Lake Home Sun Room Addition - Interior finish

In my previous two posts on this project, I talked about decision and planning, as well as demo, framing, and finishing the outside.  Now, I'll discuss finishing the interior of the structure.

After some discussion, we decided to drywall all four walls.  Originally, we had planned on leaving the siding on the side of the house, but drywall would give us a more finished, nicer look.  It also made it easier to run power and install light fixtures, without running wires in surface conduit.  The ceiling would be soffit material, and we'd install some recessed lighting fixtures, as well as a couple of ceiling fans and wall sconces.  As I mentioned before, we'd also install a small through-the-wall heat pump.  The floor would be ceramic tile, to minimize maintenance.

The first step was to run the wiring.  Fortunately, I had an easy path to get power from the breaker box to the porch.  I pulled wire for one 15 amp, 120 volt circuit for lights and outlets, and one 20 amp, 240 volt circuit for the heat pump.  I put a lot of outlets in the porch - one every 4' or so on the outside wall - I figured it was easier to do that now than to have to add one later in the process.  When I finished the outside, I added a couple of boxes for outside outlets.  I wired those up, hooking them into the same circuit as the inside outlets.  For safety purposes, I ran all the outlets through a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupting  (GFCI) outlet.  I was able to wire it so that one GFCI would protect all the outlets on the circuit - the instructions in the package explains how to do it.  At this time, I installed the "can" lights, and the junction boxes that would hold the ceiling fans.  I also ran wire for a couple of motion-detector lights for the exterior - a valuable security feature.

After running all the wiring, it was time to install insulation, then drywall.  Fortunately, Carter came down to help with this part of the project, making it much easier than it would be alone.  We elected to use fiberglass batt insulation, with a heavy poly film for a vapor barrier.  Since we had 2 X 6 walls, we used 6" insulation.

 

First, we added fiberglass batt insulation, then stapled on the vapor barrier.

The ceiling was a bit different.  Since the ceiling was the floor of the 2nd story deck, covered with a waterproof coating, we didn't want to add the vapor barrier - I was worried about trapping moisture in between two waterproof surfaces.  In addition, the roof had a slight slope to it, to aid in shedding water.  Since we wanted a roof level with the rest of the room, we had to add furring strips to level it out. 

Now, we were ready for drywall!

When planning a drywall project, one of the most important things to keep in mind is to minimize the number of seams, to make finishing as easy as possible.  When you buy your drywall, buy a couple of extra pieces, just in case.  Since drywall itself is relatively cheap, you would never cut multiple pieces where one continuous piece will work.  In this case, we had a long, narrow, rectangular room with a lot of windows and doors, so we'd have enough finishing to do regardless of how well planned it was.  We could use 4' X 12' sheets for much of it, which helped.

We had decided to use 1/2" thick drywall - the standard thickness for new construction - for the new.  To cover the existing siding on the inside wall, we went with thinner 3/8" material - more than adequate for the job, since it was just covering up a solid surface.

Since we had so many windows, I decided we'd just drywall around them, with no added wooden trim.  I thought, since the wall was essentially all window, that wooden trim would be a distraction.  I figured, if we didn't like it, I could always add it later.  This turned out to be a good decision - although it added a lot of labor, it saved quite a bit in material cost, and we like the look a lot.

In the old days (the 1970's), we used nails to secure drywall.  I think they still sell drywall nails, but I don't know who would ever use them.  Today, drywall is secured with screws - typically about an inch and a quarter long, that are easily set with any driver drill.  They're easier to work with, and provide much improved holding power, compared with nails.  When I hang drywall, I try to use only as many screws as necessary to hold the drywall firmly in place.  It's also important to drive the screws to just below the surface, while making sure you don't tear the paper - there should be a little dimple at each screw, that can easily be filled with joint compound when you're finishing.

Hanging drywall goes fairly quickly, and Carter and I got it up without too much trouble.  Probably the hardest part of this was carrying the sheets down the hill!  I also caught a bug that weekend, so I wasn't as much help as I might have been otherwise (of course, I'm not much help normally anyway, so maybe that wasn't too big a deal, after all).  In any case, we had the drywall in place by the end of the weekend.

