Russian patterns on windows. Templates of carved window frames

Every owner dreams of making his home memorable and beautiful. If the house is no longer new, it is not so simple. One of the possibilities is carved platbands. They will even turn an ordinary “box” into a masterpiece.

Material for platbands

Carved platbands are made mainly from coniferous wood. The best option is pine, it cuts normally, is inexpensive, and is durable due to its high resin content. In principle, you can use any other coniferous board, but it is better not to try with spruce: it is too fibrous and cannot be cut even with the sharpest tool.

You can also make carved frames from hardwood - linden (the softest), poplar, maple, oak, cherry, etc. But you need to be able to work with each species, get your hands on it, and there is no guarantee that you will get something digestible, and hardwood is expensive. That’s why window frames are often made from pine. You just need to pay attention to the quality characteristics.

Carved window frames - a way to make your home unique

If you have wood or a board that has been lying around for 3 years or more, you can use it: it is already definitely dry, it just needs processing and calibration. If you don’t have woodworking equipment at home (thicknesser and circular saw), you will need edged board. Wood of the first or highest grade is suitable for carved platbands. This means that there should be no knots, chips, or resin pockets on the board. Take chamber-dried wood with a moisture content of no more than 8-12%. This is not sold in the markets; you need to look for it at sawmills and construction stores.

Why kiln drying? Because it is dried in a special chamber, quickly removing moisture. At the same time, some of the boards crack and bend - these are rejected, the rest are sold. If you make carved frames from chamber-dried wood, they will definitely not be damaged or cracked.

Tools

To make carved platbands with your own hands, you will need the following minimum set:

drill with a set of drills;
electric jigsaw with soft start and a bunch of different wood saws;
chisels;
sandpaper with grains of different sizes;
flap disc made of sandpaper for wood on a drill.

To reduce the time it takes to create carved patterns and sanding, it is better to have a router and a grinder.

One at a time or in bulk?

Carved platbands usually consist of repeating elements. At least two vertical slats on each window are made identical. And since several windows are usually decorated, a lot of identical elements are required. If you are going to make slotted trims, you naturally want to cut out several pieces at the same time, stacking the boards and somehow securing them.

The desire is understandable, but difficult to implement, and the benefits over time are not as great as it seems. The first difficulty is that home craftsmen usually have jigsaws that are not very powerful. To cut through several boards, you have to move the saw more slowly along the intended pattern. On straight lines the speed is still tolerable, on curves it is low. And the smaller the bend radius, the slower you have to move the file. If you work with one board, there are no such problems. So, in terms of time, if there is any gain, it is very small.

One more thing. Even thick, good, expensive files with a large thickness of the workpiece are deflected. So, when cutting several boards at the same time, the quality of the slot on the bottom (or two) remains a big question.

The procedure for manufacturing a platband with slotted threads

Using a template, transfer the desired drawing onto the board (read below for where to get it, how to enlarge it, and how to make a template). If necessary, we correct it and draw out the details well. Next, we will describe the procedure step by step.

Removing wood from the slots in the pattern

Since the carving will be viewed from afar, some inaccuracies are not fatal, but it is still worth striving for the ideal.

Making a curly edge

Some platbands have a smooth edge. Then we skip this stage. If the edge is figured, you will have to do some more work with a jigsaw.

If the cut is complex, there may be unattractive places left. This is not scary, we will then process them where necessary - with chisels, the same jigsaw, emery. When you are satisfied with the result, you can move on.

Final revision

Owners of wooden houses probably know everything about how to process wood. But, just in case, let’s repeat the general rules again.

The choice of paints and varnishes is very wide. Suitable for any outdoor use. But keep in mind that opaque paints will have to be renewed periodically - once a year for sure. And that means filming old paint, prime, paint again. The situation is simpler with wood oils - they do not form a film on the surface of the wood, but are absorbed into the fibers. The coating also needs to be renewed, but just clean it from dust and cover it with a new layer. And the processing frequency is less. Disadvantages of wood oil - higher price, fewer colors.

How to enlarge a template

Simple carved platbands can be made without templates. There will be several examples in the video - it shows how to draw and cut. But not everyone can draw more or less complex patterns on their own. It takes skill and talent. The easiest way is to find a diagram, print it in the desired size, transfer it to cardboard and cut it out. You will get a template that you can trace.

The second way: copy from a photograph. Not all diagrams can be found. Some, especially antique window frames, you will not find anywhere. If you have at least some drawing ability, you can copy them.

