Bay windows are exterior windows that protrude beyond the building’s surface, expanding interior space, broadening views, and enhancing the building’s facade. Due to their large light-filled area, expansive views, and excellent ventilation, they have become increasingly common in residential buildings in recent years as people’s expectations for living environments have risen. Bay windows are relatively unique among vertical structural components, with a protruding portion on the outside of the window, making them difficult to balance when hoisted. During installation, please note the following:
- If the window has already been installed, protective measures should be taken, such as applying a plastic cover to the window frame. (Given the fragility and difficulty of protecting glass during construction, it is not recommended to install the glass at the factory.)
- When transporting the bay window to the construction site, a storage plan should be developed. Generally, it is stored horizontally or vertically. When lying horizontally, they must be flipped before lifting. When placed upright, diagonal supports should be provided against the wall ,and top supports should be provided on the underside of the protruding surface to ensure the stability of the bay window.
- When lifting the bay window, due to the protruding portion of the prefabricated component (usually ≤500mm), the wall will be tilted slightly after lifting. However, the angle is not significant and does not significantly affect the installation process. After lifting, the vertical angle of the component is generally around 3000mm high, so although the tilt angle is small, the overall dimensional deviation is significant, which is visually impactful. Horizontally, the spacing between the two rows of sleeves is approximately 150mm, with minimal dimensional deviation of only 10-20mm, thus not significantly affecting the alignment of the sleeves and the 4. Note that during the installation process, plastic spacers should be placed on both sides of the protruding portion of the lower bay window. Typically, 20-30mm spacers are used, with one spacer placed on each side. This prevents the lower front end of the bay window from colliding with the upper front end of the lower bay window during the lowering process. This also ensures that the bay window tilts slightly inward once it is in place. Therefore, when adjusting the verticality of the bay window, it is better to lengthen the outer top support rather than shorten it to avoid pulling out the prefabricated foundation elements. 5. Before adjusting the verticality of the bay window, use a crowbar to remove the plastic spacers at the front. 6. When storing the bay window upright on site, ensure that supports or spacers are placed under the protruding portion to ensure balance and stability.
Aside from the above six points, the installation process for bay windows is the same as for precast exterior wall panels.
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