The drywall is up.  Notice the furring strips on the ceiling, which are shimmed down to make the ceiling level.

Notice the drywall around the window.  There is, however, a wooden jamb extension around the patio door.

Very few seams on this wall - we hung the drywall horizontally, to reduce finishing.  Note the seam about halfway up the support post beam

Ready for Mud!

Carter wisely elected not to come for the drywall  finishing process.  Drywall finishing isn't impossible for an amateur to do well - you just have to have a lot of patience.  It's also important to keep in mind that virtually every wall will have a few flaws in it, if you look hard enough.  If the joint looks bad before you paint, it will look worse after, so take the time to do it right.

Pros may be able to get great looking walls with two coats of mud, but I've always needed three.  The key is to use fresh mud, and broad strokes.  If you do it right, you shouldn't need to sand between coats.  If you're like me, you'll need to do some sanding and touching up after your third coat.  Here's the basic process:

• The long edges of drywall sheets are tapered, so those are the easiest joints to cover.  Have two new, uncut edges join whenever possible.
• I've always used paper tape - it's cheap and pretty easy to work with.  They make fiberglass self-stick tape, but it's quite a bit more expensive, and I've heard it is more susceptible to cracking.  If you've used it and like it, that's fine.
• Your "mud" - drywall compound - should be fairly thin.  If it seems thick, thin it with water.
• Take a wide putty knife or drywall knife - about 4" - and put down a bed of mud slightly wider than the tape.  It doesn't have to be too thick, but should be thick enough for you to embed the tape into it - maybe about 1/8" thick or so. 
• Cut a length of tape the right length for your joint, and push it into the mud at the beginning of your joint to hold it in place. With the 4" knife at a slight angle - and a small amount of mud on the blade - run down the joint, pushing the tape into the mud.  You should push out excess mud from around the tape, and end up with the tape in the mud, with a very slight amount on top.  Be careful to make sure that there is mud UNDER the tape through the whole joint - if there's a void, it will pop up and separate in the future.  You'll end up with a bunch of excess mud on you knife - put it back in the container as you go.
• Let the first coat dry completely, then knock off any chunks with the drywall knife, so it's fairly smooth (it isn't supposed to be perfect at this point, so don't be too obsessive about it).  If there's a spot that has a big lump, you may have to sand that down now.
• The second coat is put on with a wider knife - probably about 8".  Put a little mud on the knife, and draw it over the first.  The mud will be spread wider this time - you're still getting a thin coat.  Resist the temptation to glob on a whole bunch of mud - more is not better, in this case!
• Let it dry, and again knock off any chunks.  It will probably look pretty good now, but you're not done - if you paint after two coats, it will look horrible, so don't even think about it!
• The third coat goes on with the 12" knife - very thin and smooth.  After this coat, it should look pretty good - you'll have a few lines and defects, but they should be pretty minor.  You'll want to touch up any big boo boos, but minor issues will be taken care of with sanding.
• You should install metal or plastic corner beads on any outside corners - these give you a nice straight corner, and provide protection against damage.  After installing the beads, finish these with three coats, like above.
• Inside corners are tougher, but not impossible.  Look closely at your tape, and you'll see it's creased in the middle.  If you bend it at the crease, you can set it in the corner, and tape just like a flat joint.  It is easiest to use a special knife designed for inside corners to set the tape in the mud - subsequent coats are done with a flat knife - let one side dry before doing the other.
• Screw hole are filled with mud - a couple of coats are usually sufficient there.

After you're done with the mud, it's time to sand.  You can use a sponge, designed for sanding drywall, or a block of wood with sandpaper attached.  In any case, go easy!  If you use coarse paper, or sand too aggressively, you'll have to go back to applying mud again.  Be especially careful not to rough up the paper - it will show after paining.  Don't use a power sander - it's way too easy to take off too much material.  Often, a damp sponge or rag will work well for sanding.

Next up - paint!


After sanding, I applied a primer coat, then painted.  We elected to use 3 colors - the two ends were one color, and each long side was a different one.  I hate to paint, but I worked through it, and soon had it all painted.