Even such an ornament can be copied... if you have the skill

Questions may arise about how to increase the size of the found diagram or template. There are three options:

Using any graphic editor. The simplest one - Paint - is available on any computer running Windows (the “Image” tab, the line “Change image size”, select “centimeters” and enter the desired length (height) in the box. The resulting file can be printed. If the printer is small format, It may be necessary to split it into several pages.Them should then be glued together and, based on the resulting drawing, a template should be made.
Using a photocopy. Copiers have a zoom function.
Taking graph paper, transfer the drawing to the desired scale. To do this, divide the original image into squares with a side of 0.5 or 1 cm (can be printed on a piece of checkered paper). Then we transfer the lines to graph paper, increasing them in the required proportion.

The first two methods are faster. But when scaling, the picture may turn out fuzzy and blurry. You can correct it by hand, or you can draw it in some editor, for example, CorelDRAW. Watch the video to see how to do this. Just an example of drawing a diagram for carving.

Video on the topic

Schemes, templates, patterns

The style is completely different...

Beautiful things are the weakness of every person, and if they are made with your own hands, pride in yourself overwhelms your feelings. Wood carving can be classified as such creativity. How original and unique your house looks with carved platbands, where the owner put a piece of his soul into the work.

What is a platband? It looks like decorative overlay and mounted with outside windows and is a decoration where it is used decorative technique.

It can be:

Plants that demonstrate unity with nature.
The sun located on the kokoshnik, personifying energy and life.
Earrings indicating the hospitality of the owner of the house.
A cross symbolizing harmony between the spiritual and material world.
A bird that speaks of the union of all times.
A snake representing fertility and wisdom.
Wings confirming strength and power.

Platbands vary in style, material, and shape. They are the completion of construction, where the individuality and style of the home are emphasized. And at the same time, they perfectly mask all the imperfections of the opening (cracks).

Application area

Widespread use of framing around various openings has found itself in doors and windows. The location of the planks can be either on the outside of the street or inside the room.

Basically, the same type of platbands are installed, but the threads may differ. And at the same time maintaining the general theme. For example, in a children's room, the bar will have a bunny. Flowers are carved around it. Then the teddy bear in the kitchen should also be framed with the same flowers.

Now the brand is considered to be plastic double-glazed windows. Some people manage to bet on them wooden plank. In this case, you need to paint it in White color or choose a double-glazed window made of wood.

Planks around window opening perform some functions:

They unite all the buildings in the yard into a single style.
Reduce heat loss.
Protect from dust and litter, moisture, draft.
Increases sound insulation.
I emphasize the uniqueness of the residential building.
An opportunity to express the traditions of a region, family, country.
The ability to visually stretch and expand the house.
They add completeness to the construction.
Cover the assembly seams.

If we consider the platbands by material, they can be from:

wood;
metal;
plastic;
foam and polyurethane;

By form:

Before you start work, you should stock up on templates or stencils for carved platbands; without their help it is impossible to achieve excellent result. And only a master who has been working on wood carving for many years can perform his work without them.

Today you can get stencils freely - in stores, magazines, and the Internet.

You can apply any design on them that the customer or craftsman desires. Plant outlines, animal figures, and patterns of geometric lines and shapes are very popular.

The style of the product can be different, and here the most unusual fantasies of the performer are realized.

How to do it?

Stencils are made in different ways:

Using a graphic editor. The desired image is found and processed in Photoshop. Every computer has the Paint application, it is used for editing, coloring and drawing. By visiting this page, you can develop personal images, from simple to complex projects. It is possible to add text and various elements to existing picture files.
Photocopies. A drawing that you really like is selected and, when copied, it is immediately enlarged to the desired size. The second option is to scan and print the sample on a printer.
Manually. The technology used here is scaling (copying) and by cells (linear scaling).

Making threads

We make a template from cardboard, the size should be natural. A personal template is made for all elements of the design.

Now, you need to lay it on the board and trace the outline with a pencil.

We mark the locations for the holes. Let's say you need to cut out a piece of paper. First, a hole is drilled, then a leaf is drawn out with a jigsaw. Following the holes, we make all the internal patterns, then move on to the external ornament.

There is a copying method for drawing. Here we use carbon paper. We trace the drawing through it onto the board and get a pattern on the wood.

Required tools:

sandpaper of various numbers;
jigsaw;
drill with a set of drills;
set of chisels;

Instructions:

We make the pattern the same on all windows. To do this, we use a stencil or sketch.
We place the pattern on the workpiece correctly, where we place all the elements not across the fibers, but along them. This will prevent the thread from cracking.
We paint over the slotted areas with a pencil.

Wood carving is done in two ways:

Invoice. In this option we use a thinner workpiece, then the work is simplified. Here we make individual elements, which we will then put together on a single board.
Proreznaya. In this case, we make a slit through it, resulting in the appearance of lace that elegantly and beautifully frames the window.

Installation of platbands

Creating a beautiful product is one thing. But attaching it to the window correctly is another matter.

