Doors and Windows - need advice on removing old windows
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flukeslapper
09-01-05, 04:51 PM
My 50's house is all brick, with the original steel casement windows cemented into the brick openings. What's the best approach for removing the windows so that the openings can be framed up for new ones? Thanks for your help!! :wall:
XSleeper
09-01-05, 09:19 PM
Steel casements are my arch-enemy. Especially when they are in cement buildings where someone got the bright idea of filling up the entire backside of the steel window frame with portland cement!!!
(Not that its happened recently or anything...) :wall:
Take heart, buddy, they aren't impossible to get out. Your main concern will be trying not to damage the brick as you try to remove the windows. The steel windows that I've encountered have a flange, similar to a nailing fin. It may or may not be nailed to the sheathing. At any rate, you will need a reciprocating saw with plenty of heavy duty metal cutting blades- Milwaukee makes some good ones that are wider (stiffer) than most, and that's helpful. You will also want a grinder and some metal cutting blades. Oh and I almost forgot... the biggest wrecking bar you can find! :thumbup:
If the windows have mullions, the first thing to do is cut them out. You can usually use the wrecking bar and pry the entire bottom of the window up like this: ^ and then cut it in half with the reciprocating saw. Repeat the same thing on top, to pry it down and cut it. Occasionally, you'll be lucky enough to be able to bend those pieces around and get the sides to loosen up and come out. If not, you've got a lot of prying to do. It often helps, though, to cut the sides in the same manner as you cut the top and bottom. Just making a cut in the side will weaken it enough that you can bend the middle inward. The grinder and metal blades are the backup plan. When you encounter resistance (those windows will put up quite a fight) and your reciprocating saw just isn't the tool for the job, you can continue to work out your frustrations, just with a different tool.
If nails happen to be holding the frame in, you can create a hole with the grinder that is in line with the sheathing and nailing fin, and then insert the reciprocating blade and cut the frame and nails at the same time.
Its hard to describe exactly how to do it, other than it's a real battle. Be prepared to ruin the jamb and trim around these windows. You can use the brick to pry against, which is actually your best place to pry the steel frame in toward the middle of the opening, but you need to be very very careful to only pry if the brick is solid, and not to chip off any edges of the bricks. If you chip one spot, it's wise to give up trying to pry on the brick at all.
Good luck, you'll need it.
(Not that its happened recently or anything...) :wall:
Take heart, buddy, they aren't impossible to get out. Your main concern will be trying not to damage the brick as you try to remove the windows. The steel windows that I've encountered have a flange, similar to a nailing fin. It may or may not be nailed to the sheathing. At any rate, you will need a reciprocating saw with plenty of heavy duty metal cutting blades- Milwaukee makes some good ones that are wider (stiffer) than most, and that's helpful. You will also want a grinder and some metal cutting blades. Oh and I almost forgot... the biggest wrecking bar you can find! :thumbup:
If the windows have mullions, the first thing to do is cut them out. You can usually use the wrecking bar and pry the entire bottom of the window up like this: ^ and then cut it in half with the reciprocating saw. Repeat the same thing on top, to pry it down and cut it. Occasionally, you'll be lucky enough to be able to bend those pieces around and get the sides to loosen up and come out. If not, you've got a lot of prying to do. It often helps, though, to cut the sides in the same manner as you cut the top and bottom. Just making a cut in the side will weaken it enough that you can bend the middle inward. The grinder and metal blades are the backup plan. When you encounter resistance (those windows will put up quite a fight) and your reciprocating saw just isn't the tool for the job, you can continue to work out your frustrations, just with a different tool.
If nails happen to be holding the frame in, you can create a hole with the grinder that is in line with the sheathing and nailing fin, and then insert the reciprocating blade and cut the frame and nails at the same time.
Its hard to describe exactly how to do it, other than it's a real battle. Be prepared to ruin the jamb and trim around these windows. You can use the brick to pry against, which is actually your best place to pry the steel frame in toward the middle of the opening, but you need to be very very careful to only pry if the brick is solid, and not to chip off any edges of the bricks. If you chip one spot, it's wise to give up trying to pry on the brick at all.
Good luck, you'll need it.
flukeslapper
09-02-05, 01:43 PM
I had a feeling this would be an ulcer in the making. I think it may well be a case of justification for the cost of hiring a contractor to do it! I'm gettin' too old for this stuff. ;)