Jigsaw, casing of window and door openings

What is a socket or casing? Why is it being done?

Over time, wooden houses experience significant shrinkage due to the fact that the wood dries out. Wood twists and bends, which can cause warping and damage to windows and doors. To prevent shrinkage of the house from leading to deformation of window structures and doors, you need to make a frame or casing.

The cap protects the openings from pressure from above and creates the gap necessary for shrinkage. The side parts of the pigtail have poses that create vertical sliding. Most often, the pigtail is made from coniferous wood. It consists of a top, sides and a window sill (threshold).

Important! The casing must be installed before caulking works.

Types of casing (casing)

U-shaped pigtail (in a deck)

Classic pigtail. To perform this, a tenon is cut out at the end of the wall, a vertical part of the casing with a groove is installed on it, along which the frame moves vertically due to shrinkage. Thanks to this, no pressure is placed on the door and window structure, which guarantees their correct functioning and durability. The casing is treated with an antiseptic, and soft insulation is placed between the tenon and groove. A wind lock provides protection against blowing under the window sill. The gaps above the top of the pigtail are closed with soft insulating material.

T-shaped socket (in a spike)

The T-shaped frame is made as follows: a groove is cut at the end of the opening, and the side parts of the casing have T-shaped profiles. Bars are glued into the grooves on the risers of the frame, which act as stiffeners; they guarantee the stability of the shape of the casing and uniform shrinkage of the walls.

When installing a T-type pigtail, strict adherence to technology is required. For example, if you secure a block with nails or self-tapping screws, there is a possibility of freezing or blowing through the window and door opening. An important role in casing is played by antiseptic treatment and insulation of seams with compressible material.

A U- or T-shaped pigtail is selected depending on the house. When visiting the site, the surveyor will tell you the most suitable type of casing. Our craftsmen professionally perform the full range of work on the manufacture and installation of casing in wooden houses.

Stages of installing a casing (casing)

1. Opening cutout is done at a distance of 80-90 cm from the floor; when determining this distance, the person’s height is taken into account. Between the opening and the window or door structure, you need to make a shrinkage gap of 35-60 mm.

2. Preparing the opening. Using a chainsaw, depending on the type of socket, a groove or ridge is cut in the opening.

3. Processing and insulation. After installing the frame, its surfaces are treated with an antiseptic, and insulation is placed in the gaps. When installing the frame, you cannot use foam, since the window structure must move freely vertically.

4. Installation of wooden elements. At the end, the installation of wooden elements is carried out, namely the window sill, sidewalls and top.

Prices for casing, pigtail

We install casing boxes using high-quality materials. Carrying out work on the installation of casing boxes, the Department guarantees quality that meets European standards.

LIST AND TYPES OF WORK FOR INSTALLATION OF CASING BOXES		Cost of work with material (rub.)	Cost of work, including customer’s materials (RUB)
INSTALLATION OF RAW CASING BOXES ACCORDING TO TECHNOLOGIES
In the embedded block
In the thorn-monolith
In the embedded block
To the deck (complex configuration, trapezoid)
In the thorn-monolith (complex configuration, trapezoid)
INSTALLATION OF FINISHING CASING BOXES ACCORDING TO TECHNOLOGIES
In a tenon with a finished slope (class “A”) (complex configuration, trapezoid)
In a tenon with a ready-made slope ("Extra" class) (complex configuration, trapezoid)
INSTALLATION OF CABINETS
Installation of external/internal trims (complex configuration, trapezoid)
ADDITIONAL WORK
Window sill installation
Using an electric generator
Assembly of tours (customer's material)
Removal of old casing and glazing

What affects the price of casing?

1. Wall thickness: wooden houses are built from logs and timber, so the wall thickness can be from 140 to 300 mm. The dimensions of the parts of the frame correspond in width to the walls of the house, or slightly exceed it. You also need to consider the width of the window sill.

2. Opening size: The larger the opening, the more material will be required to make the frame and the time it will take to work. The shape of the opening also affects the price of the casing: a standard rectangular design or a complex polygonal one.

3. Quality of a wooden house: if the walls are assembled without connecting elements, the curvature of the walls occurs in the cut out openings. Then you have to additionally straighten the walls, which leads to additional costs. Houses made of timber are assembled using nails that meet at 300 mm. Because of this, additional money and time are required to sharpen chainsaw chains or purchase new ones.