Aesthetic appearance and long service life closely depend on the quality of installation of the platbands.

There are two methods of mounting on wooden windows:

Through tenon. The method is simple and not very reliable. Spikes should be installed in places where they will not be visible. Here it turns out additional protection from moisture.
Dull thorn. The tenon goes into the casing. Whereas a hole for it is drilled in the frame. You need to lubricate the tenon with glue and insert it into the groove. Fastening is considered complex, but it is more reliable than with the first method.

Step by step guide:

We take measurements from the window.
We choose a type of wood and dry it well. The choice of width and height does not play a big role for carved platbands, the main thing is that the thickness is 3 cm. This is the case if the carving will be slotted, for an invoice - 1 cm.
We sand the wood with sandpaper, starting with coarse-grain sandpaper, and finally with scratch paper.
Cut out the stencils.
Take a simple pencil and apply a drawing or pattern on the front side wooden surface. We paint over the through slots.
Let's start cutting out the pattern. Let's start right away with the through holes. Where the jigsaw will enter, it is advisable to use a drill for a more accurate cut.
We carefully sand the holes with sandpaper.
To remove dust from blind holes, use a vacuum cleaner.
When using elements of applied threads, we attach them to nails without heads. Moreover, to be on the safe side, let’s apply glue along the back side.
Now take a damp rag and wipe the pattern until the area is completely dust free.
We will consider the finishing operation to be stain, with which we will tint the casing or immediately coat it with varnish.

If you are just starting to work on a stencil on a platband design, you should choose a simpler design with large shapes. The smaller the drawing, the more complex it is. It is good to try elements of the design from through holes.
Open elements are cut out with a jigsaw.
Beech, larch and oak are expensive materials and difficult to process, but they have long term services.
The easiest material to process is linden.
The material most often used is pine.

Stencils and ornaments of window frames

Carved platbands framing window openings organically fit into architectural styles wooden cottages. They emphasize the originality of the log houses, frame buildings, timber houses. Originality of elements facade decor They add light patterns, ornate patterns, and interesting designs. They are applied to the surface of the wood using convenient stencils.

Functions of window frames

Maintaining the traditions of wooden architecture, carved details enrich the noble appearance of the estate and add expressiveness to simple buildings. They save home warmth and comfort, they delight when viewed from the outside. Window trim stencils, selected in accordance with the preferences of the home’s inhabitants, help create a harmonious appearance of a new home and enliven the façade of an old building.

When used on shutter windows, decorative trims can serve as a frame. Playing a decisive role in design window openings, they solve a number of important problems:

reduction of heat loss by eliminating “cold bridges” along the perimeter of the window frame;
reducing noise levels in rooms;
reducing the amount of moisture and dust particles penetrating from the street;
giving facades uniqueness and style orientation;
creation of a single architectural ensemble of residential and commercial objects on the development site.

Regardless of the shape, size, appearance, wooden platbands must be strong enough and meet operational requirements. Manufacturing using stencils with calculated geometric parameters allows them to be securely attached to the walls. It provides resistance to wind loads and temperature fluctuations. To increase service life, effective protective coatings are used.

Traditional and original ornaments

The choice of design elements for window openings should be approached with an understanding of styles and design techniques. With their help, you can give the window an elegant or strict shape, make its outline more expressive, and achieve a delightful visual effect. By choosing life-size stencils as templates for window trim, the buyer receives the most advantageous decor option. Convenient dimensions allow you to proceed directly to the manufacture of products.

The attitude towards wood as a material of art is traditional for the culture of Russian architecture. With the repetition of individual structural and decorative details, it provides for the creation of a unique architectural image. Carved platbands have long been considered not only a means of decoration, but also a kind of amulets for the home. Based on the study of surviving ancient buildings, unique images of symbols, animals, birds, and plants were recreated.

Samples of stencils for platbands were developed in different styles and for every taste. They help express certain traditions and personal preferences. The use of ready-made ornaments allows you to decorate buildings in accordance with ethnic and classical directions in art. Clear geometric patterns are more consistent modern trends in architecture.

Ornaments for slotted and applied platbands may contain a solid pattern or repeating elements of a general motif. To create a complete outline when marking parts, you need to take into account the dimensions of the window opening, the diagram and sequence of patterns. High-quality stencils make it possible to accurately apply cutting lines to the workpiece and determine the boundaries of further processing of the material.