Now I just needed to tile the floor, install the ceiling, and complete the trim and touch up.

 Carter came down for the next part - installing tile.  We borrowed my neighbor's tile saw, which helped a bunch.  Unfortunately, we picked the coldest weekend in memory to tackle this job - a major headache, since we set the saw up outside.  Since the process involves having your hands sprayed with water while you're cutting, it made cutting the tile very unpleasant.  Even with this issue, it was better to cut the tile outside, and avoid the mess inside.

Since Carter was the experienced tile setter, she laid all the tile, while I kept busy mixing thinset and cutting tiles for the edges.  We elected to go with a staggered pattern - not really any harder to set.

We started at the far end, and worked our way down.  There were doors at both ends, so we were in no danger of tiling ourselves into a corner!  Note the spacers still in place between the most recent tiles.

We liked the staggered pattern.

Once the tile was in place, it was time for grout. Grout is the stuff that goes between the tile - it's available in a bunch of different colors.  We chose a sandstone-like color for the grout.  Grout is applied with a special grout float - kind of a thin sponge bonded to a board.  You just dump some grout on the tile, and work it back and forth, forcing it into the space between the tiles.

After adding the grout, you scrub the tile clean with a sponge, and you're done.  Of course, that's a short sentence about a miserable job - the whole grout/cleaning/sealing is about the most tedious process of the whole project.

With the floor done, all that's left it the ceiling and trim.

In any case, we now had a great looking floor.  We're almost done - Next, I'll install the ceiling.

For the ceiling, I decided to use vinyl soffit material.  I had intended to use aluminum, but when I looked at it at the lumber yard, I couldn't find a single piece that wasn't dented or deformed.  I figured, if they couldn't keep it on the rack without damage, I'd never be able to get it home and installed.

The vinyl worked pretty well - I used some flat head screws, and made sure to leave them a little loose, to allow for expansion and contraction of the vinyl.  The only hard part was cutting the holes for the recessed lights, and even that was pretty easy.  The ceiling went up quickly, and looked nice when it was done.

The ceiling looked nice, when finished. 

For trim, I decided on painted pine - it's relatively inexpensive, and easy to work with.   At Home Depot, I discovered I could save a bunch of money by buying a "contractor pack" of base trim, containing at least twice as much as I needed.  The price per piece was so much less, it was a no-brainer.  Unfortunately, not having a use for the excess, I ended up throwing it away.

I also bought a power miter saw for the trim work, and quickly figured out I should have bought it at the beginning of the project - it would have been perfect for cutting all the framing.

In any case, I was able to finish the trim in relatively short order.  I painted it before installation, then touched up to cover the nail holes.  As soon as it was done, we ordered furniture.  The project was complete!

We have most of our meals at the table - we have a perfect view of the lake!

We leave the patio doors into the house open while we're there.

Kodak like it!

Our total for the project was a shade under $10,000 - much less than any of the sun room companies would have charged to do the work.  In addition, I think the results were at least as nice (actually, I like our room better.

This room isn't perfect - it's long and narrow, so it's difficult to accommodate a large group.  As a practical matter, we didn't have an option there - adding width would have increased the cost and complexity of the project exponentially.

The heat pump works well, although we don't need the air conditioning too often.  We need the heat in the winter, although the afternoon sun heats the room up quite well.  Although I did much of it myself, Carter was a huge help - several tasks would have been nearly impossible without help.  It's also nice to have someone to bounce ideas off, especially since we didn't have a set-in-stone design.

Lake House Porch Addition, Step Two - Demo, Framing, and Enclosing the Room

In a previous post, I discussed the planning and decision-making process for our lake home addition.  Having made the decision, I was now ready to begin the actual work.  Plan in hand, I headed to the lake for an extended weekend of solitary work.

The old framework was in good shape, but didn't have the look we wanted for the addition.  The old
 6 x 6 support beams would stay in place.

The old porch had a 2 X 4 framework that held the screens in place.  While this framework was in good condition, it was inadequate for my needs.  Specifically, it had a few things that made it necessary to do a complete tear-out:

• Since the support beams were 6 X 6's, the smaller framework would need to be shimmed out to match the beams - a very labor-intensive process.
• The rough openings weren't exactly what I needed for the windows and doors.
• The openings weren't solid enough to provide a good mounting platform for the windows and doors.