Photos of our projects. Casing (frame) of door and window openings

A wooden house is an excellent structure, which is at the same time distinguished by reliability, high quality, environmental friendliness and a long service life. The latter is only possible if the house is well looked after, and during construction, all the nuances that may affect the condition of the structure are taken into account. The specificity of wood is that over time it can change its properties; in order to avoid destruction of the house, the tree must be strengthened at the stage of its construction.

During the operation of the house, many owners noticed that the wood dried out over time, the walls and roofs put pressure on the foundation, leading to a gradual shrinkage of the house. Installing a socket prevents rapid destruction of the structure. The sapling ensures that the logs and their movement cannot disturb the stability of the house.

Installing a door frame primarily affects the protection of doors from sagging and clogging. It prevents the pressure from the walls from moving the door.

Protecting walls and doorways is a very important step; if you skip it, you can very soon feel changes in the structure of the house. The work must be carried out responsibly, since the future of the structure depends on its quality - it must be safe for those living in the house. Thanks to the socket, the connection of the logs is improved and the pressure of the materials on each other is regulated.

Functions of the pigtail:

• Protecting the doorway from the fact that one day it may warp and jam.
• Relieving the load of the weight of the walls on the doorway.
• Preventing door damage. In this case, the material from which the doors are made is completely unimportant.
• Preventing gaps and cracks between logs.

The trimming of doorways is a must. It will avoid shrinkage, provide the required technological gap, improve the connection between wooden structures, and make the installation of windows and doors easier. The edging must be completed no later than 10 years after the building was erected.

Door frame: design

You can make the pigtail yourself. But, of course, for this you need to understand all its components. Each element performs specific functions. The design will be of poor quality if any of the elements are done incorrectly or skipped altogether.

It is important to remember that wooden walls exert a certain load, so all materials for the frame must be of high quality and durable.

There are many methods for constructing a pigtail - each method has its own characteristics and characteristics. Each master can choose the method that he considers the most reliable and convenient for implementation. The technology for performing the work depends on how familiar the master is with the sequence and complexity of construction work. The choice of method also depends on the characteristics of the wooden house.

What does the pigtail consist of:

• Sidewall. Consists of side posts that connect to the wall. It is a guide that will allow the walls to move so that the shape and structure of the opening is not damaged.
• Vershnik. It is a strip that is connected to the sidewalls. This is a horizontal spacer that affects the retention of the contours of the opening and the formation of a shrinkage gap with the seal.
• Threshold. Represented by the lower part of the opening. He takes on the main load.

To install the embedded beam, the side parts are processed and recesses are cut into them. The recess is filled with a bar of the appropriate size. If the monolith tenon method is used, then the embedded beam and part of the box are formed together, so that the part is cut out and driven into a pre-made groove.

Types of casing of doorways in a wooden house

The window frame allows you to strengthen the walls in the openings and prevent their curvature. If the distortions have already occurred, then the pigtail can correct the situation by fastening them and aligning them. It also protects the house from the penetration of cold air and moisture. At the same time, warm air remains in the room - the window acts as a sealant.

The pigtail allows you to prevent shrinkage of the house, stop the processes of its destruction and deformation.

The pigtail not only protects the house from destruction, but also has a beautiful appearance. The sapling may differ by type. They differ in manufacturing and installation methods and in price.

Types of casing:

• Chernovaya. High-quality casing at low cost.
• Finishing. This option does not require cleaning the slopes.
• Eurocasing. There is also no need to clean the slopes.
• Power. It is usually installed in arched openings, large windows and large doorways.
• Combined. It is inexpensive and stylish in appearance.
• Arched. Consists of solid pine.

The production time for different sieges depends on the size and quality of them. It is important to choose high-quality materials, as well as calculate the dimensions of the casing in advance. Today, manufacturers offer a wide range of inexpensive, but quite practical and durable casings.

Tips for installing a frame under a metal door

An independent joint should be performed only when the master is confident in his professionalism. If a beginner gets down to business, he must first familiarize himself with the recommendations of professionals, otherwise all construction work may be ruined. In order to make a joint, you need to take care of a set of professional tools.

To carry out construction work, you should definitely prepare a chainsaw, circular saw, jigsaw, drill, screwdriver, and grinder.

