Plastering exterior walls before window install

hexosan

Just wondering what are the pros & cons to plastering the exterior walls before the windows are installed.

I seen this done on a house been built near me where they plastered externally while the roof was been constructed.

hexosan

Any takers

hexosan

Last try

genuine leather

Hey hexosan.
Pros/reasons, this was done i feel would be the availability of the plasterer.
Was he busy that he only had a certain timeframe to fit it in or
available at that point and needed to kick on with the work.
Could have been a delay on window units.

IMHO i would have windows fitted before reveals and finished coat (scud and scratch coats beforehand yes).
Once the windows are in and fitted the plasterer
has the window edges and head to work his reveal laths or bead too.

Without the window fitted its somewhat guesswork to know exactly where the edges of the window will be .

barryoc1

Windows cant be ordered until the blockwork is complete and opes are formed. When the blockwork is complete you are ready for plastering externally. However the windows will generally take at least 6 weeks. All depending on the type of window and the manufacturer. Plastering will take a bit of time, depending on size of building mainly but has to be built up in a number of layers. If you get bad weather may not be able to plaster the building. So to avoid delays if there is a tight construction programme you may plaster the main section of all the walls and leave the reveals until the windows are fitted.

Disadvantages of plastering before the windows are fitted are, you will have to have a stepped plaster reveal around the window ope rather than having a plain 90 degree corner at the ope. The plasterwork may get damaged when fitting the windows. You will have to try and get the plasterer back again to finish the plastering.

Also, if the window is a bit smaller than it is supposed to be the plasterer will have to build up the plaster to cover this. Then the reveal/band on the outside may not look consistent.

genuine leather

Snap

newbie2013

You can plaster the blocks without the windows being in. I even plastered my own before roof was on and no windows in. I'm a plasterer myself and I had the chance to get my house plastered outside more or less free. My uncle and a few friends(also plasterers) and I got stuck into it one week in summer when the roof and windows wasn't installed, we floated my house (14mx9m dormer) you just have to be creative with the reveals. Anything is possible with the right mindframe

BarneyMc

I had the windows installed first and this seems to make most sense. There's a blue film that you can apply to protect the outside of the windows during the plastering by the way.

john_eire

Going to pig back in on this topic

New build

Could u put in windows and doors ??
Put up scaffolding
Put the roof on house
Plaster outside and remove scaffolding

Would this be poor way of doing things ?
Are window and door likely to get damaged/scratch

Would be cost effective as regards scaffolding rent times

BarneyMc

john_eire wrote: »

Going to pig back in on this topic

New build

Could u put in windows and doors ??
Put up scaffolding
Put the roof on house
Plaster outside and remove scaffolding

Would this be poor way of doing things ?
Are window and door likely to get damaged/scratch

Would be cost effective as regards scaffolding rent times

Windows and doors only take a day to install so can't see how this would affect scaffold rental duration?

Regarding protection, I bought a blue film and stuck it to the outside of the window pane and frames. Stress with the plasters that any damage to windows, caused by them, will be deducted from their price.

893bet

We skuded the house prior to window fitting.

baby fish

I had the scud and scratch on the walls before windows and doors went in.
Then installed windows and doors
Then scratched the reveals and finally the finish coat everywhere. anything is possible if you want to do it but IMO you cant finish it 100% without the windows and frames in first. If you do try finish without the frames in you'd have to set up straight edges in all opes to finish to, it would actually be quicker to put in the windows and doors - it usually takes a day or less to do this.