: 1982.
Your attention is drawn to the Building Regulation 1998 Approved Document N1 for glazing into critical locations. It is the buyer's responsibility to inform Premdor whether the windows being ordered are categorised as being in critical locations as defined in Approved Document N1.
When measuring for glass, note that the tight rebate size should be reduced to allow a tolerance. It is recommended that the glass is ordered 6mm (1/4") less in height and also 6mm less in width. This will allow tolerance of 3mm (1/8") around all the edges of the glass. For patterned glass, the smoother of the two glass surfaces should be to the outside. This makes the glass easier to clean, simplifies painting and also improves weathersealing.
Site glazing must be carried out in accordance with the requirements of BS8000: Part 7. Your attention is also drawn to the NHBC Standard - Chapter 6.7 Clause D7(c) which requires a drained and vented bottom bead.
Finishing
The long term durability and continued good looks of the windows depend on the care that you take over the initial finishing process. There is also the need to maintain the decorative finish by regular inspection and redecoration, when necessary.
The decoration and finishing of windows is covered by a British Standard Code of Practice BS6150: 1991 "Painting in Buildings" and BS8000 Part 12: 1989.
The following recommendations are based on these standards and should be followed to help produce a better finish.
Finishing coats of paint or stains must be applied as soon as possible after fitting. If exposure to the weather is greater than 3 months, then re-priming must be carried out in situ.
The use of dark coloured paint finishes should be avoided on all softwood external joinery to minimise solar gain and reduce the risk of resin exudation. A neutral undercoat should be considered when it is desired to finish frames in pastel shades.
A good quality shellac knotting should be applied to cleaned, primed surfaces prior to painting with conventional alkyd paints, although knotting is not recommended with wood stains and some moisture vapour permeable paint systems.
Alkyd gloss paints - only exterior quality paint systems should be used. General purpose paints may not have the extensibility required to give a good service life. The paint manufacturers instructions must be followed.
Moisture vapour permeable alkyd and water-based acrylic systems may be used provided the paint manufacturers instructions are followed. These materials are often known under the general name of "high build" stains.
During finishing, take care to ensure that paint or stain is not applied to weatherstrips, ironmongery, reflex hinge slide channels or moving parts, because this may cause lasting damage to the operation and performance of the window. Allow sufficient drying time before closing sashes against the frame, otherwise damage to weatherstrips could occur the next time the sashes are opened.
Maintenance
At annual intervals or more frequently if necessary, inspect and lubricate all ironmongery, hinges, pivoting and sliding parts. Friction hinges must not be oiled or greased.
Inspect the condition of the decorative and glazing systems on all external joinery at maximum intervals of one year and carry out remedial work as required.