Inexperienced builders may neglect very important points, which can negatively affect the repair and provoke unpleasant consequences. When making the design of the pigtail, it is important to remember that the safety of being in the house largely depends on its quality. Advice from professionals will help you do everything right.

Tips from the professionals:

• Polyurethane foam must be of high quality. To seal voids, you do not need to use a sealant, which is often used when installing windows and doors. It is too hard, which ruins the whole idea of ​​the joint.
• It is important to ensure that the self-tapping screw used to secure the door frame does not get into the block. Shrinkage should occur naturally, and rigidity interferes with this.

When installing the frame on metal doors, you must first install a box with grooves on the ridge. The ridge itself should be placed inside the groove. Doing renovations for the first time. It is important to pay attention to the fact that construction work is difficult to carry out and even the simplest installation methods require professional knowledge and skills.

Door frame in a wooden house (video)

Installing a frame is an important step in building a house. It does not have to be done right away, but it is important to do it within the first ten years, otherwise it will be impossible to save the structure of the house. The window frame allows you to strengthen the house and create support so that the wooden boards do not shrink. This is the primary task of the pigtail. It should be noted that doing it yourself is extremely difficult. Especially if the master is dealing with her for the first time.

• Combined type

When building a wooden house (from timber, rounded logs, log type), you should definitely take into account the correct approach to making casing in a wooden house. To design this element, it is necessary to take into account all possible nuances and standard requirements for technology. This procedure is mandatory for absolutely all such wooden structures.

Rough casing in a wooden house to a cranial block, which is mounted in a cut (grooved) located in the window opening. Thanks to this sliding type design, the casing fasteners do not break off during the shrinkage process of the building. Standard for all procedures with window and door openings, during their installation and the manufacture of beams for the frame, height measurements are important. The frame of doorways in a wooden house should take into account a difference of up to 7%, depending on the moisture content of the wood.

When the structure shrinks, the insulation that lines the top gap shrinks without causing damage to door and window openings. Carefulness in measuring parameters will allow for correct installation of all window installations. The casing is also convenient in that it acts as a window sill, since it completely hides from prying eyes all the ends of the timber (logs) of the building, regardless of whether they are horizontal or vertical. There is no need to change the platbands several times, since they are attached to the casing on both sides - internal and external.

Thanks to proper installation, door and window openings acquire an aesthetically beautiful, correct and attractive appearance. Blocks of windows and doors are installed regardless of the moment of shrinkage of a wooden building, because the opening is prepared and ready for use.

Rough casing or embedded block

Installation of a frame in a wooden house can be done using the sliding beam method, which is one of the most used and popular. The principle of this process is simple: a hole of a certain diameter (50 by 50 mm) is made in the window opening, which is only permissible on both sides of the window opening. A special block is inserted into the manufactured grooves, the location of which must be clearly calculated, because it will be necessary to allocate space for the installation of thermal insulation.

If you add the size of the gap for installing insulation, the overall dimensions of the block should be about 30 mm. On the inside of the window frame, it is important to correctly lay the required layer of insulation and install the block. The side posts of the pigtail are attached to the built-in beam using self-tapping screws (possibly nails). There is an important nuance - the fasteners should not be placed in the wall, only in the block.

Do-it-yourself casing in a wooden house is quite often done using a special spike, which is mounted like an embedded block. The only difference is that you don’t have to make grooves for the tenon on the sides of the window; only one ridge is cut out. Its parameters must correspond to 30 mm. A hole (50 by 50 mm) is cut out in the side parts of the casing, after which this groove is carefully covered on all sides with insulating material. Glued casing is especially popular among developers. This type involves a further finishing complex of work, which is simply necessary upon completion of the building.

This option for installing casing in a wooden house is sometimes called a U-shaped frame. A spike is installed in the opening or correctly, the end is profiled and a device that looks like a roof is placed on this structure. Beams from the frame (lower and upper) are mounted into the spacer. Their production is carried out exclusively in accordance with the parameters and requirements of a specific structural element and house. These could be balcony openings, a door or a beam.

Upon completion of this type of installation, no further finishing of the used area is carried out. This method has its pros and cons:

• An excellent stiffness coefficient applies to all possible directions of the log;
• If it is necessary to install doors or PVC, the previously carried out manipulations will not interfere in any way.

