DIY acrylic 'double glazing'

[sigsegv]

Hi all, not sure if this is the right section to post this, so I guess mods can move it if they feel it would be better placed elsewhere. I am most of the way through doing some DIY 'double glazing' using sheets of perspex/acrylic sheets and magnetic strips. I wrote a little blogpost following the build process which might be useful to someone else. Also welcome to any criticism, advice, 'you've done something stupid and here's why' responses

 

https://blog.punk.voyage/2022/12/30/diy-double-glazing/

 

ta

[Tony Brooks]

Two comments.

 

1. you seem to have filled the lower drain channel in the window frame with a length of wooden baton, I am not sure why. If you get any condensation at all this and the associated drain holes through the frame need to be kept clean and clear.

 

2. I notice that you have a large air gap at each lower corner. this may allow the ingress of damp air into the cavity between glass and plastic, potentially causing condensation. I know it would be a beast to notch the magnetic strip to go around the curve but how about two pieces of self adhesive closed cell foam?

 

 

[sigsegv]

Cheers. To answer number 1, I just investigated that, and it's a strip of rubber extrusion. We've only had the boat since July, and I can't say I'd noticed it before! I took a quick look and couldn't see any drainage holes down there, but it's quite dark now and the frame is full of a bunch of gubbins that I'll clean tomorrow and investigate further tomorrow.

 

On number 2, great idea! It'll definitely be much easier to cut some foam into a curved shape. I'd just need to make sure it is precisely the thickness of the magnetic tape (or maybe even slightly smaller) to avoid it preventing the two halves of the tape from making contact. Cheers for your feedback mate, really appreciate it!

[Tony Brooks]

8 minutes ago, sigsegv said:

Cheers. To answer number 1, I just investigated that, and it's a strip of rubber extrusion. We've only had the boat since July, and I can't say I'd noticed it before! I took a quick look and couldn't see any drainage holes down there, but it's quite dark now and the frame is full of a bunch of gubbins that I'll clean tomorrow and investigate further tomorrow.

 

 

Look on the outside of the window frame. Typically you will see either two holes in the frame just below the bottom of the glass, say 4 to 6mm, or a couple of plastic/aluminum "cover" pieces over the holes. On older boats the glass can drop and seal the holes. Not helped by the inevitable moss and general gunk that grows in the drain channel if allowed to. 

[matty40s]

At least twice a year I clean the drain channels with cotton buds, and blow the drain out with an air gun.

Looks like a good job well done. 

I did mine this year for the first time since the old days of proper Winters ..2010.

I got slightly oversized to window frame panels of arylic 4mm. I used window seal tape on the edge and held each panel against the frame with 6 acrylic clips made from waste acrylic lying about. They made a massive difference when we had the Northerly blast before Christmas, and no condensation anywhere. I kept the excellent packaging the acrylic came in so I can store them undamaged in the Summer.

[ronnietucker]

Nice! I did mine slightly differently. I drilled a hole into the window frame to about 5mm deep. Maybe 9 holes around the window. Glued magnets into the holes. Made a little ledge on the bottom of the frame for the perspex to sit on. Put the perspex against the window frame and use more magnets to hold the perspex in place.

Makes it easy to take the perspex off for storage in the summer.

It's not perfect, but it's a LOT better with the perspex on.

Good luck!

[sigsegv]

Yeah one thing I regret is not taking observations of the internal temp and external temp at certain points to see just how effective the perspex is. Would love to measure how effective it is.

[GUMPY]

I have done it on a couple of boats, both times on the wooden frame rather than the window itself. Works well that way and for me that meant no radiuses to cut . 

I get no condensation at all on the windows

[sigsegv]

57 minutes ago, Loddon said:

I have done it on a couple of boats, both times on the wooden frame rather than the window itself. Works well that way and for me that meant no radiuses to cut . 

I get no condensation at all on the windows

I considered that but we have blinds that have little magnets attached to the wooden frame, so it woulda got in the way of them

[MtB]

4 hours ago, sigsegv said:

Hi all, not sure if this is the right section to post this, so I guess mods can move it if they feel it would be better placed elsewhere. I am most of the way through doing some DIY 'double glazing' using sheets of perspex/acrylic sheets and magnetic strips. I wrote a little blogpost following the build process which might be useful to someone else. Also welcome to any criticism, advice, 'you've done something stupid and here's why' responses

 

https://blog.punk.voyage/2022/12/30/diy-double-glazing/

 

ta

 

Nice cat.

[sigsegv]

12 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Nice cat.

Ta! He was found at double rail lock, south of Leicester. At least a kilo underweight, no chip, unneutered despite being (by my reckoning) about 8-9 months old. So we took him to the vet for a checkup, chip & snip, and took him on as crew. Funny story, as we were heading onto the Soar after Loughborough, we bumped into a couple in the lock that had previously seen Scraps at the same lock. Apparently he hopped aboard, helped himself to some lasagne and then buggered off!

I don't know, comparing how he was back then to how he is now, I think we made the right choice in nicking him

[MtB]

He looks lovely!

 

I seem to be good at cats. So often I can be fixing a boiler and the cat is right next to me or IN the boiler and the customer is all like, "How is this possible, our cat normally hides under the bed for the day whenever there is a stranger in the house!'

 

 

[MtB]

I think said cat is just checking I'm doing it right....

 

 

[matty40s]

11 minutes ago, sigsegv said:

 

I don't know, comparing how he was back then to how he is now, I think we made the right choice in nicking him

Cats find you, you didnt nick him. If he was unhappy he would have scampered off at the next lock.

[Nightwatch]

Thanks to this thread and pictures of the pussy cat. Showed the cat pictures to the wife and now that’s another job on my list to do. Double glazing.

Soooo, where do you buy Perspex please?

[Tony Brooks]

Google " clear acrylic sheet". I am sure all the "sheds" stock it, Wickes certainly does but only 600mm wide. 2 to 3 mm thickness should be fine for this task.

[GUMPY]

I bought mine pre cut to size and shape from the interweb, somewhere like this

 

https://www.theplasticpeople.co.uk/home-and-garden/secondary-glazing/

[sigsegv]

1 hour ago, Nightwatch said:

Thanks to this thread and pictures of the pussy cat. Showed the cat pictures to the wife and now that’s another job on my list to do. Double glazing.

Soooo, where do you buy Perspex please?

Realised the link on my blog post is broken, I'll fix that when I get out of bed. We bought ours from https://www.sheetplastics.co.uk/

[ditchcrawler]

Some of the stuff sold in DIY shops is crap and will shatter, crack, split as soon as you show it a drill or saw, let alone touch it

[matty40s]

Mine came from "Cut My Plastics" on the interweb