tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446309335504004951.post3019078398306169903..comments2024-03-12T18:06:41.369-04:00Comments on Not Quite a Teardown...: DIY: How to replace a window in a brick openingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446309335504004951.post-55942775482149368072013-10-19T09:29:19.641-04:002013-10-19T09:29:19.641-04:00Yea, I think that's a good idea. You could bui...Yea, I think that's a good idea. You could build a frame out of pressure treated wood too. You'll just need a little something to screw the replacement window in from the side - usually only 4 screws each window. Don't worry too much if it's not 100% secured as once you add spray foam and trim the window will be sealed up and solid. The way we did was definitely the hardest way. Any window replacement company would have just thrown in a smaller window and used the original framing to screw it into, but our way looks better in our opinion. The easy way would reuse the existing molding inside and out so the whole window would be done after some foam and caulk - probably only 30 minutes per window. Our way required about 3-4 hours each window.<br /><br />For the trim we opted to just picture frame all of the windows inside and out. We still have about 5 inches of a return on the inside as our sill. We preferred that look rather than a traditional sill plus I found it easier to install. Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01282259817684295635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446309335504004951.post-15239316906673804452013-10-18T19:08:03.059-04:002013-10-18T19:08:03.059-04:00Hi Brian,
OK, so maybe we'll use a replacement...Hi Brian,<br />OK, so maybe we'll use a replacement window, build a frame out of pvc and attach it to the brick. Then install the replacement window to the PVC, so that it can be pushed towards the outside further than a standard installation. That would give us a larger trim (I like craftsman styled houses) and a larger sill on the inside of our house.<br />Thanks, this is the only place I have found where the window sits further out on a brick veneered home. I like it...Salsalamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09285911761631483587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446309335504004951.post-81602518767282322762013-10-17T09:11:15.203-04:002013-10-17T09:11:15.203-04:00Hi Selma,
I would not use a new construction windo...Hi Selma,<br />I would not use a new construction window with a flange for this. It will require a ton of caulk to get the trim and flange waterproof and most likely will fail over time and allow water in. We built out the frame to the back edge of the first layer of brick so we have about 5 inches to the front of the brick on the outside of our windows. Inside we have about 6-8 inches that we had to build a return for. Our walls our 1950's construction so we have a layer of brick and then two layers of concrete block before we get to the interior walls. I'm not sure how they did it in the 70's. The brick openings most likely aren't going to be perfectly square and will definitely not be flat so a flange would stick out too far I'd think to make it work. Get a replacement window without the flange and either build a new box or simply get a replacement window that fits in the current opening. That's what most window replacement companies will do to minimize the work. You end up with a slightly smaller window, but it will only take 20-30 minutes per window to replace. Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01282259817684295635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446309335504004951.post-91621916286171287612013-10-16T20:01:59.143-04:002013-10-16T20:01:59.143-04:00Hi Brian,
We have old 1976 windows on a brick hous...Hi Brian,<br />We have old 1976 windows on a brick house. We'd like to install the new window by attaching the flange to the outside brick, and then placing trim over the flange to hide it. In that way the window sill on the inside of the house is much deeper. It looks like your's is pushed out pretty far also. Is that what you did? Do you think our idea would work?Salsalamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09285911761631483587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446309335504004951.post-82132790119069579612013-06-04T11:10:37.837-04:002013-06-04T11:10:37.837-04:00Oh I see. I don't think a new construction win...Oh I see. I don't think a new construction window will work for that since it's a smaller opening. For my basement windows I just used an off the shelf from Home Depot. I definitely sacrificed some window size, but it was an easy install. Just take the rough opening on the inside or outside and subtract 1.5" or so to find a new window that will work. For mine I just got as close as I could, but I definitely could have fit another inch or two if I wanted to special order a window. Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01282259817684295635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446309335504004951.post-67901264898661735912013-06-04T10:34:05.605-04:002013-06-04T10:34:05.605-04:00My plan was to not do the demo first just because ...My plan was to not do the demo first just because I dont want a opening in my wall for the week or two it takes to get the window in. Also, it's a basement level and the window only sits about a foot about the ground so I dont want any mice/rats getting in. Thanks for the help but 1 more question. If i do a new construction window do I still need to fram it out with 1x4's or can I just slide the window right into the brick opening?marinemail05https://www.blogger.com/profile/09470851527934644087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446309335504004951.post-59149758038094124022013-06-04T10:26:28.829-04:002013-06-04T10:26:28.829-04:00Yea, that's what I would do too. Our walls wer...Yea, that's what I would do too. Our walls were about 12" thick so I pushed the windows forward as much as I could and still allow for outside trim. None of our openings were 100% plumb/level so we had to fudge them a bit to make it look as level as possible. We made the insides more even than the outsides.<br /><br />Then on the inside we created a custom jamb to finish it out. If you do the demo before the ordering the window I would just have them include the jamb. You could even get new construction windows and probably cut away the flange enough to fit in your opening if they don't offer jambs with replacement windows. If you left a little flange you could use that to attach the window to your 1x4. Then foam and it would be solid. Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01282259817684295635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446309335504004951.post-53391065329924892262013-06-04T10:21:51.618-04:002013-06-04T10:21:51.618-04:00Right now it is an old glass block window that is ...Right now it is an old glass block window that is flush with the outside and on the inside I probably have a foot of window sill. THe old frame that is still there looks original from 1907 when the place was built. My idea is to take everything out, and reframe it with 1x4's up against the brick. Should I flush the window to the outside brick again or bring it in a few inches? Once I frame it in, i'll give them that measurement and i think they said the window comes 1/2" on the sides and a 1/4" on the top smaller to fit. Or something like that. marinemail05https://www.blogger.com/profile/09470851527934644087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446309335504004951.post-64549159637701137172013-06-04T10:12:20.011-04:002013-06-04T10:12:20.011-04:00When you tear out the old window you could reuse t...When you tear out the old window you could reuse the old rough opening and use those measurement. Our designer took the wrong measurements and our windows ended up being slightly big for the old rough opening. So we build new openings with 1x4's and were able to fit the windows. If you tear everything out like we did then I would build the 1x4 rough opening and use those measurements to make sure they size the windows 1/2" less than your opening. If you paid a company to do it they would just pop out the old and pop in the new windows. The only problem with that is you get a slightly smaller window than you had before. The way we did it was a lot more work, but the end result looks better with the largest possible window for the brick opening. Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01282259817684295635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446309335504004951.post-4083051722944839142013-06-04T10:05:25.770-04:002013-06-04T10:05:25.770-04:00when you order a new window, do you give them the ...when you order a new window, do you give them the measurements from the inside of the brick or after you install the 1x4's then take the inside measurements for order the correct size window?marinemail05https://www.blogger.com/profile/09470851527934644087noreply@blogger.com