Kiri (Paulownia tomentosa) Family: Norichinaceae Other names: Foxtail (UK) Distribution: P. tomentosa is found in Japan and P. fargesii in China Description of Kiri Wood The color of the heartwood varies from silver-gray to light brown or walnut. The grain is straight and the texture is smooth. The material is very light, 320 kg/m3; specific gravity.32. Mechanical properties The wood is fragile, dries quickly and well with a small…

Kingwood (Dalbergia cearensis) Family: Legume Commercial names: violet tree (USA, France) Other names: violete (Brazil) Distribution: South America, mainly Brazil Description of Kingwood Heartwood has variegated colors with a rich purple-brown background. The wood is straight grained, uniformly finely textured and shiny. Weighs 1200 kg/m3. Mechanical Properties Although Kingwood has excellent strength, it is mainly used in…

Keruing (Dipterocarpus) Family: Dipterocarpus More than 70 species of dipterocarpus produce wood of the Keruing type. The main species are Malaysian/Sarawakian/Sabahian/Indonesian Kerning and Malaysian Gurjun. Description of Keruing Wood These are evergreen trees that vary in color from pinkish brown to dark brown, often with a purple tint. The grain is straight to finely interlocked, the texture is moderately coarse and even….

Keyaki (Zelkova Serrata) Family: Elm Other names: keaki, sprat kchaki Distribution: China, Japan, Iran, Caucasus and Great Britain Description of Keyaki wood The heartwood is light golden brown. Otherwise the wood is very similar to elm with a rough texture. The grain varies from straight to irregular. Weight 625 kg/m3; specific gravity.62. Mechanical properties Keyaki is mainly used for decorative purposes, but...

Kempas (Koompassia malaccensis) Family: Legumes Other names: impas (Sabah) Distribution: Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo Description of Kempas wood The color of the heartwood is orange-red to brown with numerous yellowish stripes. The grain is spiral or wavy. The surface is moderately shiny and the texture is rough but smooth. The core is fragile. Wood can be corrosive to some metals. Weighs on average 880 kg/m3; specific gravity.88….

Templates of carved window frames

The tradition of decorating windows with carved frames comes from old times. It was believed that decorating windows with fancy patterns not only protected the room from drafts and cold, but also served as a kind of protective amulet against evil spirits or the evil eye.

A selection of templates for carved window frames

What pattern to choose for the platband

Homemade carved platbands are a type of decorative trim that frames windows or doors from the outside. This ensures that the gap above the box is closed, and appearance the windows and façade become complete and attractive. The openwork patterns with which our ancestors decorated not only platbands, but also other household items had a magical meaning.

It was believed that evil spirits could penetrate through the windows and the frames, decorated with special symbols, protected the home and family from misfortunes and attracted good luck.

Ancient carved ornaments and drawings by masters of the past have reached our times and continue to be used in carved products as a beautiful decorative technique to add color to the house and interior. Here are some meanings of the symbols and patterns on the trim:

Example of carved window casing with snakes

Bird. A symbol of the keeper of time, it was believed that birds were inhabited by the souls of the dead, and in order to protect themselves from harm through a deceased ancestor, images of birds were applied to the frames.

Wings. An ancient strong symbol. It was believed that a house whose windows were decorated with such platband was under special protection.

Plants and flowers. Platbands with plant and floral motifs signify unity with nature.

Even a beginner with carpentry skills can make carved window frames with his own hands. The main thing is to choose simple patterns for the first works. When making carved frames, you can apply the experience of previous generations and come up with a composition for window decoration using ready-made stencils and templates for wood carving.

How to make a stencil for platband

A stencil is a device for applying identical patterns and symbols to the desired surface. Before you start making the trim, you will need to get stencils and templates. Finding a sketch for a carved frame is not difficult - they can be downloaded for free and in a wide variety on the Internet, purchased in specialized stores or found in magazines.

IN finished form stencils and templates can be made on paper, cardboard or wood fiber. They just need to be applied to the surface of the future casing and circled. You can make a stencil yourself in several ways:

Here you can create an individual sketch for carved platbands. The complexity of the design will depend on the level of wood carving skill.

Make a photocopy or print out the ornament for the platband. The drawing you like is enlarged to the desired size when copied or printed. The resulting paper stencil can be transferred to wood.

If you don’t have a printer (and the desire to look for one), you can do the following. First, the desired scale of the pattern is selected on the computer, the paper is applied to the monitor and the translucent contours of the pattern are outlined with a marker or felt-tip pen without pressing hard on the screen. If the drawing does not fit completely on the screen, you need to move it and continue drawing the stencil.

Manually - scaling by cells. Using linear scaling, the drawing is copied cell by cell. In this case, you can change the proportion of the pattern. To increase the size, the cells are scaled up and the design is copied in larger cells than the source cells.

Scaling the clypeus by cell

Stencils and templates are the main assistants in creating carved platbands. In the drawing you need to take into account which pattern will be chosen for the various components of the casing.

Carved platbands include the following main details:

top trim strip;
vertical platband slats or frame;
bottom strip or profiled window sill.

These are only the basic elements; carved frames can include many more decorative details: a tiara, hangers, flowerpots, etc.