Armed with a crowbar, hammer, and driver drill, I began tearing things down.  We weren't going to reuse anything, including the old doors, so I pulled those out and hauled them to the top of the hill. Initially, I was going to save the old lumber, but I soon decided it was more work than it was worth to remove all the nail, so I ended up just ripping it apart and piling it up, nails and all.  After the framework was gone, I pulled out some of the old electrical and fixtures, leaving some lights for the moment.  After about a half day, I was ready to start building!

A couple of things have changed since I last did any major construction project.  I had never used a pneumatic nail gun - I don't even know if they existed way back in the stone ages when I helped my father build or remodel.  Fortunately, Carter owns several nail guns, and she was kind enough to loan them to me for the duration of the project.  I soon discovered that these things are real labor savers!  You also have the ability to quickly drive nails at odd angles.  The downside?  You have to use some restraint, or you'll end up with more nails than board.

I ended up cutting all the framing lumber with a circular saw - hand measuring each board, marking it with a square, and following the line with the saw.  I'm pretty good with a circular saw, but, if I had it to do over again, I'd have bought a power miter saw, and used it to cut the 2 X 6 framing.  Ironically, I ended up buying a big saw for the trim work, not realizing it would have been perfect for the framing.  In any case, I cut all the framing with the circular saw, with no real problems.

Since I wanted the maximum glass area, my windows were custom sized.  The rough opening for each window was slightly larger than the frame size, to leave you enough room to level the windows.  I tried to get each opening as square, plumb, and level as possible to reduce issues when installing the windows.

Rough openings are an inch or so larger than the window frames

I also framed out an opening for the walk-in door and through-wall heat pump in the far end.

You can see the detail, including the "cripple" studs around the openings.  Since the support beams provide adequate strength, I didn't have to worry about structural strength of the headers.

The other end is framed for the sliding patio door.

The view from the outside - Still not much difference!

After framing, the next step was to add the sheathing.  Fortunately, Carter was able to come down to help with sheathing and window and door installation.  Sheathing adds rigidity to the structure, gives it lateral stability, and provides a smooth, solid surface.  Depending on the application, sheathing can be fiber board, foam board, or (my choice) OSB.  OSB (Oriented Strand Board) is a plywood-like material - we used to call it "chip board" - less expensive than plywood, providing a more solid, secure sheathing than foam.  Since I was planning on vinyl siding, I wanted to have a "real wall" - something that would withstand at least a little force before breaking down.  Adding foam board to the outside would provide superior insulation, but I elected not to use it for this project - the wall was almost completely glass anyway, so I didn't think it would be worth messing with.  I would, however, insulate the wall cavities, as well as the ceiling.

Protection from water intrusion is of primary importance in any home.  Years ago, I can remember using tar paper or "builders paper" over the sheathing to protect against water.  Now, you use House wrap.  I used Tyvek brand - a leading product in the industry.  Tyvek stops wind and water from coming in, while still allowing water vapor to pass through from inside the house.   We installed carefully, taping the seams with the special tape made for the job.  We took special care around the window openings, wrapping the Tyvek around the opening, then adding self-stick flashing to (hopefully) eliminate leaks.

Starting to look like a wall!

House wrap added, almost ready for windows.

The gray  tape under the window is flashing - the bottom piece is installed under the window, then more is added up the sides and on top, so water from the top will end up outside, rather than in the wall.

Once the wrap was on, we were ready for window installation.  We were using "new construction" windows, meaning they came with a mounting flange attached.  This simplifies installation - all you have to do is caulk, put them in the opening, shim until they're square, and nail them in.  Of course, that sounds a little easier than it is! 

Our windows were large and heavy, and they weren't at ground level from the outside, so we decided to install them from the inside.  This required us to remove the screen and movable glass pane, and put them through the opening from the inside.  Even nailing the fins - ordinarily the easy part - was more difficult due to the awkward reach required.

First window installed!

I had to lean out the window to fasten the flanges.

Believe it or not, I did the whole project without falling!

