How-To : Home Improvement

When we left off last week, we had removed the old wood sash windows and prepared the opening for the vinyl replacement windows. Now it’s time to install your new windows. You should have someone there to help you when doing the installation. First, Remove all shipping materials from the window. Now, if you are installing several different sizes, make sure you are putting the correct window in the correct opening. You need to put the window into the opening to make sure it’s going to fit, then remove it and run a bead of caulk on the face of the outside blind stop where the window will rest. You don’t want to caulk, only to discover the windows are too big. It’s worth the extra few minutes to make sure it’s going to fit. Lift the window and set the bottom in first. Then raise the top until it rests against the outside blind stops. Sometimes, when raising the top into position, the window frame will hit the top of the wood frame. You need to tap down on the top of the vinyl frame while keeping pressure towards the outside.

Once you determine that it’s going to fit, remove the new window and set it aside. Run a bead of caulk on the face of the outside blind stops. White latex painters caulk works fine. Raise the window into position again. Now have your helper hold the window in position while you raise and lower the sashes, making certain that the window is square in the opening. Remember how you ordered the windows 3/16″- 1/4″ shorter than the tightest measurement? This is where you use this space to adjust the frame to be the most plumb and level. Get a box of popsicle sticks and wood coffee stirrers at the grocery store. The coffee stirrers are about 1/16″ thick, and the popsicle sticks are approximately twice as thick. You want to put the shims in the four corners. Then caulk the gap on both sides and along the top before installing the inside stops. I don’t recommend putting any screws in the sides, but you can put one screw in the top center and one in the bottom center. You really dont have to use any screws in this kind of installation, since the shims will eliminate any side play, and the caulk on the blind stops will hold the frame in place as well. Remember, we still need to re-install the inside stops.

Before installing the inside stops, remove all the old nails and replace them with new nails. A 1″- 1 1/4″ finish nail is fine. Before installing the inside stops, scrape all old caulk off the stops. Then, while your helper holds the window in place, nail your stops back on. If the window has 4 stops, install the shortest ones first. That way you can bend the longer stops into place between the two short ones. Use a nail punch to sink the head past the surface of the stop. If you have several windows to do, i suggest doing the first window to this point before going to the next. How frustrating would it be to have a helper removing the old sashes, only to discover that the windows aren’t going to fit!? If the first one goes in fine, then you can send your helper ahead of you to start removing old sashes. The best way to avoid the nightmare of having a bunch of new windows that won’t fit is to make sure you measure CORRECTLY. Remember, tight minus 1/4″ on the width and height should be fine.

Finish the inside by caulking the area of the inside stop where it meets the casing, and the point where the stop meets the new frame. Fill the nail holes in the inside stops with caulk to hide the nail heads. Now it’s time to finish the outside. A quality replacement window will either have a sloped frame to match the slope sill, or it will come with an insert that fits under the new frame to fill the gap created by the sloping wood sill. If you buy a lower grade window that doesn’t come with anything to fill the gap underneath, you can buy some wood trim to fill the space, or you can get a flat vinyl trim that attaches to the face of the bottom of the new frame. The flat trim is available on my website under the “shop” tab. Once you cover the bottom gap, it’s time to caulk where the outside blind stops meet the vinyl frame, and where the bottom gap filler meets the wood sill.

That’s it! You’re done! You can buy accessories to cover your old wood sills with a vinyl wrap extrusion. That can also be found on the website under the “shop” tab. Next week we are going to start on replacing old aluminum windows.

John Rocco has been installing replacement windows since 1978. To learn more, visit How To Install Windows

When building your own home, certain building materials must be chosen and ordered well in
advance of when they will be used. This is mainly due to how long the delivery time
is once the order is made. By ordering these materials at the proper time you ensure
that they will be on the job when they are needed.

Some of the materials that need to be ordered with plenty of lead time include windows,
plumbing fixtures, roofing, siding, electrical fixtures, brick, flooring, interior trim and
appliances.

Windows and certain plumbing fixtures should be ordered about the time the foundation is
poured. Windows can take 3 to 6 weeks to get so order them accordingly. Ideally you would like
these ready for delivery once the roof is framed and covered with sheathing so they can be
installed while the carpenter contractor is still there.

