Pvc window frame

[dgirard]

If you price it out, 1/2" EMT is only about $.50 more than 1/2" PVC. If a couple of bucks breaks you, you are in the wrong hobby. :biggrin2:
And PVC WILL SAG eventually. mg:

Sounds like you've either got a pricey source for PVC, or a cheap source for EMT. I can get 1/2 pvc elbows for 27c, but EMT elbows are $1.92...that's $6.00 extra per window frame...yea, I'm cheap, but I believe structural things should be well built but well built cheaply...until this thread I hadn't considered using PVC with the EMT pipe...duh!

$6.00 means almost 20 more pixels somewhere! LOL

Agreed on the PVC sagging however. Great thread here guys!

 

[BillW]

I'm wanting to build my window frames from pvc. They will be roughly 6' wide by 4' tall. My question is when assembling these should I glue the joints or not? The concern comes with storage being that large, but if I don't glue them will they slide apart over the winter? I'm sure someone has dealt with this before

Here's a couple of old links, this might be helpful.

http://bazillionlights.com/Tech/LightsTechWindowFrames.html
http://www.trumbullchristmas.com/Construction.aspx

Also there are numerous threads on our sites, were people discuss different options, some for doors others windows and how to outline your roof all of these can easily transfer to what you want to do.

BillW

 

[rstehle]

Sounds like you've either got a pricey source for PVC, or a cheap source for EMT. I can get 1/2 pvc elbows for 27c, but EMT elbows are $1.92...that's $6.00 extra per window frame...yea, I'm cheap, but I believe structural things should be well built but well built cheaply...until this thread I hadn't considered using PVC with the EMT pipe...duh!

$6.00 means almost 20 more pixels somewhere! LOL

Agreed on the PVC sagging however. Great thread here guys!

HaHa, sorry for any confusion, I am not using EMT fittings, only the pipe. I use PVC fittings and secure the EMT with a self tapping screw.

 

[JCook]

last year i used PVC and had an issue when it got really cold. I have a brick front house so I used pressure to hold them in place so not to drill into the brick. When it got cold the PVC shrank and a few of them fell out.

This year I made them out of 1"x1"x1/16" aluminum angle and welded the frames together. Was way cheaper than pvc pipe, fittings glue etc. Cost about $7 per window. All of my house lights are mounted to Aluminum angle.

 

[dirknerkle]

My PVC window and garage door frames are 26 years old this year -- they're painted flat black to protect from UV and I've only had to repair two of them in all that time... because I dropped them when taking them down from the upper level... Of course, they've been restrung multiple times, but that's just regular light maintenance... BTW, each window has its own wireless controller... it takes about a half hour to put the frames on the front of the house, drop the cord down and plug them into power...

 

[dgirard]

OK that's what I'm now going to be doing thanks to this thread. Thanks!

I have no idea why I didn't think of that in the first place...I agree that EMT is pretty much the same price (maybe even cheaper?) than PVC for the pipe...and eliminates any sagging potential problems. The fittings were creating a cost block for me...so, solved!

HaHa, sorry for any confusion, I am not using EMT fittings, only the pipe. I use PVC fittings and secure the EMT with a self tapping screw.