Almost done!

All the windows are in.

Once the windows were done, we had to install the doors.  The walk in door was easy - it was pre-hung - just set it in the opening, make sure it is plumb and square, shim, and you're done.  The sliding door wasn't hard, but it was really heavy.  Carter and I had our hands full just moving it into position! Once into position, is was a straight-forward process to level it and finish the job. 

The walk-in door at the far end, seen from the outside.  The small framed opening below the window is for the heat pump.



The patio door, installed.  Note the flashing around the door.

We now had  a completely enclosed room - if the weather turned cold, I could at least work on the inside.  The next step was to add the vinyl siding, so the outside would be completely finished and ready for winter.

I'd never installed vinyl siding before.  It's not very hard, but there are a couple of things you need to be careful of.  Since vinyl expands and contracts with temperature changes, it shouldn't be fastened too tight - it must be free to move slightly.  For this reason, fastener holes are slotted.  It's also important to cut pieces slightly smaller than the opening, to allow for expansion. 

The other thing you need to keep in mind is that the siding isn't water tight, so your fasteners need to be able to withstand exposure to the elements without rusting.  Standard galvanized screws or nails won't do - when they rust, you may get stains running down the siding.  Although I would have preferred to use screws, I had trouble finding stainless steel or other rust-free screws with the necessary broad, flat head.  I ended up using aluminum roofing nails for the siding.  Aluminum nails are very difficult to use - any slight mishit causes the soft aluminum to bend. 

To get started, you first install all the trim pieces - corners and "J Channel" around windows.  This trim covers the cut ends, giving you a nice, finished appearance.  The siding itself goes pretty quickly - starting at the bottom, you nail it up, overlapping slightly at the seams.  The next piece locks into the lower one, again making sure nothing is too tight.  The top of each side slips into a special piece of trim that holds it in place.

Here you can see how the siding, trim, soffit, and fascia combine to give a finished appearance.

The walk in door, with trim.  Note the sleeve for the heat pump on the lower left side.

Here's the look from the lake - a nice addition to our house.

I also elected to cover the soffits and fascia with vinyl.  It installs similarly to the siding, and provides a nice, clean look with very little maintenance.  All in all, I was happy with the look of the room from the outside - now, I just needed to get to work inside!

Soon, I'll post about the completion of the project.

Lake Home Sun Room Addition, Step One - Decision and Planning

I've talked before about some home improvement projects, mainly the window replacement at our home.  Most of the projects I do these days are pretty minor - even the windows weren't a big deal - but I have recently tackled a larger project.  Enclosing our porch at the lake wasn't a weekend job - it took a lot of planning, and a significant amount of construction time.  Since it was a big project, I'll break my post into several sections - Making the Decision and Planning, Demo and Framing, and Finish Work.  I'll put a few photos in to illustrate my points, but you can view the whole project, more or less in chronological order, on Picasa.  This won't be a step-by-step instruction that will enable someone with no experience to do the project, but it will give you a good idea of the process I followed.

Before we begin, let's make a couple of things clear.  Always follow all applicable building codes.  If you don't know how to do something, consider getting help - either a professional or a friend with plenty of skills and experience.  Don't guess about how to do something - it's a lot cheaper to hire someone to do it right the first time than it is to have them fix it after you've messed it all up.  Does that all make sense?  OK, now we can start the discussion.

We bought our home on Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri in 2005.  One of the features we loved when we picked it out was the screened porch on the "lake side" of the house.  The porch is long and narrow - approximately 32'X 7'.  The floor of the second floor deck is waterproof, so I didn't need to worry about a roof, and each end had a metal storm door.  The deck above is supported by 6"X6" posts, adequate for the weight, and the foundation is an extension of the house slab, so there were no issues structurally. 

We spent a lot of time in the summer enjoying the open air and great view from the porch, but were unable to use it except during temperate conditions - extreme heat or even moderately cold weather chased us inside.  In the summer of 2010, we started to think about our options to enclose the porch.

The porch, before any modifications.

The porch overlooks our dock - we also have a great view of the main lake!

Here's the house from the lake, as it was when we bought it.

