Doors and Windows - replacement window instructions
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : replacement window instructions
mloman
09-18-03, 08:26 AM
I'd like to install 5 vinyl replacement windows. I'm wondering if this is a job I can tackle. I've read a lot of posts on this board, but my situation is slightly different.
The existing windows are aluminum. The house is brick, and the the current windows are slightly smaller than the openings. There is caulk where the window meets the brick. The window sits on the exterior sill, which is made of concrete. The window is caulked here as well. I'm not sure what the window is screwed into (I'm guessing the wood frame of the house). The interior sill is made of marble, and butts up against the window (it is about 1.5 " higher than the exterior sill).
Can somebody give me a step-by-step procedure for removing the old window and instlling a new one? It looks very easy, but I'd like to have some knowledge of the possible problems I may encounter.
-Marcus
The existing windows are aluminum. The house is brick, and the the current windows are slightly smaller than the openings. There is caulk where the window meets the brick. The window sits on the exterior sill, which is made of concrete. The window is caulked here as well. I'm not sure what the window is screwed into (I'm guessing the wood frame of the house). The interior sill is made of marble, and butts up against the window (it is about 1.5 " higher than the exterior sill).
Can somebody give me a step-by-step procedure for removing the old window and instlling a new one? It looks very easy, but I'd like to have some knowledge of the possible problems I may encounter.
-Marcus
Tn...Andy
09-18-03, 03:50 PM
Yep....here's my canned spiel, which SOMEDAY Lefty might make a "sticky" of so I wouldn't have to keep clipping 'n pasting......( HINT HINT :) )
Read it and then ask about what you don't understand or I wasn't clear on....
andy
How to measure & replace aluminum windows
Generally, the frame of aluminum windows are not as “deep” as replacement vinyl windows, vinyl replacements being 3 ¼” deep and aluminum windows in the 2 ½” range.
Also, most often, sheetrock has been used as a “wrap” to go around the corners of the window opening from the wall inside. Builders like to do this to save the wood mouldings that are normally found around wood windows……a nickel here, a nickel there, and he has a vacation this winter in the Islands ! The replacement windows doesn’t need to go out any further than the old window did, so that means the extra depth of the frame must come to the inside, and I measure mine to sit ON TOP of the sheetrock. So measure the sheetrock opening at several places ( because they WILL vary….especially from window to window), then order the window EXACT ( AND that is important wording or the company you order from will automatically cut the size you furnish them) size that I measured for each opening. Then all you will need to do on install is a small bead of caulk between the frame and sheetrock. Often, the lower edges of the sheetrock are “soft” and crumbling where the aluminum windows have sweated over the years, and by placing the window back in over the sheetrock, you can often hide this damage and not have to repair it.
This same method applies even if you have a wood extension jamb and wood mouldings instead of sheetrock. The replacement window will sit on top the wood extension jambs inside due to the deeper frame of the vinyl window.
To Install:
Brick is the easiest to deal with. Aluminum window 99% of the time will have a nailing flange where the window was installed on the building sheathing, then brick or siding applied after that.
First, remove any moving sashes….there are various methods for that depending on the window and without seeing yours, I can’t tell you specifically HOW they come out, and SOMETIMES they aren’t meant to, so do whatever you have to including destroying part of the frame if need be to get them out. Then remove any fixed glass if you have that….generally held in with some type of vinyl, or metal bead, and usually some UnGodly sticky caulk….but get ALL the glass out for the next step.
Next, you “wreck” the frame out. If, by chance, you have some exterior mouldings that can be removed to access the nailing flange, thank your lucky stars, remove the moulding and the nails in the flange, and you can easily remove the frame. BUT most of the time, the brick or siding is butted right to the edge of the aluminum frame, and with out removing that brick/siding, you can’t access the flange. So take a small bar/screwdriver and start prying up the frame at some point….then stick a LARGE crowbar in and REALLY pry up…..use a hunk of scrap plywood to “pad” your bar and keep from damaging the sheetrock or brick you are prying against. Once you have the frame pried up enough, take a hacksaw or sawsall with metal cutting blade and saw thru the frame. Keep on working your way around the hole until you wreck the frame completely out.
Brick is easier because you have something solid to pry on……siding, you have to work from the inside, so be careful not to screw up your sheetrock or wood returns.
Once you have the hole opened, set your replacement in the opening. IF you measured right, the new window will sit right on top the sheetrock return. You can position the window anywhere in the opening ( from inside to outside ) that you want. I generally set mine out to the point of the old caulk line of the aluminum window……that SHOULD give you about an 1” or so of coverage on the sheetrock, and allow you to hide any damage on the edges where it used to meet the old window. The replacements come with screws, although most are 2”, and you may need to buy 3” for this type replacement. Use galvanized deck type screws if you buy them. There are 4 holed in the sides……2 on the up near the top of the inside sash track, and 2 down near the bottom of the outside one….some manufacturers use a cover/sash stop that you have to pop off to see the holes. Run your screws in these holes and just SNUG them….don’t tighten to much or you will pull the frame out of square.
The outer, low set of screws MAY not hit any wood, depending on where you set the window in the hole……that hole may line up with the gap between the brick and the sheathing. Sometimes you can angel the screw back enough to catch the studs, sometimes you have to get “creative” ……I run a screw down thru the sill in the corner on the inside track if I have to ….DO NOT run it in the side…….as the sash comes down, the “shoe” ( where the window pivot to flip out ) will hit the screw head and STOP DEAD…..and if you run it in enough to clear, you’ll warp the frame…….run the screw down in the sill, run it down flush or even sink it into the next layer of the multi layer vinyl and put a dab of silicone over the head.
Run a bead of caulk around the inside, IF you measured right and you’re done inside.