Transferring the outline of the design to the workpiece

After the sketch has been created, you need to make a stencil directly onto which all the elements of the design for the carved frames are transferred. You can transfer the contour to the workpiece in the following ways:

Cutting the platband according to the template

The most common method is when the design is cut out of thick paper or cardboard. The resulting templates are applied to the board and traced along the outline with a pen, felt-tip pen or pencil.
The stencil can not be cut out, but transferred to future trim using carbon paper.
You can press the outline of the sketch through the paper onto the wood with a pen (an inconspicuous mark remains). You can make the outline clearer without carbon paper by applying a layer of graphite on the back of the sheet with a soft pencil.

The stencils should be placed on the workpiece along the grain of the wood: in the future, the thread of such a casing will not crack. For convenience, the places where the cuts will be made can be colored.

Templates and stencils for carved frames are presented in large quantities - these include simple repeating patterns, images of animals, plants, and even entire paintings.

When choosing a pattern for platbands, you should remember:

Beginners should choose the lightest patterns with large elements that can be easily cut out. Paintings and fancy ornaments are not for those who are picking up a cutter for the first time.
To make the carved trims neat and beautiful, you need to carefully transfer the design from the template and use only designs intended for the slotted carving technique.

Just as a real artist cannot begin to create a picture without a sketch, so a carving master cannot work without a template. Selecting and making a stencil is the first step in a rather complex and painstaking path to creating wood carvings.

Making a stencil for window trim

Platbands - a way decorative design window openings. However, in addition to decoration, they are an indispensable functional part, helping to close cracks, uneven bevels and other errors.

In addition, they help retain heat indoors, prevent precipitation and dust from entering, and also reduce the level of street noise penetration.

Pattern selection

You can buy ready-made platbands (the simplest ones or unusual ones, which are prepared to order). There is no industrial production of these parts; they are made to order by craftsmen in carpentry workshops. Or you can show all your imagination and with my own hands create unique and inimitable platbands. The most important thing is desire and great patience!

Patterns that will decorate the finished product can also be found by referring to thematic sources on paper or located on the Internet. In addition, there are many companies and designers who are ready to handle the implementation of all the customer’s thoughts into a finished pattern.

You can also create a drawing yourself. It is better to choose patterns that are not oversaturated with the smallest details. It is advisable that general form The images were easily understood at a sufficient distance. The drawings of the upper and lower parts should be made in the same stylistic direction.

If you do not have sufficient experience in carpentry, it is better to give preference to patterns that do not require complex execution. Their topics can be very diverse - flora and fauna, elements of nature, sun signs, etc.

Examples for cutting elements from wood

Required materials and tools

Platbands can be made from a variety of materials:

Wood (preferably);
Metal;
Plastic;
Styrofoam;
Polyurethane, etc.

In addition, some tools will also be useful for the job, which you should stock up on in advance:

sheets of sandpaper of various numbers;
an electric jigsaw, with which you can create almost any pattern; a drill and a set of drills for it;
set of chisels;
knives of various designs.

Sketch of platbands

Having decided on the patterns that will be used, you need to start creating a sketch of the future platbands. When making a sketch, you need to draw all the elements, including:

a lower bar or belt that acts as a window sill;
frame or vertical slats;
top carved board.

In addition to the required elements, all decorative components are also drawn - tiaras, flowerpots and others.

Sketches of window frames

Making a stencil

A stencil will be created based on the finished sketches and patterns. There are several options for creating it (transferring the sketch to the material).

Using a graphic editor, you can edit absolutely any carved image. First, you need to find it and process it using a special program - Photoshop. On any computer there is a standard application that allows you to edit, draw and color. This is where you have the opportunity to create your own images.

If you have a photograph of a specific pattern, you can make a photocopy of it. After this, you need to set the necessary parameters and get a ready-made template of the desired drawing or figure in full size.

You can also scan the image for later printing on your computer. Some people are willing to spend long time to create sketches. To begin with, the required ornament is drawn into equilateral rectangles, using scaling.

In this way, you can get the most correct stencil of the platbands - even the proportions of the patterns can be changed with your own hands at your discretion.

The next stage is transferring the template onto a wooden blank. This can be done using a regular lead pencil or ballpoint pen. It is also possible to prepare templates using carbon paper.

The drawing is secured with pushpins and does not move out. Next, from the resulting stencil, all the necessary elements are cut out.

Manufacturing of platbands

To make platbands with your own hands you will need a solid wooden frame, which consists of several parts connected to each other. First of all, you need to select the right material.

Beech, birch, walnut, oak and alder are the most commonly used wood species. Before carrying out the main work, the selected material can be processed water-repellent mixture, painted or can be varnished.

