Replies

1. 
   notatexan | Jul 17, 2008 07:50pm | #1

   First, I am not a pro so this may be wrong, but here is what I did.  I replaced several single pane aluminum windows with double pane in a rock (fake) wall.  Once I got the old windows out (not easy because of the buried flanges) I sealed the gaps with roofing sealant because I has several tubes of it.  Caulk would be better.  Then I sealed around the rough opening with 4" wide rubberized sealing tape to protect the fraiming.  Then installed the windows and caulked the exterior joint.

   So far, so good.

1. 
   DBSquirrel | Jul 17, 2008 08:18pm | #2

   Thanks!

2. 
   Aaron | Jul 17, 2008 09:43pm | #3

   I think Tom Silva did something like that on one of the Ask TOH segments.  He did not use wood to make a RO but inserted the vinyl window into the opening and used great stuff to secure it once it was level and plumb.  This was in a shower, so he used Azek on the inside to trim out the window and I assume some type of brick mould to finish off the outside.

   I like your thought on making a wood frame RO, though, especially if you can't get a vinyl window sized to the opening.  If I were doing that, I think I would use a larger dimension 2X for the sill, and bevel off the top 2 inches (or more depending on whether you are using a 2x6 or 2x8).  I would also use a brick mould.  Caulk the frame/brick gap--you could try using some thin strips of I&W shield, but I am not sure how well it would stick to the brick--but it would get covered by the brick mould.  I would then caulk the brick mould/brick gap, although it is a pain to caulk trim to brick due to the joints--next time I do one I might try adding some mortar to flatten those out.

1. 
   DBSquirrel | Jul 17, 2008 10:11pm | #4

   Thanks very much.  Lots of good ideas to chew on here.

3. 
   mackzully | Jul 17, 2008 10:21pm | #5

   I am doing to the same in the same type of building, but I have no idea if it's even remotely correct. Due to massive water damage, I had to pull and replace the sills as well as the window frames. I put in new concrete sills and attempted to level everything (riiight, the "craftsmen" who made this house clearly did it on a friday, which was a payday, and about 15min before they cut out to go drinking).

   I framed out the window in 2x stock, using a PT piece on the bottom. I had imbeded PT nailers (or screwers in this case?) into the masonry when I repaired the window openings since the brick is extremely soft, and shimmed and blocked out from them to the window frame since the original window frames had pockets for sash weights. I'll simply caulk the exterior as the traditional frame style here doesn't have brickmould. It worked for the past 116 years without caulk or screws, so I can't imagine that I'm doing any worse...

   View Image

1. 
   DBSquirrel | Jul 17, 2008 10:47pm | #6

   Yep, that looks just like the building I'm dealing with.  I like the PT idea.

1. 
   mackzully | Jul 17, 2008 11:05pm | #7

   I don't know what type of sills you have, but I put in sloped crete sills, and never considered what I was going to do to fill the gap between the sill and the bottom of the window frame. Took me a while to cut wooden wedges that would fill the gap, since I didn't feel comfortable with just caulk in a gap that big. If I had to replace sills again, I'd look for ones with a flat top where the frame meets the sill, those would have saved me lots of time.Z

1. 
   DBSquirrel | Jul 17, 2008 11:25pm | #8

   This is very true.  Traditional sashes are beveled to the bevel on the sill.  Not true true with replacement windows.  I wonder if that suggests the sill doesn't need to be beveled.  I'd at least like some kind of flashing though.  Seems like it keeps coming back to caulk as the first and final line of defence.  Not pretty.

1. 
   Aaron | Jul 17, 2008 11:39pm | #9

   If I were starting out with no sill, I would look at limestone--I don't really like brick sills.  What is on the rest of the building? I assumed you had some type of exisiting sill.

2. 
   DBSquirrel | Jul 17, 2008 11:50pm | #10

   The sill is going to have to be cement -- it was built with the outside course parged and a cement sill on top, but the inside course of brick was never completed -- it's an odd lay out.  I work with a good mason who can handle just about anything I throw at him.  Keeping the area the window rests on flat makes some sense.

3. 
   frammer52 | Jul 18, 2008 12:11am | #11

   Would you take the time to fill out your profile as this can help us with our answers.  In this case, I think you have some good answers.

4. 
   mackzully | Jul 18, 2008 12:44am | #12

   Do you mean that the inside course of brick was not layed up to the same level of outside sill? If that's the case, it's most likely because they used to put a wooden beam across not only the header, but across the bottom as well. I've torn most of them out, since they rot, being below leaking windows. Z

5. 
   DBSquirrel | Jul 18, 2008 01:08am | #13

   Yep, that's what I mean.  The mason I work with suggested filling in the backside and the sill with concrete block and a cement sill.