How To Replace & Repair End Piece On Vinyl Railing

When Maddy Krauss and her hubby, Paul Friedberg, commencement laid optics on their 1897 Shingle-style home, they fell in love with its handcrafted turn-of-the-century construction, broad front porch, and massive entry-hall staircase. They were as well delighted to notice that many of the original architectural details were still intact, including wood paneling, exquisite carvings, stained-glass windows, and an ornate cast-bronze fireplace.

The windows were some other story. The originals had been swapped out a decade earlier for low-quality sash kits that were drafty, ugly, and completely inappropriate for the graceful Victorian-era dwelling house, This Old House Television receiver's fall 2007 project in Newton, Massachusetts. The solution: Call in TOH general contractor Tom Silva and his coiffure to install energy-efficient replacements.

Because the existing window frames were sound and square, Tom could use insert replacement units—in this example, Andersen's Woodwright Insert Replacement Windows, vinyl-clad wood units fitted with free energy-saving, low-east insulated glass. These fully assembled, set-to-install windows slip right into the existing openings.

When the job was washed, the firm had beautiful new double-hungs that looked right, worked smoothly, and gave Maddy and Paul one more thing to love about their old firm. Here's a look at how Tom fabricated the switch, with tips for choosing and installing replacement windows.

How to Install Replacement Windows

1. Window Replacement Parts

Types of Replacement Windows

Unlike full-frame windows, which are designed for new construction, replacement windows are made to fit into existing window openings. They're bachelor in dozens of standard sizes, from as narrow as eleven ½ inches to as wide equally 68 inches, and come up in wood, vinyl, fiberglass, vinyl-clad wood, and aluminum-clad wood.

There are iii bones types of replacement windows: sash kits, insert replacements, and full-frame units. Sash-replacement kits—what Tom found on the Newton house—give an quondam window frame new movable parts, including jamb liners and sash. The liners are attached to the side jambs of the window opening, and so the sash are slipped in between.

For these to piece of work, the existing window frame must exist level and square. An insert replacement window consists of a fully assembled window in a ready-to-install secondary frame. Sometimes called a pocket window, an insert replacement slips into the existing opening and is and then attached to the old side jambs. Because yous're calculation new jambs and liners, the glass area will be slightly smaller than it was before.

Full-frame replacement windows are similar to inserts, except that they have a consummate frame that includes head jamb, side jambs, and sill. These are the only option when the former window frame, sill, or jambs are rotted. To install these, you lot must strip the window opening downwardly to its crude framing, inside and out.

2. Measuring for Replacements

The most important step in the window-replacement process happens long earlier installation twenty-four hours. It's when you measure the dimensions of the existing window frame to make sure you lot social club a replacement unit of measurement that'southward the right size. Here's how to do it.

Start by measuring the within width of the erstwhile window frame, jamb to jamb, in iii places: across the pinnacle, middle, and lesser. Write downward the smallest of the three measurements.
Next, measure out the frame'due south height from the top of the sill to the underside of the caput jamb in 3 places: at the left jamb, in the middle, and at the right. Once more, record the smallest measurement.
Check the squareness of the frame by measuring the diagonals from corner to corner. The two dimensions should be the same. If the frame is out of foursquare by ane/iv inch or so, don't worry; the replacement tin be shimmed to fit. Annihilation more may require adjustments to the frame. If the frame is so out of whack that a square replacement wouldn't look right, you'll need a full-frame replacement.
Finally, use an angle-measuring tool to decide the gradient of the sill; some replacements come up with a choice of sill angles.

three. Take Out the Sash

The first step is to remove the erstwhile sash from the window frame. In most cases, you'll need to pry off or unscrew the interior wooden stops to remove the lower sash. (If yous're planning to reinstall the stops, practice this job carefully; they break easily.)
Next, have out the parting chaplet to free the upper sash. If your windows, like these, were previously fitted with sash-replacement kits, in that location won't be any beads. Simply press in on the jamb liners and pull the meridian of the sash forrad.
Then pivot ane side of the sash upward to free it from the jamb liners.

4. Pry Off The Jamb Liners

Man Prying Off Jamb Liners For Window Replacement

If the window frame was fitted with vinyl or aluminum jamb liners, utilize a flat bar to pry them gratis. In the case of an original window, remove any remaining wooden stops from the window frame.
Leave the interior and exterior casings intact.

five. Prep the Frame

Man Using Flat Bar To Pry Off Jamb Liners

Scrape off all loose and blistered paint and patch whatever holes or cracks with an exterior-class wood putty, such as the ones from Elmer'due south or Minwax.
And then sand the jambs smooth, and prime and paint the surfaces.

6. Remove the One-time Sash Weights

If the original sash weights are still in place, have this opportunity to remove them from their pockets and insulate behind the window frame.
Unscrew the access panel on each side jamb and pull out the weights.

7. Prep For Insulation

Man Uses Drill To Prep For Window Replacement Insulation

Tom likes polyurethane cream, because it's more effective at blocking air than fiberglass insulation.

Make certain to use but low-pressure, minimally expanding foam intended for windows and doors; annihilation else will bow the frames and keep the sash from working.
First, pull out whatever existing fiberglass in the weight pockets.
Then bore 3/eight-inch-diameter holes, one near each stop and one in the middle, down through the sill and upwards through the caput jamb.

viii. Spray in the Foam

Man Sprays Foam Into Drilled Holes For Window Replacement Preparation

Shoot the expanding foam into the holes until it begins to ooze out. (Tom is using a commercial system, just you lot can do the same job with foam from a tin, like Dow's Great Stuff.)
Also spray cream into the sash-weight pockets in the side jambs. Allow the backlog to harden for at least 6 hours, then break or cut it off flush before replacing the sash-weight pocket panels.

9. Caulk the Opening

Man Caulks Along Windowsill For Window Replacement

In preparation for installing the window, apply an elastomeric caulk to the exposed inner confront of the exterior casings or to the bullheaded stops on the superlative and sides of the frame. Also apply two continuous chaplet of caulk along the windowsill.

10. Install the Window

Working from within the room, fix the lesser of the insert replacement onto the sill, then tip it upward into the opening. Printing the window tight against the exterior casings or blind stops.

xi. Fasten It Loosely

Hold the window in place with one 2-inch screw driven loosely through the upper side jamb and into the framing. The screw should exist in just far enough to allow the window to operate.
Close and lock the sash.

12. Shim as Necessary

Adjust the unit by inserting shims under the sill and behind the side jambs until information technology is centered in the space and opens, closes, and locks smoothly.
Measure the window diagonally from corner to corner; the measurements should be the aforementioned. When the window is foursquare, screw it in place through the predrilled holes.
To avoid bowing the frame, skid a shim behind the jamb at each spiral, then screw through the shim.
Trim the shims flush with a utility knife.

xiii. Caulk, Prime and Paint

Man Stands In Front Of Window Replacement To Find Gaps

From the outside, measure the gaps between the window frame and the casing. Fill up gaps less than ane/4 inch wide with elastomeric caulk. Anything wider must first be stuffed with foam-safety capitalist rod.
On the within, make full whatever gaps around the window with minimally expanding foam.
Finish up by reinstalling the stops or adding new ones.
Then prime and paint, or stain the interior of the window sash and frame.