I’m installing some Harvey “majesty” replacement windows. I’m using tapered wood shims under the screws, which sucks because you never get good backing when driving the screws home and end up bowing the jambs.
The Andersen replacement units come packaged with those plastic u-shaped shims. They look great because they’re flat and you can “stack” them.
Anybody use these? Where can I get some?
TP
Replies
I bought a pack of plastic shims at HD awhile back -- conventional shape. Used a couple -- they're a little easier to handle than wood.
I know the u shaped shims as glaziers shims . Do a search for Glaziers supplies. They are used by the shower door guys, storefront installers,etc. Edit: try wgsonline.com
Edited 1/19/2008 8:21 pm ET by rlrefalo
Toolpig:
Here is a link to some I've bought:
http://www.glazelockshims.com/products.htm#stackables
Edited 1/19/2008 10:37 pm ET by elicon
I saw those. Did you buy them online or at a lumberyard?TPToolpig (a.k.a. The man formerly known as "Toolfreak" and "Toolfanatic")
I bought them online about a year ago.
That looks like a great system for shimming. They mentioned 1/16" and 1008 pieces for about $52. That works out to $.82 per inch. Am I reading that right? Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
Got a pile from some ironworkers. They are some kind of handy.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Our granite fabricator uses them when shimming his tops. I hadn't seen them until 3 weeks ago and I like the idea. Woods favorite carpenter
The beauty is the thick (thin) ness of them. And the anti-crushability.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Thats why the granite guys use them, they told me that the tops won't crush these like cedar shims.
Woods favorite carpenter
Matt,I use the plastic composite shims when installing base cabinets for the same reason the granite guys use compression resistant shims...it doesn't matter what kind of shims they use if the cabs are set on cedar shims--the weight of the granite can still crush the cedar (or pine) shims under the cabinets and crack a top.Later,Bass
Thats a good line of thinking. One that I will remember for the future. Woods favorite carpenter
Most people won't know or care...but you will impress the granite people. They love a flat, level and sturdy cab install.
They get a level flat surface when I am done.
I cheat and use my PLS 180 and set the cabinets to the laser line.
But at times it takes more than a few shims to get them there. Woods favorite carpenter
I've taken to salvaging the scrap plywood strips we all generate. I rip them to a uniform size strip. Have a mark on my small mtr box table and cut 3'' pcs. These store easily in a cardbd box. I take this box to cab installs. In this are stacks of 1/8'', 1/4'', 3/8's, 1/2'', 5/8's and 3/4''. Instead of building up a stack of shims I'll start with these blocks. The 3'' (or longer if you want) are wide enough to span two boxes.
On "bad" conditions I'll run a strip along the whole front toekick line and shim off that. Run it long and cut off with the MM-see, another use right there.
I have a smaller box in the van and find several times the need to use these blocks.
Another case of if you have it you use it. If you don't, you wonder why.
But that's the excuse to cart all sorts of #### around.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
My old boss used to have a collection of plywood shims. We used them alot, I probably should get back into the habit of using them for kitchens. Saves alot on shims for really bad floors.
Woods favorite carpenter
It comes out of having a horrible stash of ####.
At least I'm putting this to some use.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Jim:Yes, they aren't cheap. But I don't use them exclusively. I still use plenty of wood shims, especially for doors. Where I typically use them is shimming a window or door that sits in a pan flashing, where it probably will get wet at some point. The plastic won't hold moisture or grow mold.
unless things are different for harvey windows, vinyl replacement windows do not require shimming.
These are not vinyl. Wood interior with aluminum exterior.Toolpig (a.k.a. The man formerly known as "Toolfreak" and "Toolfanatic")
I needed shims to make adjustments to some aluminum door frames in block openings, and was worried about the moisture / rot over time. I came up with an idea to rip shim stock from scrap pieces of Azek, and they worked great.
I now keep a box full of various thickness azek shims on my truck. And it is easy enough to make more or custom size shims as needed.
I get mine from a commercial storefront and window shop.
They purchase them by the case lot and I just buy a handfull at a time.