Plumbing fixtures such as bathtubs and shower stalls get put in place on the rough. Two to
three weeks should be plenty of time to make this available for your plumber.

Roofing should also be ordered even if it is a stock item. Make sure the color and style you
want is available so there are no surprises. If it needs to be ordered it gives your supplier
time to order it for you. Once the plywood is on the roof you will want to shingle it as soon
as possible. This item should also be considered about the time the foundation is poured.

Siding and Brick should be considered once the rough framing is completed. This gives
the other trades a chance to run electric, plumbing, or vents out exterior walls. Once that
is done these exterior finishes should be at your disposal.

Electrical fixtures should be ordered once the rough is finished. If ordering these from an
electrical supply house, specialty fixtures could take as much as six weeks.

Flooring is another item that should be considered once the rough carpentry is finished.
You will want to make sure items such as carpeting, ceramic or quarry tile, laminate, hardwood,
or vinyl flooring is available when you need them.

Interior trim and millwork should be measured up for and ordered after the drywall is up.
While the taping and painting is being done, your order can be run. Once the painting is done
your order should be ready for delivery. Give this two to three weeks lead time.

Once the painting is done, ordering appliances is in order. I know a guy who ordered his
refrigerator for when the drywall was done so his favorite beverage was on hand as he worked
on his new home.

Having all the necessary materials on hand is important to keep your homebuilding project
moving smoothly. If your trying to meet a deadline this becomes even more important. If your
paying on a construction loan, ordering materials with plenty of lead time can save you money.

(c) 2006 Mike Merisko
www.sawkerfs.com

About the Author: Mike Merisko has been a carpenter for 26 years. Most of those years were spent in the homebuilding and remodeling industries. He was also in business as a carpentry and general contractor. While that is his forte, he also has experience in bridge building, commercial construction, and exhibit building which is how he earns his living these days. You can browse through articles by him and others at his website http://www.sawkerfs.com or visit his blog at http://www.sawkerfs.blogspot.com

If you’re planning a replacement project there are some thing that you should think about first before you begin. One thing is how much light you would like to enter the room. This is something that you will have the power to control if you choose wisely. Also how much ventilation will you have? The security of your family might be a concern to you as well. How secure are the windows you’ll be installing on your home?

One more thing to think about is privacy. You won’t want anybody peering in your home, so you must choose wisely for all of these things.

If you want to change the looks of your home, plus make your home more valuable, installing replacement windows is an excellent idea for you. Your home will look much nicer from passers by, and when it’s time to sell, that will be a huge benefit to a prospective buyer.

Before beginning your project you’ll want to make sure that you’re not violating any codes from your town either. Always check before beginning to save yourself a headache.

Replacements are a pretty simple project, and with the help of a wide assortment of books or online tutorials you should have no problem with this undertaking.

Here’s a couple tips on choosing the style of replacement window that’s best for you.

You’ll want great quality products that offer a good warranty. You want windows that will survive your home for at least 40 years or so.

For greater insulation, therefore better efficiency of energy; make sure to select double glazed windows. Gas filled double-glazed is even better yet.

As well, you’ll want to read reviews to see which are the best windows that people are currently enjoying their quality. Remember that you don’t always have to choose the biggest brand names either, those come at a hefty price at times. Finding quality in a lesser-known name is very possible.

Windows have come a long way from the days of a pane of glass, stuck into a sash. Energy efficiency has become a forefront concern with those purchasing windows; therefore double paned gas insulated windows have been developed and used by a great many.

The sashes for the window frames can come in a multitude of materials these days. Some like the easily adaptable wooden frames since they can be easily trimmed to fit tightly.

However, some are constructed from vinyl or aluminum.

Vinyl windows are a great choice because they’re easy to maintain and clean. They also are not to the moisture problems that wood is, or rusting that aluminum is prone to do.

If you live in a hurricane prone area, then you’ll definitely want to consider hurricane windows for your family, and your homes safety.

Be sure to utilize the choice in styles of glass as well. Tinted windows are an option for sunlight and sun damage. The glass can also be treated with different types of film for energy efficiency, and light control.

You have a lot of choices these days that you’ll want to utilize for yourself; it can only save you money in the long run to do it now.

[tags]home, windows,[/tags]