Taking all necessary measurements from window openings.
Then the lumber is prepared. The thickness of the board must correspond to the following dimensions: not less than 30 mm if the slotted method is used, and not less than 10 mm for the overlay method of applying the pattern. Dry boards need to be planed on all sides.
Next stage– cutting out blanks.
Then the patterns are cut out and drilling holes.
Then the holes made can be processed using sandpaper, use a vacuum cleaner to remove all accumulated dust and dirt.
If the overhead technique of applying patterns was used in production, then all the parts are fastened using nails without heads. You can also fix it with glue. But using self-tapping screws is strictly not recommended!

Installation of platbands

After completing the work on the manufacture of the platband, care must be taken to install it correctly.

Fastening can be done in two ways:

Silent thorn– in this case, all fasteners are in the platbands, and holes of appropriate size are prepared for them in the frame. The tenon must be treated with glue, then it is inserted into the groove. This allows you to keep the appearance as it is.
Through tenon– this method is easier to install, but in reliability it is significantly inferior to the first. Here the fasteners are mounted where it will not be easy to notice. And the place where the parts join is covered with some decorative element.

The spike should fit tightly into the socket, but without using special effort. The spikes can also be fixed using dowels made from hardwood. Glue cannot perform its functions for a long time due to the aggressive influence of natural forces.

It is always necessary to take into account the direction in which the windows open. If they open outward, the platband is placed 30 mm above the window sashes. In addition, there should be no obstacles to the full opening of the frame.

Rules for the manufacture of platbands

If the source material is wood, then the width of the board should be 30-40 mm. In addition, sheets of metal, plastic and others can be used.

The width of the material should be sufficient to hide the edges of the walls, as well as protect them from negative impact air humidity.

By placing the carved elements along the wood fibers, cracking will be prevented. This is especially true when using coniferous wood. You should also remember that the openwork tips and bends have a much smaller thickness than the structure as a whole, which is why they are the most fragile.

For buildings from log house carved platbands just beg for decoration window openings. Their self-production- not at all a whim or an attempt to save money, because really good craftsmen There are very few wood carvings now.

Minimum required tools

Production of platbands, in contrast to artistic carving woodworking involves repeating the same type of operations, resulting in a rather primitive repeating pattern. Therefore, most of the work is done electric tool: this not only increases the processing speed, but also achieves uniform quality in different areas.

1 - jigsaw; 2 - drill; 3 - belt sander; 4 - vibration grinder; 5 - manual router

The main work is done with a jigsaw and drill. The tool must be reliable and of high quality, capable for a long time be in continuous use. To clean and polish products, it is better to use an electric grinder, at least a simple belt grinder. Quick finishing of the relief is possible using vibration-type machines.

If you intend to add additional small details to the edges of your product, you cannot do without a router. Slopes, chamfers and figured borders can also be done manually, but only if you have a variety of chisels, cutters and specific skills in working with wood.

How to choose wood

For platbands the best way Hard wood species are suitable: oak, birch, ash, maple, alder. Since the thickness of the finished product is relatively small (30-45 mm), hard rocks will be less susceptible to rotting and drying out, and therefore will retain their appearance longer.

If you plan to decorate carved frames with flat-relief elements with many small details, you should give preference to softer species with a fine texture pattern. Linden, poplar, aspen, walnut and spruce are suitable.

The wood for platbands must be selected and, preferably, chamber dried, with a moisture content not exceeding 12%. The presence of traces of warping or other pronounced defects or large branches is not allowed. Ideally, you should immediately order calibrated boards with a width of 100-150 mm and a thickness of 30-40 mm.

The length of the workpieces must be sufficient to completely cover window hole horizontally and vertically with an overlap in each direction of 1.5 times the width of the board. It is important that you initially calculate the number of required blanks and, in addition to them, purchase several more boards of the cheapest species for training and practicing carving skills.

Making templates and stencils

Almost any wood carving begins with applying a design to the workpiece according to a pre-made template or stencil. There are plenty of thread diagrams on the Internet; the main difficulty comes down to transferring the lines onto the part exactly and without distortion. Let us warn you right away: do not chase the high complexity of the drawing. A set of even the most primitive elements in the correct sequence and with well-chosen indents impresses with its modesty and quality of processing.

The first option for applying markings is to make a small pattern from plastic or hard sheet material, on which a single element of a repeating pattern is applied. Such a template is sequentially applied to the workpiece and outlined with a pencil.

It is also possible to produce a one-piece template. You need to take a strip of paper of the appropriate width, fold it like an accordion several times, and then cut out the pattern according to the principle Christmas tree garland. The resulting tape must be glued onto cardboard or LMDF, and then cut out the desired shapes. This method is welcome for a significant amount of work.

