I’m getting ready to rehab my basement windows and I have a couple of questions I thought I’d run by you all:
Conditions:
1. 120 Y.O. house with stone foundation, generally in good shape
2. 5/4 window bucks, mostly in good shape. Some have rot at the bottom where the wells filled up with dirt and contacted.
3. Top hinged, flip in hopper windows. The sashes are all refurb-able.
Questions:
1. There is some mortar fall-out around the window bucks. What is the proper material to fill the gaps between stone foundation and wood window bucks with? Mortar or caulk? What kind of mortal/caulk?
2. What can I do for the rot at the bottom of the window bucks? I have the Abatron WoodEpox 2-part liquid wood consolidant. I was just planning on brushing that on and then priming and painting. That should last for awhile, I assume.
3. The basement windows had no screens. I intend to install exterior burglar bars in the window bucks at the exterior face of the foundation. Any ideas how to handle the screens?
Replies
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rasher- if there's large gaps where mortar is missing, I'd use some expanding foam to fill the gaps. If you use mortar, be sure you use the same kind as existing, probably a lime mortar. New mortars are a lot harder than old ones, and can actually damage the stone by now allowing for movement.
Any rotted areas should be cut back to solid wood, and then repaired. If the area isn't too big, you can use some of the epoxy filler to build it back up. Or glue a piece of wood onto the sash to bring it back to the original size. Be sure to use a wood species that will hold up in a damp environment.
As far as screens go, it's pretty easy to make some simple frames that would fit inside the existing window jambs. You could half-lap the joints, or dowel them, or go all out with mortice and tenons. You might need to add some stops to the jamb to hold the screen. Then install the bars over the screens.
Type S mortar? Will that work?What wood species should be used in damp environments? I was just planning on using treated 5/4 lumber...
I think type S is the harder mortar. If I remember right, Type M is softer.
But check with a masonry supply yard to be sure.
I don't like working with PT lumber much. It has a tendency to warp, and split. And for me anyway, doesn't seem to glue up all that well. And it doesn't paint all that well, either.
I'd go with regular white pine. Primed and painted, it should outlast you.
Or if you want to get fancy, you could use mahogany, or Spanish cedar, or white oak, or cypress, depending on what you have available at a reasonable price.
I've had fair success on PT wood with a solid acrylic stain.
Of course the new acq lumber will look nice, but fall apart when it eats the fasteners up.
I haven't tried any of the stains.
I know from experience that primer and paint doesn't last. You get a year, maybe two.
I think I do the prep well. Sand to remove any mill glazing. Prime with good latex primer. Finish with bennie moore exterior.
I just think there's something in the YP, or the PT chemicals, that hinders adhesion.