The previous owners had put plastic on the porch screens in the winter.  Although this helped to keep it more comfortable in the winter, it was unacceptable to us - the plastic distorted the view, made noise in the wind, and looked tacky.  We decided that just wouldn't do.

The next thing we thought of was to install storm windows in the winter.  This would have the advantage of eliminating the distortion from the plastic, while providing a reasonably effective seal.  The down side of this would be the need to install and remove the windows in the spring and fall.  In addition, while evaluating windows, I discovered the cost, while not excessive, seemed too high for the benefits realized.

When I looked at storm windows, I stumbled on a web site selling vinyl windows.  Looking at these, it became apparent to me that these were only a little more expensive than the storms, and would result in a better finish.  For the first time, we started talking about really enclosing the porch, instead of just a temporary or partial job.

Before we got too far down the path, we contacted a local sun room company.  They had a unique window product that at first glance seemed to have some merit.  The window was a 4-section, collapsible design, that seemed very well-suited to our needs.  When completely open, it would maximize the open area, resulting in a room that was nearly as open to the air as the existing, 100% screened porch.  I was concerned that the window frames were very thin and flexible, and they used a plastic film in lieu of glass.  Despite the misgivings, we decided to get a quote on a complete enclosure.

Lake Sun Rooms was easy to work with for the estimate.  Their representative came out and discussed some options with us - we decided on wall panels with each section including windows of the maximum practical size for each opening.  They'd install all the panels, including doors in each end, cover the existing ceiling with aluminum soffit material, and wrap the support beams with aluminum.  Their quote included no electrical work, heat or air conditioning, or flooring.  The price for this was approximately $15,000.  To add the other things we'd need, I was sure we'd be looking at $20,000 minimum for the total project cost.  I decided to do some estimating on the cost of tackling the project myself.

After a lot of talking (arguing), Theresa and I decided on the following basic layout:

• We'd use vinyl sliding windows, extending from about 20" above the floor to about 6" from the ceiling, along the lake side.
• One end would have a sliding glass patio door (also white vinyl).
• The other end would have a 32" walk-in door, along with a small window.  This end would also contain a small, through-the-wall heat pump, providing heat and air conditioning for the room.
• The walls wold be drywall finished.
• The ceiling would be vinyl or aluminum soffit material.
• Outside, we'd use vinyl siding.
• The floor would be ceramic tile.

We both agreed we should use quality products, but didn't need high-end materials, so we'd use "builder grade" windows and doors.  These products are reasonably energy-efficient, and should provide good service life in this application.  Likewise, we'd choose reasonably priced ceramic tile, avoiding the exotic styles that double (or more) the price without adding utility or durability.  When possible, we'd buy locally - unless there was a substantial savings from a different source.

To finish our plan, I'd need to select materials and gather approximate costs to assure us we could complete the work without breaking the bank.  I decided to get a rough cost estimate based on prices at the local Home Depot.  This made sense, mainly because they have virtually every component needed.  I developed a rough material list, then spent an afternoon wandering the store and writing down prices.  Since it was a only a rough number, I estimated - badly as it turned out - things like hardware, lighting, trim, paint, adhesives, etc.  Because my windows were all custom sizes, I got a formal quote - I used standard stock door prices.  When complete, my estimate was for around $6,000, excluding the heat pump.  Adding about $600 for that, we were well within our budget.  I assumed my estimate was 10% low, and we'd need to buy some furniture, so we were probably looking at about $8,000 or so for the whole job.  I'll report on how we did, budget wise, in the final summary post, but we were in the ballpark.

We had originally planned on starting the project right after the first of the year - we generally spend the week between Christmas and New Years at the lake, and I planned on doing the initial demo at that time.  Instead, mainly due to the slow real estate market that fall, we decided to start right after Labor Day, with the goal of having it ready by Spring.  Since the work wouldn't disturb the inside of the house (at least not much), we'd still be able to go to the lake over the winter.  I figured I'd do all of the work myself, but I actually ended up with some great help on a lot of the work - more about that in the next post.

In any case, I was determined to get it started, so I packed up and headed down to the lake near the end of September to get started.  I'll talk about the next stage - Demo and Framing, in a future post.

Replacement Vinyl Windows - Part 2: Getting It Done

In Part 1, I talked about how I made the decision to install windows myself.  Once you've decided to tackle your window project, it's time for the really scary part - ordering them!  What's scary about that is if you order them the wrong size, you've got a huge pile of expensive junk (especially if they're too large for your opening).  The good thing is, it's not too hard to measure accurately.






Replacement windows install in the existing window frame - where the sashes move up and down - so you need to measure the opening carefully.  You'll be removing everything from the window between the outside stop (the piece of wood that keeps the window from falling to the exterior of the house) and the inside stop (the trim pieces on the inside that keep the window from falling into the house).  That will include the sashes (the top and bottom parts that move up and down, as well as any tracks, springs, dividers, ropes & pulleys, or whatever).  The inside stops will be removed to install the windows, then replaced to hold them in.  Don't touch the outside stops.  Generally speaking, you'll do the whole installation (minus some caulking and paint touch up) from the inside.


The instructions for my windows said to order them 1/4" less than the width of the opening (the height is less critical, since there's a head expander you move up to fill the space).  I did my windows in two batches - the first I tried to get almost exactly the size I thought they should be, and they were difficult to get in the openings.  Once I did, there was very little room for shims and insulation.  The next batch I ordered a bit smaller, and they fit in easier.  The extra room is filled up with shims and non-expanding foam anyway, so it's every bit as tight when complete as the others, and it will be covered up with the inside stops/trim anyway. 

I was fortunate, in that my old windows were almost perfectly square and plumb (all the corners were right angles, and the vertical sides were straight up-and-down).  This simplifies both measurement and  installation - but don't worry, you can still install windows if your old ones are a little off.  If your old window frames are in very poor condition, or if they are rotted or leaking, you should not use replacement windows - you'll need to remove the old windows, frame and all, and replace them.


Measure in at least 3 locations horizontally and vertically, and DON'T assume all windows will be the same size.  You should be able to measure your windows accurately without removing the old sashes - just take your time, and don't take shortcuts.  Remember, you're measuring the area where your current windows slide up and down.

You also need to check to make sure your openings are square and plumb.  The most accurate way to determine if they are square is to measure the diagonals - if they measure the same from corner to corner, the opening is square (assuming the length and width is also consistent).  Check for plumb with a level on each side.  It's important that your replacement window sits level in the frame, so if your opening is off, you'll need to order the window a little smaller to allow you to adjust it.

Most of the time, your windows will be custom made - so you won't be able to return them if you measure wrong.  When you order them, you will typically tell them your "rough opening" size, and they will adjust the actual window size to fit.  On the order form, it should give you window dimensions, so make sure it will fit - it is your responsibility to get it right.

One other thing you need to check is the depth or thickness of your old windows.  Compare this to the dimensions of your replacements - if they're the same, you're in luck.  If the new windows are thinner than the old (not likely), you can put some shims on the outside stop to make it work. If the new windows are thicker, as they were in my case, you'll need to move the outside stops or make adjustments to the inside trim.  My old windows were only 31/4" thick, compared to 31/2" for the replacements, so I elected to fix the inside stops.  I bought a cheap table saw, and was able to trim 1/4" from the inside edge of each board.  Unfortunately, I also had to cut 1/4" from the window stool (the ledge on the bottom of the window trim).  I was able to do this by cutting the nails holding it in place with a Dremel Multi-Max, removing the piece, and trimming it in the table saw.  Most people don't have this step.

 When your windows arrive, you'll want to remove the plastic wrapping, and store them standing upright (you don't want them laying flat on the floor.  Avoid extreme heat for storage.  Check all the dimensions carefully - you don't want to find out they're wrong after you've removed the old window!  If they're not all the same size, mark each window with it's intended location.

Do yourself a favor, and install your first window in the least noticeable location (I started in a spare bedroom).  If you have storm windows, remove screws or other hardware and take them down.  You won't use storm windows now.  Go inside and carefully remove the window casing (the trim around the window), as well as the inside stops that hold the sashes in place.  At this point, you should be able to remove the sashes, and any hardware in the opening.  Remember to leave the outside stops in place - they're what the replacement window sits against.  Take a stiff putty knife, and scrape the opening to remove loose paint, caulk, etc.