• A rather expensive procedure, due to the high cost of the materials used - parameters for the width of the bar for the manufacture of racks (vertical);
• This process covers a large volume of work - the frame takes a long time to produce, since it contains shaped elements).

When building houses made of wood, the method of glued casing of this type is very often used, which is much cheaper.

There is no need to frame the door or window opening. From the very beginning, the finished casing in a wooden house will have a fairly presentable appearance that fits harmoniously into the overall picture of the building. For this purpose, timber or logs are firmly glued together, which ensures resistance to sudden changes in temperature without leading to damage to the structure as a whole. Installation is similar to the installation of rough casing.

In fact, this is an analogue of a finishing frame, which does not differ in structural elements (threshold, window sill, riser, etc.), no fasteners are used during installation (nails, self-tapping screws are not useful) and are simply fastened together with locks. This option is most often used when installing door frames.

This design is considered one of the most complex, so it is used when necessary. Windows in houses, openings in bathhouses require a simple installation mechanism, and power sockets are not involved. Most often, their scope of application is arched gates and openings, huge panoramic balconies and windows. A special feature of this method is the use of a scheme for strengthening door or window openings. This procedure is performed for all types of windows; the structure can be mounted in two standard ways: tongue and groove.

Combined type

This process involves two types of building materials, hence the corresponding name. The base is made of two types of wood; upon completion of the work, no additional finishing will be required, because this option is a finishing option. The main advantages are the harmonious ratio of cost and quality of the material.

This type of casing is decorative and labor-intensive. The shape of the casing is non-standard; it is important to clearly measure the required parameters so as not to make mistakes in the measurements. For a wooden house, a similar structure can be made from a single block that has undergone the necessary preparation - steam treatment at a certain high temperature. This is done to increase the pliability of wood fibers. In most cases, to create an arched frame, it is better to turn to specialists.

Window trim - what tools will you need?

To carry out the process of installing a frame in a wooden house, they use a small arsenal of tools, which are selected depending on the type of wood with which you have to work. Usually, the massif is dried a little and cut down. Staples for fastening and metal corners can be used to give the frame strength. Rough casing involves the use of fasteners (nails, screws).

Since for the construction of a wooden house not only wooden window frames are used, but also metal-plastic windows, it is necessary to remember some installation features. The opening inside the log house needs to be 10 cm larger than the width of the window. First, the casing is installed in a wooden house, and then individual double-glazed windows are ordered. This is done as follows:

• drive the casing to the parameters of the window opening;
• the cut can be of 2 types - groove or tenon;
• be sure to treat the surface with an antiseptic;
• layer of sealant to spread. This can be batting or linen, which is laid in a roll;
• The sides of the casing, the so-called carriage, are being installed. The process is carried out without the use of fasteners;
• the upper part (top) must be attached to the device on the sides;
• the parameters of the upper gap of the pigtail should correspond to no more than 12 cm;
• a layer of insulation is laid, most often it is mineral wool fiber;
• mandatory waterproofing, steam protection;
• The plastic window is mounted and the gaps are filled with polyurethane foam.

What is casing in a wooden house - the question has been answered. It is important to consider how this procedure is performed for a home made of timber. The material must correspond to the parameters 150 by 100 mm, the width is completely based on the thickness of the building walls. Installation and assembly are not much different from similar procedures in a wooden house, but there are certain features.

The lower part should rest against the wall, the upper part secures the side elements. The pigtail can be any of the above types. The T-shaped design is made as standard with a tenon, and the groove is cut to the parameters in the surface itself. Finish casing is widely used, which does not require further finishing and is installed under the cladding. The first option can be made of decorative wood, sanded or glued.

To summarize, we can highlight that the answer to the question “What is a socket in a wooden house?” does not carry a scary connotation, everything is quite simple for professionals and builders who do not have much experience in this area. If the procedure is carried out correctly from start to finish, the house will be soundproofed, with good protection against heat loss during the cold season, and will prevent the process of possible deformation of double-glazed windows and door structures during shrinkage of the building.

Video on casing in a wooden house

2 types of casing boxes

3 pigtails in a wooden house

September 18, 2016
Specialization: master of interior and exterior finishing (plaster, putty, tiles, drywall, lining, laminate, etc.). In addition, plumbing, heating, electrical, conventional cladding and balcony extensions. That is, the renovation of an apartment or house was done on a turnkey basis with all the necessary types of work.