The resulting stencil is subsequently simply applied to the board and outlined with a soft pencil. Ideally, rich but precise cutting lines and boundaries for further processing should remain. When marking out the details, you need to take into account the layout of the pattern so that the platbands form a solid and complete outline, and the repeating pattern is not interrupted inappropriately.

Sampling through holes

The first step is to trim the edges of the workpiece and make holes in the center. Everything is simple with the edges: we cut out the excess with a jigsaw, retreating 1-1.5 mm outward from the marking line for subsequent processing. To cut out shapes in the center of the plane, drill the part at the very line of each cutout, then select the inner contour with a jigsaw.

For making large holes, it is wise to use core drills. In this case, it is necessary to mark on the template not the contours, but the centers of the circles into which the centering drill bit of the crown will be installed. A similar technique can also be used when making oval holes or elements with small rounding radii: a complex bend is drilled with the appropriate radius, and everything else is cut out with a jigsaw.

When the excess parts of the workpiece are cut out, the cut edges must be carefully processed with a rasp and then with sandpaper. It is recommended to use bars of square, round and rounded profiles, which are filled with sandpaper. This way you'll be less likely to fray the edges and will be able to get straight corners on each edge.

Rectangular ribs look rather rough, so they are smoothed with chamfers and slopes of different profiles. The easiest way to diversify the product is to go along the external and internal contours of the casing with a figured cutter. But manual processing options are also possible:

to remove a chamfer, walk along straight edges with chips, keeping the angle of inclination of the handle to the part constant;
a semicircular convex bevel can also be made with chips, changing the inclination of the blade, or use a concave cutter for this;
a concave semicircular joint is made with a chisel or cutter with a rounded edge. Such elements must be cut out in stages, removing small chips layer by layer and carefully controlling the depth of the tool and the tilt of the handle;
if the descent has a profile complex shape with several convex, concave and straight elements, this profile is divided into several stages and cut in a strict sequence, starting with the widest outer part and ending with the deepest and shallowest tier.

Blind carving: applying relief

Once you're done with the shaping, it's a good idea to vary the remaining flat elements with simple designs or floral designs. Here are the simplest working methods:

A groove (branch, groove) is made with a narrow chisel or cutter with a square, triangular or concave blade shape. The carving is carried out strictly along the line, the relief is selected with small shavings and then polished.
Leaf - several small grooves imitating veins, trimmed disk knife. From the center between the veins to each of them, small notches are made with a semicircular chisel, imitating the body of the leaf, then the outer contour is drawn with a thin cutter.
The flat areas adjacent to the descent can be diversified with blind carvings of small ornaments. For example, cut two furrows from the edge, forming a triangle with it, and punch an asterisk in the center.

Wood processing and installation of platbands

Due to carved elements wooden product It has big shape surface, due to which it is more susceptible to aging. Therefore, the wood should be specially treated.

First of all, carved items to be placed on the facade should be soaked in an antiseptic composition for 5-8 hours, for which you can dig a small trench in the ground and place it there plastic film for temporary arrangement of a bath. After soaking, the parts are dried for several days, stacked with pads every 30-40 cm.

When the wood has dried, it must be thoroughly sanded, achieving smoothness and finally eliminating all traces of sawing and carving. Protective composition selected according to type facade finishing, it could be like alkyd enamel, so polyurethane varnish, tinted or transparent.

Finally, for correct installation platbands, the window opening should be framed with a flat lath 10-15 mm thick and such a width that its outer edge is not visible through carved pattern along the contour of the clypeus. The purpose of this strip is to eliminate the remaining unevenness of the wall and provide a reliable base for securing the carved element. Often this strip is painted in a color that contrasts with the coating of the casing itself to make the pattern more expressive.

Platbands can be attached with straight or oblique cutting, which depends on the type and density of the pattern. Oblique trimming is performed with a cut on each side at 45°, while the cutting line should pass through identical sections of the pattern and not intersect the figures cut out inside.

With direct trimming, a horizontal element is located between two vertical ones. Their top edge should be 1-2 cm above the crossbar if the cut end is straight. It is also possible to produce on the edge of the thread according to general scheme, if during the manufacturing process you carry out fitting and precise adjustment of the platbands. The fastening of the platbands itself is elementary - ordinary rough nails without a head are used for it. It is only important that the nail pierces the platband and the strip, protruding at least 5 mm from the inside.

A selection of templates for carved window frames

How to make a stencil for platband

Finished stencils and templates can be made on paper, cardboard or wood fiber. They just need to be applied to the surface of the future casing and circled. You can make a stencil yourself in several ways:

Stencils and templates are the main assistants in creating carved platbands. In the drawing you need to take into account which pattern will be chosen for the various components of the casing.

