My New House & Workshop

[Jim Oaks]

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Do I have to install a header when I replace this window, or can I just put in a rough opening with 2x8's?

The concrete opening is 52" x 40". I was going to install (2) 23.25" x 35.25" windows side by side, but if I install a 2x8 on each end and (2) 2x8's side by side in the center of the opening it will only leave me with a 23" width for each window.

I found a 47.5" x 35.5" window that would fit if I framed it with a 2x8 and then added a 1x8 along either the top of bottom and one of the sides.

Ply Gem 47.5 in. x 35.5 in. Left-Hand Horizontal Sliding Vinyl Window - White-520 - The Home Depot

I'm trying to come up with a solution using a new window I can pick up at Home Depot or Lowes and not have to special order.

 

[franklin2]

I believe you are going to have the same problem with that window that you have with the door; When you pull the window out, the top blocks are going to fall out.

You have a real project in fixing this building. I am no engineer or contractor, but I am assuming you need to move your temp support wall over here once you get the door opening fixed. Same formula, set the temp wall up inside to hold things up, knock the window out and let things fall out if they want to fall. Then chip out the blocks on either side, they make one long cinder block and you could morter in place to span the whole window distance. Or you could use the metal and put the regular blocks back in place.

I am not a masonry type person, so I don't know if you could just take some lumber and turn it up on end and make a header out of wood. But you will still need to chip out beyond the window so it has something to sit on. Blocks are easily manipulated with a hammer.

 

[Rick W]

@Jim Oaks

Does this window have to open for sir, or is it just to see through?

 

[Rick W]

Rickety Ricks Construction Tip of the Day!

It looks like the top left block may be loose. I can’t tell if there is a metal header under the block above the window frame. They may have used the window frame to hold up the block above it. If that block area is firmly mortared together, It may just stay up while you swap out the window frame. But I wouldn’t count on that.

You could cut four 2x2 little columns to span from the bottom 2 x 8 to the top 2 x 8 on both sides of the existing glass to support that spot. Then you could saw cut out a little space in the top window frame between them, and look up and see if there’s any kind of header or if the blocks are full of concrete, and determine its stability if you pull the window frame

OK, what’s the worst that could happen.

You pull out the window frame and that one block falls out. You can put it back when you put back the window frame.

Or you pull out the window frame, and all the blocks above it fall out. See my yellow highlights on the top of my sketch. Again, you can put in the window frame and then put those blocks back.

I don’t see how if you take out the window frame the whole wall falls down, but if the blocks above fall down, it’s possible the roof will sag in that spot. So what do we do?

Murphy lives strong within me. I would build a temporary wall, like you’re doing for the truck door, and extend the temporary roof support about 2 feet past either side of the window. Drive it in place so it is pre-loaded

If you’re comfortable putting the blocks back, I might risk just pulling the window and see what happenes. As an alternative, you can take a 2 x 6 or a deck board, spanning across the blocks on top of the window frame, and put two or three concrete screws into each block. Do this on both sides. Then, hopefully, when you take the window out, the deck boards will keep the blocks in place. When you’re done, you can take it all out and grout the screw holes. If the block looks wobbly at all, I would augment these deck boards with a kicker down to the ground on each end on both sides of the wall.

if the blocks above look wobbly, you can chip out a little bit of the grout underneath that row of blocks inside and out. You only need to go a quarter inch or three eights of an inch deep. Then, screw a flat metal on the bottom of the temporary deck board, so it extends out about a half an inch. It could be any kind of flat stock that’s at least an inch and a half wide, like the aluminum stuff you use between two sheets of flooring. What you’re doing is putting a little support lip on the inside side of the deck board that will mechanically support the block in addition to the screws.

If you don’t need that window to open, I would frame the opening with two by eights, make a thermal pane window that’s 1/4“ x 1/4“ smaller than the minimum width and the minimum height. A glass shop can make that for you, I’m talking about a piece of glass without a frame, and I’m pretty sure it will be far less than any complete window kit you can buy.

take a one by one or a three-quarter by three-quarter, and glue it and nail it into the frame on one side of the window. Then set the window with a little caulk, and then lock the window in with some quarter round molding. It’s important that there is a 1/8 to 1/4 inch free space between the height and width of the glass and the window casing, so if anything moves, it won’t compress the glass up-down or sideways.

If you’re worried about that window breaking, you can still get a custom thermal pane window made, just make the front glass out of a thicker glass or a shatterproof glass. If you’re really worried, you can do this from both sides.

if you’re really cheap, you can just use a quarter inch plate glass. The problem is it will sweat on the inside.

And guess what? Paint on your window frame as I described before, use construction adhesive in addition to whatever you use to anchor it on all four sides, etc. etc. the bottom frame should be shimmed so it slopes out and down to shed water.

If you do want the window to open and you want to get some air from there, you could do the method above for 2/3 of the window, and make a simple hinged window with a screen over 1/3 of the window.

or, you could buy a window that isn’t as wide as the frame, and then put two skinny strips of glass as described above vertically on either side of the window that opens and closes

hope it helps!

 

[Rick W]

Afterthought, but if you’re really really cheap like me. You could take the glass out of the existing frame. Then mix up some 70% thinner with 30% rust oleum oil based paint, and bathe the wood that’s there already. A couple of coats with the thin stuff, then caulk it and paint it with 100% payAfterthought, but if you’re really really cheap like me. You could take the glass out of the existing frame. Then mix up some 70% thinner with 30% rust oleum oil based paint, and bathe the wood that’s there already. A couple of coats with the thin stuff, then caulk it and paint it with 100% paint.

You can touch up any gaps or holes in the frames with “Bondo” check with Home Depot or Ace Hardware, and they make a “Bondo” for Wood. Sand it and paint it and put the glass back in, and you don’t have to mess with the blocks at all!

 

[Roert42]

Afterthought, but if you’re really really cheap like me. You could take the glass out of the existing frame. Then mix up some 70% thinner with 30% rust oleum oil based paint, and bathe the wood that’s there already. A couple of coats with the thin stuff, then caulk it and paint it with 100% payAfterthought, but if you’re really really cheap like me. You could take the glass out of the existing frame. Then mix up some 70% thinner with 30% rust oleum oil based paint, and bathe the wood that’s there already. A couple of coats with the thin stuff, then caulk it and paint it with 100% paint.

You can touch up any gaps or holes in the frames with “Bondo” check with Home Depot or Ace Hardware, and they make a “Bondo” for Wood. Sand it and paint it and put the glass back in, and you don’t have to mess with the blocks at all!

Close, but there is a crack in the glass. Probably from a mower throwing gravel through the hole.

I would assume that’s the only reason Jim cares about this window.

 

[Roert42]

I think @Dirtman has a glass cutting tool, see if he can make you a new pane.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I took the trim off. You can see it was framed with 2x and then a 1x has been used to sandwich in a 1/4" thick pane of glass. There's a slight bow in the top of the frame. At this point I don't know if the wall pushed it down, or if it was put in after those blocks and it's just following the contour of the mortar. I know they set metal door frames and lay brick around them, but would it have been normal at some point for someone to set a wood window buck in place and block and mortar around that??

There isn't any metal over that header. Just mortar.

I'm not sure if this glass was broke from an object hitting it, or from downforce pressure. You can see that the lower right half of the bottom plate is rotted / eaten away as well.

I 'm guessing the 2x's on the side are screwed in to the concrete. Or at least I'm hoping they are. I'm wondering if I could get that bottom plate out with a sawzall, install a new one, wedge a 2x8 in the middle, and then replace the right side. I could be wrong, but I can't imagine that piece of glass and rotted bottom plate is holding that wall up.

I've never installed a window. Could the nail fin of (2) windows side by side share a 2x or a 2x with a 1x glued and screwed to the side of it, or do they need (2) 2x's side by side. I'm wondering if I could stick a 2x in the center of this with a 23" single hung window on each side.

 

[Rick W]

If the top 2x is salvageable, you can support that with a couple IIx boards that angle down to the ground held in place with a little stake. Then take out the rest of the window, and put 2x on the side and on the bottom. Do it where you have to tap the verticals in place so they’re a little preloaded. I don’t think the blocks whatever move if you did it that way.

if you can live with the bow, like my drawing above, I would just use a one by one or maybe a hair bigger on one side. The glass, you just have to make sure that the narrowest width and at the narrowest height it still has about a quarter inch of free play. That will disappear when you put the trim on, but if the wall ever moves it won’t break the glass. Then you can put a 1/4 round to finish it up.

you could install the 2x So it is flush with the black face, and then simply trim it with the molding that stretches over the block a little. If you paint that and Koch that well you shouldn’t have any water problems.

again, it comes down to whether you want the windows to open or not, or if you want the window to be very decorative for the property in the neighborhood

On the top being bow down, if you shave it or send it even with the face of the block, and then put trim on it, you would never know it’s bowed

 

[Jim Oaks]

Using a 2x from the ground to the upper plate to support it while I replace the 2x's on the side sounds like a good idea.

Do you think I could get away with putting a 2x8 in the middle with an aluminum framed window on each side, or sticking a 47.5 in. x 35.5 sliding vinyl window in there, or do you think I should just find a piece of glass to fit it?

I had seen this 4' x 3' window on facebook marketplace a while back for $20.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Do you care if the window opens?

 

[Jim Oaks]

It doesn't have to. Going to Home Depot and buying a new window just seems easier and neater than trying to make something.

 

[Rick W]

If you want 2 windows, a single 2x vertical center should be fine. A deck board or a 1x will even work. If you neeed more width, a deck board or a 1x is fine on the sides.

I’m not sure you’re following me on buying a thermo/thermal pane sheet of glass. That is actually a double sheet with a tiny aluminum separator around the edge to separate the panes. They put argon gas in between and it’s sealed. It’s insulated because of the argon, it doesn’t sweat, and doesn’t get cloudy inside unless the seal is broken.

you’re not buying a window with any kind of frame at all, you’re just buying the glass. They’ll cut it to your exact size, and usually have it in two days. You’d be looking under custom cut glass, and you want a local shop. I’d be amazed if it cost you 75 or $100. In my world it’s worth it because you get the best view through the window and the best brightness inside.

Try these guys

No I ne needs to come out. You give them the dimensions, they make it, you pick it up.

hope it helps

 

[Rick W]

Afterthought, but if you can pick up a sheet of glass on craigslist that you can clean on both sides, it’s not very difficult yes to cut it to size. If it’s a single sheet it’ll just sweat on the inside. You can’t stop it, but if you paint the frame and the molding that holds it in on all sides before you put it together, it will slow down Deterioration from the water

 

[Rick W]

A thought for you, for everybody:

I look at Craigslist 3-4 times a day or more.

I start with “free stuff.” Sorted by most recent. 98% junk/crap, but a few gems.

Next “materials” sort price low to high. Cuz of my projects, I search “aluminum,” “steel,” “springs,” etc. Jimbo might be searching doors or windows or lumber.

then I search “all” sort price low to high, and I search for whatever I’m searching for. Right now it’s landscape blocks, pole lamps, etc cuz of the road work.

The only trick is to look three four five times a day, which takes 10 minutes each, and then you have to hop in the truck and go with cash. The good deals get snapped up fast!

hope it helps!