Any wooden building is subject to shrinkage, and this is an inevitable phenomenon that is noticeable even to the naked eye. However, window frames in a wooden house will protect them from deformation.

Window casing

The casing is often colloquially called a casing, and the instructions consider it as a mandatory element in the construction of wooden buildings. This is a wooden box for protecting and decorating window structures.

There are three main types of casing that you can make with your own hands, and they all differ in manufacturing technology.

Option 1. Embedding block

Such a frame of window openings in a wooden house is most attractive for budget construction, as it has the lowest cost. The structure is constructed using edged boards, and in order for everything to go as it should:

• a groove is cut on the inside of the opening;
• a block with a square cross-section is laid here;
• and the finishing board is already fixed to it.

This option is convenient because installation is very quick, but at the same time, there is a need to finish the slopes after installing the window.

Option 2. Casing “in a spike”

It has a higher cost than the embedded bar, but along with the price, the quality also increases. This method is usually used when constructing buildings from profiled timber or rounded logs.

The structure is made of a solid block, which has a rectangular cross-section in the shape of the letter “T”:

• the vertical part of the block or leg from the “T” is inserted into the groove;
• and the horizontal crossbar here serves as a window slope, so it is very convenient.

Option 3. Casing “into the deck”

This method is that:

• a spike is cut out in the side of the window opening;
• a pre-prepared deck is put on it, which is cut out in the shape of the letter “P”, that is, we have a tongue-and-groove type lock.

This is the most expensive of the three main types, but it is considered the most reliable.

Wooden window

Casing “in the deck” on a wooden window

If you are building a house from laminated veneer lumber or rounded logs, then in any case this will require large financial investments, since, in principle, there is nothing to save here. Except for builders, which means doing it yourself.

But, be that as it may, making a frame for a wooden window is a process where the owner can independently apply his skills. In the case of marriage, the situation will be fixable.

Pit "in the deck" and "in the thorn"

To make a simple casing in a wooden house, you will need:

• cut grooves in logs or beams that are adjacent to the opening;
• then prepare a block with a very smooth surface (the smoother the better);
• insert it into the machined grooves;
• First, the bottom crossbar is fixed, as it prevents possible movement of the sidewalls;
• only then all the rest, and the inserted block will represent one of the sides of the pigtail;
  Before making a bookmark, it is necessary to lay inter-crown insulation. Linen materials - fiber or jute - are excellent for this purpose.
• after the bottom crossbar is installed, it is the turn of the vertical elements, under which (in the groove) a draft-preventing element must also be placed;
• only after assembling the letter “P” turned upside down is the upper crossbar, closing the perimeter, installed;
• however, it is necessary to leave a shrinkage gap above it, and the insulation is driven there after assembly, that is, it compacts as it shrinks.

At this stage, the assembly of the casing is completed and you can begin installing the window, which will already be protected from shrinkage.

Plastic window

If you want to install plastic windows, then when making a frame you will have to face some differences from a similar arrangement for a wooden one. When you prepare the opening, you should consider that:

1. it should be 14 cm larger than the window frame;
2. when the gap is calculated, you will need to take into account the parameters of the seams and the casing itself, and, of course, the percentage of shrinkage of the constructed building.

So, the process itself:

• for the base of the carriage with a groove, a comb is cut out from the end of the opening - when the shrinkage process occurs, the logs or beams will fall along this groove inside the carriage. This way you can avoid vertical pressure during shrinkage;
• to make a carriage, you should use a 100x150 mm beam, in which a groove is cut in the middle (the ridge is put on it);
• the width and depth of the ridge made should be 5 cm each, but the size of the carriage should be 5 cm larger than the size of the horse;

All markings should be done using a building level, and cutting is best done with a chainsaw - proven by experience!

• the upper horizontal crossbar of the pigtail is made from a 40×150 mm board, where grooves need to be cut on each side for laying the ridge;
• after that it is put on the combs;
• when the carriages are already installed on the sides, be sure to secure the top crossbar with self-tapping screws;
• After installation, you will need to be sure to caulk all gaps with flax fiber or jute.

Features of the pigtail

It should be said that installing windows in a wooden house with frames has some features. For example, those elements from which a wooden box is made should not exceed 26 cm in width, as cracks will form.