Outside:
The replacement will be slightly smaller than the old window……stuff ( but don’t PACK TIGHT ) fiberglass insulation around the vinyl frame. Then you will have to make up some moulding to take up the difference. Personally, I make a cover out of aluminum coil stock in the color to match the windows, but you have to have a sheet metal brake ( and the knowhow) to do this……this, BTW, is what separates the pros from the amateurs…the install itself is fairly straightforward, but the finish work is not something I can teach over the internet….sorry…..Maybe I’ll sell a video one day J
Read it and then ask about what you don't understand or I wasn't clear on....
andy
How to measure & replace aluminum windows
Generally, the frame of aluminum windows are not as “deep” as replacement vinyl windows, vinyl replacements being 3 ¼” deep and aluminum windows in the 2 ½” range.
Also, most often, sheetrock has been used as a “wrap” to go around the corners of the window opening from the wall inside. Builders like to do this to save the wood mouldings that are normally found around wood windows……a nickel here, a nickel there, and he has a vacation this winter in the Islands ! The replacement windows doesn’t need to go out any further than the old window did, so that means the extra depth of the frame must come to the inside, and I measure mine to sit ON TOP of the sheetrock. So measure the sheetrock opening at several places ( because they WILL vary….especially from window to window), then order the window EXACT ( AND that is important wording or the company you order from will automatically cut the size you furnish them) size that I measured for each opening. Then all you will need to do on install is a small bead of caulk between the frame and sheetrock. Often, the lower edges of the sheetrock are “soft” and crumbling where the aluminum windows have sweated over the years, and by placing the window back in over the sheetrock, you can often hide this damage and not have to repair it.
This same method applies even if you have a wood extension jamb and wood mouldings instead of sheetrock. The replacement window will sit on top the wood extension jambs inside due to the deeper frame of the vinyl window.
To Install:
Brick is the easiest to deal with. Aluminum window 99% of the time will have a nailing flange where the window was installed on the building sheathing, then brick or siding applied after that.
First, remove any moving sashes….there are various methods for that depending on the window and without seeing yours, I can’t tell you specifically HOW they come out, and SOMETIMES they aren’t meant to, so do whatever you have to including destroying part of the frame if need be to get them out. Then remove any fixed glass if you have that….generally held in with some type of vinyl, or metal bead, and usually some UnGodly sticky caulk….but get ALL the glass out for the next step.
Next, you “wreck” the frame out. If, by chance, you have some exterior mouldings that can be removed to access the nailing flange, thank your lucky stars, remove the moulding and the nails in the flange, and you can easily remove the frame. BUT most of the time, the brick or siding is butted right to the edge of the aluminum frame, and with out removing that brick/siding, you can’t access the flange. So take a small bar/screwdriver and start prying up the frame at some point….then stick a LARGE crowbar in and REALLY pry up…..use a hunk of scrap plywood to “pad” your bar and keep from damaging the sheetrock or brick you are prying against. Once you have the frame pried up enough, take a hacksaw or sawsall with metal cutting blade and saw thru the frame. Keep on working your way around the hole until you wreck the frame completely out.
Brick is easier because you have something solid to pry on……siding, you have to work from the inside, so be careful not to screw up your sheetrock or wood returns.
Once you have the hole opened, set your replacement in the opening. IF you measured right, the new window will sit right on top the sheetrock return. You can position the window anywhere in the opening ( from inside to outside ) that you want. I generally set mine out to the point of the old caulk line of the aluminum window……that SHOULD give you about an 1” or so of coverage on the sheetrock, and allow you to hide any damage on the edges where it used to meet the old window. The replacements come with screws, although most are 2”, and you may need to buy 3” for this type replacement. Use galvanized deck type screws if you buy them. There are 4 holed in the sides……2 on the up near the top of the inside sash track, and 2 down near the bottom of the outside one….some manufacturers use a cover/sash stop that you have to pop off to see the holes. Run your screws in these holes and just SNUG them….don’t tighten to much or you will pull the frame out of square.
The outer, low set of screws MAY not hit any wood, depending on where you set the window in the hole……that hole may line up with the gap between the brick and the sheathing. Sometimes you can angel the screw back enough to catch the studs, sometimes you have to get “creative” ……I run a screw down thru the sill in the corner on the inside track if I have to ….DO NOT run it in the side…….as the sash comes down, the “shoe” ( where the window pivot to flip out ) will hit the screw head and STOP DEAD…..and if you run it in enough to clear, you’ll warp the frame…….run the screw down in the sill, run it down flush or even sink it into the next layer of the multi layer vinyl and put a dab of silicone over the head.
Run a bead of caulk around the inside, IF you measured right and you’re done inside.
Outside:
The replacement will be slightly smaller than the old window……stuff ( but don’t PACK TIGHT ) fiberglass insulation around the vinyl frame. Then you will have to make up some moulding to take up the difference. Personally, I make a cover out of aluminum coil stock in the color to match the windows, but you have to have a sheet metal brake ( and the knowhow) to do this……this, BTW, is what separates the pros from the amateurs…the install itself is fairly straightforward, but the finish work is not something I can teach over the internet….sorry…..Maybe I’ll sell a video one day J
lefty
09-18-03, 11:02 PM
mloman,
Just follow Andy's advise. If you have any questions, REPLY to this post and we will answer them for you.
Andy, you do so well!!
But, rather than spending the time on the video, just become a co-moderator and do your own 'sticky's". I know -- It's a tough job, but SOMEBODY has to help me do it!! Who better???
Just follow Andy's advise. If you have any questions, REPLY to this post and we will answer them for you.
Andy, you do so well!!
But, rather than spending the time on the video, just become a co-moderator and do your own 'sticky's". I know -- It's a tough job, but SOMEBODY has to help me do it!! Who better???