Now is the time to see if you measured properly!  Dry fit your window into the opening - set the bottom in place, and tilt it up and back until it rests against the outside stops.  You should have a little room on each side (less than 1/4" on each side), and a bit more at the top.  Pull the window out and set it aside.  There should be a couple of pieces with the window. A channel that sits on the top, that will lift up to fill the space at the top of the window, and a "sill angle", that attaches on the bottom to match up with the existing window sill.  Cut some fiberglass insulation, and put it on top of the window, then cover it with the channel.  The sill angle usually slips into a slot on the bottom of the window.

Next, you'll need some "window and door caulk", to match your windows.  Put a nice bead of caulk around the exterior stop, so your window will seal against it when installed.  Also caulk against the stool (that's the ledge that is commonly on the inside) - if you have it.  Don't go overboard on the caulk - just a nice even bead - too much just makes a mess.

Fit your window into the opening, and check, with your level, that the bottom is level, it's pushed tight against the outside stops, and that both sides are plumb.  Slide the head extender up so it contacts the top of the opening.  Install shims top and bottom, check again for plumb and level, and install screws through the installation holes.  Don't tighten the screws at this time - they're just holding the window in place.  The window should be solidly in the opening, and you can relax for a second.

When you're done relaxing, check to make sure you have shims in all 4 corners, and that the window is level and plumb.  Tighten the screws just enough to get them snug, but not enough to distort the window.  Add shims where needed - particularly in the center of each side, making sure it's still square and even.  Operate the window and make sure it opens and closes properly.

You'll want to fill the empty space between your new window and the old frame.  If you've got room, use "Door & Window, Non-Expanding Foam".  Don't use the regular expanding foam - it expands too much, and will actually put pressure on the windows, bowing them so they don't operate properly.  In any case, don't go overboard on the foam - even the non-expanding stuff will expand enough to fill the void.

If your windows are very tight in the opening (like my first batch were), you may have to fill the void with caulk or fiberglass insulation.  I slid a little insulation in the crack with a putty knife, then caulked for a good seal.

Once you've sealed the window, all you have to do is re-install your interior stops and trim.  In my case, this was complicated by having to trim 1/4" from each piece, but I didn't have to remove any of the window casing.  If you can, use a pneumatic trim nailer - otherwise, you'll need a hammer and nail set.  Fill the nail holes with matching putty, caulk outside between the exterior stop and the window, touch up any interior and exterior paint or stain, and you're done!

I read all the articles that said you'd take about an hour per window to swap them out - mine took quite a bit longer.  My first window took over 6 hours from start to finish.  I went very slowly, since I didn't want to mess something up.  The second one took about 4 hours.  After that, I would do two at once (since most of them were installed in pairs), in between 4 and 5 hours.  One thing that slowed me down was I had to remove and re-install the old blinds and/or curtains - that's never accounted for in the articles.  Of course, having to trim the inside stops (which also required re-cutting some miters), slowed me down even more.  I also continued to move very slowly, trying to make sure I didn't make a mistake (I still made a few).  Without those extra tasks, I'm certain I would have been able to average less than 3 hours per pair of windows, and might have gotten to 2 hours per pair (1 hour per window).

As far as cost, here's how I ended up:

• $2,912 - Windows, with screens (American Craftsman 8500, tan, low E, Argon filled)
• $    284 - Tools (Table Saw, Dremel Multi-Max, Blades, Wonder Bar, Misc Drill Bits, etc.)
•  
• $    136 - Supplies (Paint, Caulk, Insulation, Fasteners, etc.)

         $3,332 - Total cost of project.

I'm very glad I did this project myself.  I saved a bunch of money, and I believe my finished project was of at least as high a quality as what I would have gotten had I paid for it.  I also have a couple of new tools left from the project, too, and I used both of those in my room addition project at my lake home (more about that in the future).   If you're not sure if you can do this or not, try one window.  At the worst, you'll mess it up and have to pay someone to fix it.  I'm guessing you'll find out it's not that tough, and you'll do just fine.