The humidity requirements here are also quite strict - it should not exceed 10-13%, otherwise the wood will develop internal cracks.

To make a pigtail for a plastic or metal frame, special precision is required. Here the pressure will be several times greater, and that is why the casing has a more complicated design, where there is a ridge, a carriage and grooves.

When installing such a structure, you should be especially careful. The fact is that if a self-tapping screw gets into the ridge, the structure becomes rigid, and therefore loses its purpose for protecting against shrinkage.

Conclusion

In addition to the above, I would also like to warn against using polyurethane foam as a sealant instead of jute or fiber. When hardened, the foam rigidly fixes the assembly, not allowing it to shrink naturally, which makes installation of the pigtail meaningless.

I suggest discussing this topic in the comments, and don’t hesitate to make your suggestions!

When building a country house, special attention should be paid to such critical elements of wooden structures as window and door frames. And this is due to the well-known seasonal phenomenon called “shrinkage”, which necessarily manifests itself during their operation. When preparing window and door openings, you should always keep this in mind and take care in advance to ensure that possible shrinkage does not lead to unpleasant consequences, namely, deformation of these structures.

To eliminate possible deformation of window and door openings, the latter are placed in a special frame called a frame (or casing). Thus, a frame in a wooden house will allow you to protect the frames of the building from its natural shrinkage.

Structurally, the casing in a wooden house consists of 3 components:

• side racks (sidewalls);
• the so-called “topper”;
• window sill board (for windows) and threshold - for doorways.

There are several known ways to make a pigtail, each of which will be discussed in more detail in the next section.

Methods for making casing boxes

Among the known methods for manufacturing casing boxes, the methods described below are most often used.

"Into the embedded block"

Such a frame is a structure consisting of a block with a cross-section of 50×50 cm and an edged board of 50×150 mm or more (depending on the size of the logs). The mortgage or guide bar is attached to the sides of the structure in such a way that the crowns of the log house can freely move along it as if along a guide (if there are appropriate grooves in them).

The widespread use of this method can be explained by its low cost and ease of implementation.

The thorn monolith

This method involves making casings for window and door openings from a solid rectangular beam that has a “T” shaped profile in cross-section (with a spike in the middle).

When assembling the walls, the logs placed in the frame are “strung” with their grooves onto this tenon and, during subsequent shrinkage, the structure can move freely along it. In this case, a regular edged board with a thickness of about 50 mm can be used as a top (upper lintel).

To the deck

With this design option, even before installing the box, vertical ridges are formed at the ends of the wall logs, and a groove is made in the side posts-beams of the frame according to the size of the tenon. When assembling the box, first of all, the lower window sill board is mounted (it is also called a threshold), after which the side posts of the frame, lined with a roll seal of one type or another, are inserted into the tenons.

The upper part of the prefabricated box (“top”) plays the role of a spacer for its side posts; in this case, a small gap is left between it and the upper crown of the frame, used as a shrinkage gap. This gap must be filled with the type of sealing material you choose. At the final stage of designing window openings, slopes and platbands are installed on them, covering the areas adjacent to the ends of the frame.

Main assembly steps

All operations for the production of pigtails are strictly regulated and are usually performed in the following order:

• preparation (marking and cutting) of the corresponding opening;
• its design to match the casing option you have chosen;
• installation of the casing itself;
• installation of a window or door block in it.

When preparing the seat, it is necessary to clarify its dimensions, taking into account the distance to the floor level. For windows, in particular, it should be about 80–90 cm. After this, the opening is marked with the obligatory use of the simplest tools for checking - a plumb line and a level.

The dimensions of the opening should be approximately 40–60 mm larger than the dimensions of the window structure, which is due to the need to leave shrinkage (compensation) gaps.

Depending on the manufacturing technology you choose, the work on designing the opening for the frame includes preparing a groove or ridge in it. The installation of the casing is also carried out taking into account the characteristics of the selected type of casing technology, that is, in compliance with all the rules and assembly procedures for this structure. At the final stage of the work, the window or door block is directly installed in the prepared casing.

When making a pigtail with your own hands, you should always remember that its use is justified only when the age of the house does not exceed 10 years. For long periods of time, the use of these technologies is not necessary, since the structure has already completely exhausted its shrinkage resource.

Video

This video shows how to make a casing on a plastic window in a log house: