Hi,
Need some advise on how to install window trim.
Before intalling vinly siding and trim should I install flashing around the window first before installing the J-trim (j-channel)? The house is wrapped with Tyvek.
What is the best technique to use when installing the vinly trim (J trim) around the window?
some people miter the J-channel and overlap it carefully over the other piece of j channel. so moisture is directed down and around the window and doesn’t get a chance to seep behind the siding or trim. (that is how my contractor installed the j-channel)
Where you need to cut the siding horizontally to fit under a window create small tabs along the cut edge with a Snap Lock Punch. The Tabs will lock into the Undersill Trim and hold the cut edge in place.
On the windows that were installed I noticed that the vinly siding that was cut to fit beneath the window… there were no tabs made with a snap lock punch. So the vinyl isn’t snapped in place. Whether or not that is a big deal I have no idea.
I need someone to tell me the proper way to install J-channel and undersill trim around a window. I am not convinced that my contractor has intalled the trim correctly. He mitered the corners. They look aweful! When I have a chance I will download some pictures. That will give you a better idea of what I am talking about. You will be able to tell me right off whether the trim is installed correctly. I am concerned that water is going to get in behind the trim.
Wanda
Replies
Wanda
Wanda
Wanda.
Your story never ends. Most of us here feel for you. It is a shame you are forced to question every detail of your project.
First off, is this the new contractor or the first one?
Have you perused most any of the Vinyl Siding product sites and reviewed their installation guidelines? Wolverine had a nice manual they published-assume it's on their site.
My biggest beef with vinyl is that no matter how detailed you get with what shows, there's so much movement and slop built into the system that allowing water to pass behind it is almost but guaranteed. The reality is that you know it's going to get in there and the tuff part is going to be directing it out and making sure your prep b/4 it keeps damage at bay.
Check out a window manufacturers guide on install. Most will show the window tape/tyvek/etc placement for trouble free installation.
With this as a background you should be able to figure out how to proceed.
Best of luck.
A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Hi Calvin,
I had to have my NEW contractor remove the vinyl trim (j channel) around the 3 small windows in the front because the last contractor made a MESS of the chaulk. But if you ask me it now looks worse than before. I would have left it alone!
I keep hearing about how shoddily homes are being built in this province. Hard to believe houses are being built without roofing paper. Especially in our climate. Apparently It's not in the building code.
Wish I had the manufacturers guide on install. But since I didnt' do the install I don't have that guide. Maybe I'll be able to find out some useful info at the Home Show this weekend. I'll check out that Wolverine webpage and see what I can come up with.
The electrician phoned yesterday to say he had a man available to go up to install the heaters. When the guy arrived he had no idea what he was there to do. I had to stand there in the driveway and go over eveything with him. I just assumed he had the heaters in the back of his truck ready to install. After all I had spoken with the master electrician about the heaters a month ago. I just made the assumption when he called yesterday that his apprentice was going up to install the heaters.
Found out that the heater installed in the front porch back in December only cycles on and off.... it never actually shuts Off. It's not connected up to a thermostat. I couldn't believe it. No wonder the heat bill was higher than usual. Now why would I want a heater like that if I don't heat the place during the winter months. So for the past little while I've had men up there doing work and the front door has been left wide open and that heater has been cycling on and off on low. Anyways that heater will be removed and a different kind of heater installed.
Everything that gets done gets redone... things are progressing at a snails pace.
I wonder if I'll be able to have the place back in order by June??????????? Talk about Carry on Carpentry. I could do a spoof on this reno.
Wanda
Edited 4/30/2009 12:25 pm by Wanda200
J channel should be mitered at the tops and recess cut at the bottoms to fit over the sill trim. Punch tabs to snap in if the window is wide, otherwise just pop into place.
Those top miters should have a tab left to bend down onto the side channels.
It would be a lot easier to show you than to explain.
From Calvin's post I assume you've been having many problems. Did you go for the cheapest guy in town? Cut corners? Did you opt to pay a bit ore for a better company? Is the company properly licensed and insured?
I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
Hi Pete,
Yes, it would be great if you could show me how it's done.
To answer your ? Yes, I went out of my way and hired a very reputable company. In fact they are the most recognizable name in this province when it comes to home improvement. I trusted them to be able to do the job right. They don't come cheap. I could have gone with a local guy but I decided to cover my #### and hire a company.
Take a look at these pics and see what you think.
I apologize if these pics are too large but I didn't have time to save them in to a smaller file.
I've posted 2 before pictures.. Now I'm wishing I had of just left things alone. The chaulk is messy but I think the window trim looks worse than ever.
Wanda
Edited 5/1/2009 6:13 pm by Wanda200
Hope you didn't pay for that mess.
And remember; it's vinyl. Not exactly like you are restoring a historic landmark.
Not sure how you found the clowns that did that "special" work on your house, but you had better re-evealuate how you vet your contractors big time.
"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking." — Sherlock Holmes, 1896
Ouch.
That undersill area in the second pic sure looks like the mouth of a bass waiting for a drink.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
No doubt a horrible job. It is acceptable to use j channel on all four sides of a window but there are certain things that should be done for a nice job to occur. It does not appear as though they followed those things too well.for some background info, I began my adult career as a siding guy. My dad hung a lot of siding, I worked summers as a cutter and helper and when I turned 18 I was so good that I landed a job as a working foreman for a company. I soon after began working as a sub for Sears and then moved onto handling repairs of all the other jobs that were a mess.The biggest trick here will be how do I accurately display how this should be done, on an internet forum.I just did some poking around online and couldn't find any great examples to point you to. so, I did my best to draw it in cad and make it into an image for you. Tell me if this makes sense to you.
<!----><!----><!---->
I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
Hi Pete,
The J channel/ trim should be mitered on top and recessed on the bottom Yet my contractor mitered the tops and bottoms on both side pieces.
What do you say to the guy when he tells you that that's's the way he does it and not to worry about water getting in. He thinks the trim around the windows is fine. I beg to differ.
Before anyone gets paid everything will be carefully inspected. They will just have to redo the trim around the windows. I just can't get over the marks they've left on the siding. Not sure what to do about that. They tried removing some tar stains but that didnt' work. They should not have left their tar buckets leaning against the siding in the first place! If thy have to replace some of the siding it's not going to match the old siding.
Wanda
Wanda
Wanda
try this linkit's a manual for vinyl siding you should get some insight from it
http://www.vinylsiding.org/publications/0804_VSI_2007Manual.pdf
View Image
hello Zeeya,
Thank you for posting that great link on how to install vinly. I've read most of it.
Wanda
Hi guys,
Need a favour, Could someone post a picture of a window that has the vinly J channel properly installed around it on all 4 sides.
I have printed the pics that have been posted so far. Just need 1 really good photo. Front and side profiles would be great. I can add it to my files.
Wanda
That looks really bad. It looks like they screwed the channel it to the side of the window in the one picture. Did they?
Maybe I do it wrong but I have never used caulk on any j channel.
I have used caulk on J, prefer not to, but if the customer wants.....
Best way to caulk J is to put a bead against the trim and then channel over.
Those picts she posted are a real messs!!!!
I don't have customers to please but have put plenty vinyl on rental properties.
I would agree with your method if I had to use it.
Yea, how does a well thought of contractor in her area do that work? hate to see the bad contractors work.
took pictures
My sympathies.
PeteD provided a drawing of how I do it.
A good finished miter corner will 1) lay flat, 2) drain and 3) have no openings visible from the edges or front face. "Good" is the operative word.
I usually put j-channel on all 4 sides and usually undersill trim inside of the j on the bottom edge, punch and snap siding into undersill - in your case with dutch lap siding, I sometimes have to put a filler strip of Azek under the window to bring the undersill trim into plane with the siding - depends on the individual case.
Your caulking is messy but probably weather tight.
I have never seen a screw installed inside of a j-channel and do not know why it is there - that screw looks suspiciously like a garden variety zinc- chromate plated screw - you will know for sure in a year or so when / if the rust streaks appear.
Sorry for your troubles,
Jim
Hi guys,
I'm not too worried about the caulk.. It just looks horrid!
As to that screw that looks like one of the screws they used to install the drip edge. I will have to bring one into the hardware store for indentification. Better not be a zinc chromate plated screw that will rust in a yrs time. Something else to check into.
Wanda