Carved platbands include the following main details:

top trim strip;
vertical platband slats or frame;
bottom strip or profiled window sill.

These are only the basic elements; carved frames can include many more decorative details: a tiara, hangers, flowerpots, etc.

Transferring the outline of the design to the workpiece

Cutting the platband according to the template

The most common method is when the design is cut out of thick paper or cardboard. The resulting templates are applied to the board and traced along the outline with a pen, felt-tip pen or pencil.
The stencil can not be cut out, but transferred to future trim using carbon paper.
You can press the outline of the sketch through the paper onto the wood with a pen (an inconspicuous mark remains). You can make the outline clearer without carbon paper by applying a layer of graphite on the back of the sheet with a soft pencil.

Carved trim on doors and windows decorate the house and make it different from its surroundings. Even if a building is built according to a standard design, it can become unique.

How to make a template from a drawing?

To make beautiful window frames with your own hands, you will need templates. With their help, the design is transferred to the surface of the wood.

The creation of the template begins with selecting a pattern. You can find many options; if you wish, you can copy the pattern from a photograph. There are several ways to enlarge a drawing to the size of a template. If the drawing is in electronic format, then it can be processed in a graphics editor.

If the drawing has already been printed, then you should use one of two methods. The first is photocopying. All copiers can print with changes in scale and proportions. The second way is manually. It can be called traditional. The pattern is simply redrawn with increasing cell size.

The resulting enlarged drawing is transferred to cardboard and then cut out of it ready-made templates platbands for windows. A separate template is made for each pattern or element. Then it is placed on a board from which the platband will be cut and traced with a pencil.

We make window frames with our own hands

Project

Design is the basis of any process. If you want to make carved window frames with your own hands, then you should also start with design. Performed drawing of the facade of the building with all its details and is carried out drawing of carved elements. This allows you to imagine the appearance of the building. If you have a visualization program, you can make a three-dimensional house project.

Do-it-yourself platbands: drawings.

DIY window trims. Photo

At this stage, materials and tools are prepared. The best material are pine boards with minimum quantity knots.

You can make window frames with your own hands using:

jigsaw with soft start;
feather drill with a diameter of 12mm;
screwdriver;
grinding machine.

Sawing

After the stencils of the window casings have been traced, you should begin the cutting process. First, the internal openwork elements are cut out. To do this, holes are drilled along the contour of the image. Drill should be perpendicular to the board.

After sawing internal contour, go to the outside.

The jigsaw is led from one end of the future casing to the other. The cuts are made in advance to make the process easier.

The result is a finished part. For the other side of the window, you need to make a mirror image of it.

Grinding

In order for the surface to acquire an aesthetic appearance, it is treated with a grinder. An 80-grit sanding wheel is used. After this, the part can be painted.

Primer and painting

The wood is sensitive to rot and insect damage, so it is carefully treated before painting. antiseptic. The fewer gaps, the longer the platbands will last.

After applying the composition, the parts are dried. Dry surfaces are painted. The best option is water-based paint for wood. The color is selected during design. IN in this case white and cherry are used.

Paint with two brushes. The wide one is used to paint the outer surface, and the narrow one is intended for the side parts and hard-to-reach places.

The elements are painted carefully, in two layers. The second layer is applied when the previous one has dried.

The final layer is varnish. For this purpose it is better to take acrylic composition water-based.

The varnish is applied in one layer, trying to avoid drips. Dry the parts outdoors.

Assembly

All parts are assembled into a common composition before installation on the window. This sequence is more convenient.

Do-it-yourself carved window frames. Step by Step Photos

Fastening is carried out according to the sketch using self-tapping screws. They are screwed in from the wrong side so as not to spoil the appearance of the platbands.

Installation

Direct installation of platbands on the window is carried out using scaffolding. It is safer and more convenient than stairs. Fasten the module in place using self-tapping screws.

Variants of stencils for platbands

When choosing patterns for platbands, you should pay attention to whole line moments. Among them is compatibility with the overall appearance of the house. If you are making wooden window frames with your own hands for the first time, then it is better to choose a simpler option.

DIY trim templates

Previously, each region had its own traditions in window design. They can be used now if you want to remind about cultural heritage.

The role of platbands

Window trim elements are often called platbands, but their correct name is casing. Cashing has many functions. Let's consider the main ones:

decorative - the appearance of the windows and the entire facade looks complete; with the help of the platband you can visually change the proportions of the house;
the right ornament helps express personal preferences or traditions;
with the help of platbands, all buildings on the site are combined into a single architectural ensemble;
thanks to the platbands, moisture and debris do not get into the cracks between the wall and the frames;
Heat loss is reduced since the gaps around the windows are additionally closed.

When making platbands, it should be taken into account that wood deteriorates over time. Antiseptic compounds will help prolong his life.