RAL window installation means fixing the window correctly and sealing the joint with the wall in three functional zones. The outer layer keeps out rain and wind, the middle layer insulates against heat loss and noise, and the inner layer stops room air entering the joint. When the materials and the details are chosen properly, the joint is better protected from moisture. Below we explain the method, how the price is calculated, and what should be stated in the quote.
Why PUR foam on its own is not enough
When a window is installed it is fixed mechanically in the opening, and the gap between the frame and the wall is filled with insulation, often PUR foam. The foam’s job is to insulate. It does not replace load-bearing packers, the right screws or anchors, or protection of the joint on the outside and the inside.
An unprotected joint can let air and moisture through, and exposed foam breaks down under UV light. Damp and cold surfaces around the opening can contribute to condensation and mould. The cause can also be a thermal bridge, high humidity in the room, or too little ventilation. Read more in the article on condensation on windows.
The RAL principle: tighter on the inside than on the outside
The basic rule is that the joint should be tighter on the inside than on the outside. The inner layer limits the entry of moist air, and the outer layer lets the joint dry towards the outside. The three zones have different jobs:
- Inner zone. An airtight layer with a suitable resistance to water vapour. It limits moist air from the room entering the joint.
- Middle zone. Insulation, most often a suitable PUR foam, fills the gap and contributes to thermal and acoustic insulation. The window is held by the mechanical fixings.
- Outer zone. A layer that resists driving rain and wind, and that is more vapour-open than the inner layer, lets the joint dry towards the outside.
The name confuses a lot of people, so one note. The RAL in “RAL installation” and the RAL in “RAL colours” come from the same German standardisation system. They are nevertheless two entirely different things. RAL installation has nothing to do with the colour of the window.
What RAL installation looks like, step by step
- Preparing the opening. After the old windows are removed, the opening is cleaned and checked. The edges the tape will stick to must be sound, dry, and free of dust.
- Fitting the tapes. The tapes are joined to the frame and the substrate without a break. How the corners are treated, the overlap length, and the order of sticking are set by the instructions for the tape system chosen.
- Levelling and fixing. The window is set on suitable load-bearing packers, the position and the diagonals are checked, and it is then fixed mechanically to suit the substrate and the window system.
- Insulating the middle zone. The gap is filled evenly with the specified material. Its width depends on the size and material of the window, on movement, and on the sealing system chosen. There is no single dimension that applies to every opening.
- Connecting to the wall. The inner and outer layers are joined to the prepared substrate with a suitable adhesive, primer, or sealant, in line with the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Finishing. The reveals, the external sill, and the façade are brought into line with the installation detail. The tapes are protected and finished with materials that are compatible with them, while the window’s drainage is kept clear.
There are also multifunctional expanding tapes that can combine the jobs of all three zones. Whether they can be used depends on the permitted gap, how even the substrate is, and the manufacturer’s instructions, not only on whether the building is new or the windows are being replaced.
What RAL installation costs
The price of RAL installation depends on the size of the window, the sealing system, preparation of the opening, and the finishing work. When you compare quotes, ask for separate lines for standard installation and for the extra sealing of the joint.
In the public Danito price list, standard installation is charged at 30 € per m² of opening, including VAT, when several positions are replaced at once. What is included, and the final amount, are confirmed after measuring. The article on window prices with installation lists removal, setting and fixing, foaming and sealing, adjustment of the hardware, and taking the waste away.
The Danito surcharge for RAL installation is 10 € per linear metre of the window perimeter, including VAT, on top of standard installation. The perimeter of a rectangular window is calculated as 2 × (width + height), with the dimensions in metres. The final quote is confirmed after measuring and inspecting the opening.
- Example for a 140 × 140 cm window: the opening area is 1.96 m² and the perimeter is 5.60 m. Standard installation at 30 €/m² comes to 58.80 €, and the RAL surcharge at 10 €/m comes to 56.00 €. Total installation is 114.80 € including VAT. The window price and plastering of the reveals are not included. The standard-installation calculation applies when several positions are replaced.
The things that affect the total installation cost most, with us and in the market, are:
- the state of the opening, because crooked and damaged walls need more preparation;
- the type of tape, conventional or expanding, and the width of the gap;
- the window perimeter and how the surcharge is calculated, because the tapes run along the joint between frame and wall;
- access, because a ground floor and a sixth floor without a lift are not the same job;
- who finishes the reveals, because work after installation is, as a rule, not included in the installation price.
When RAL installation pays most
- Houses and flats with their own heating. Every loss of heat through the joint is a cost you pay directly.
- New-build and energy-efficient houses. The performance of the window can be reduced if the joint with the wall is poorly made. To compare profiles, see VEKA 70, GEALAN 74MD, or VEKA 82MD.
- Rooms with higher humidity. A well-made joint matters, but it does not replace ventilation and control of humidity.
- Façades with thermal insulation, where the outer tape has to sit cleanly under the façade and the external sill.
On a smaller job, for example one window in a flat, the decision depends on the state of the wall. An honest recommendation at the measuring visit is worth more than a blanket “always” or “never”.
Why it matters who installs the window
The quality of the installation depends on the whole process: preparation of the substrate, the supports, the fixings, an unbroken seal, and the finishing. The name of the tape is not, by itself, proof that the window was installed correctly.
Installation in Pančevo and Belgrade is done by our own teams, people employed by Danito, not by subcontractors. The same company that made the window in the workshop in Pančevo comes to install it. That is why the guarantee on the product and responsibility for the installation sit in the same place. Measuring is free, and we send an itemised quote, with installation as a separate line, within 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions
What is RAL window installation?
It is installation with correct mechanical fixing and with the joint sealed in three functional zones: protection outside, insulation in the middle, and an airtight seal inside. The aim is a joint protected from the weather and from uncontrolled moisture.
What does RAL installation cost per window?
The RAL surcharge is 10 €/m of perimeter including VAT, on top of standard installation at 30 €/m² of opening. For a 140 × 140 cm window that is 56.00 € of surcharge and 58.80 € of standard installation, 114.80 € in total. The standard-installation calculation applies when several positions are replaced, and the final quote is confirmed after measuring.
Does RAL installation pay in a flat?
A well-sealed joint makes sense in a flat as well. The system needed, and how much preparation is required, depend on the existing wall, the position of the window, and the finishing. How the heating is billed is not the only criterion.
Does RAL installation prevent mould around the window?
A correctly made joint can reduce the risk of damp and of local condensation. It is not a guarantee that mould will not appear: thermal bridges, high humidity, and poor ventilation still have to be dealt with.
Is finishing the reveals included in the installation?
Plastering the reveals is not included in standard Danito installation. Who does the finishing, and what it covers, should be agreed before work starts.
Does RAL installation have anything to do with RAL colours?
No. Both terms come from the same German standardisation system, but RAL installation is a method of fitting, and RAL colours are a colour catalogue. A window in any colour can be installed to the RAL guidance.
Installation by the same company that made the window. Book a free measuring visit in Pančevo, Belgrade, or the surrounding area: 013 36 77 00 · 060 626 27 10 · office@danito.rs. Guide prices for the windows are in the price list, and you can request a quote on the book a measuring visit page.
