A sill situation in need of suggestions. A group we’re working for bought a large commercial building a couple of years ago, and they’ve been renovating it since. Good people, non-profit group trying to make a dent in an ugly neighborhood, but no noticeable construction experience and the work shows it (they’re either doing it themselves or are acting as the GC). Unfortunately that is beyond our control, but there’s a sill condition at the first floor windows that has us concerned. The existing wall has a stone base about 8″ wide, a 1 1/2″ air cavity, and a wythe of brick over a stud wall. The building was a series of nightclubs for the last 25 years or so, and the ground floor window openings were covered up during that time. We’re guessing the stone base was installed sometime then. Now that they’ve exposed the windows again, the air cavity between the stone base and the windows is exposed, and they need a sill between the windows to the face of the stone wall.
To complicate matters, they built their own fixed windows (insert sound of fingernails on a blackboard) and installed them already. The bottom of the windows are 2-3 inches above the top of the stone base, which has a solid sill block that’s flat and about 10″ deep. Our gut response is for them to take out the windows, make a sloped wood sill from the edge of the existing sill block back to the base of the windows and cover it all with aluminum or galvanized steel. Wrap the sill block underneath back to the exterior face of the wall, extend the other end to sit under the window frame, then reinstall the windows and caulk/seal all the edges. Paint to match. Any thoughts on this? Use PT wood? Any preference on metal or gauges? Should a shop bend the sills for the owners to install? Or any better suggestions, period? Am mostly concerned that their lack of abilities/construction knowledge may make a bad situation worse. Any input appreciated, thanks!
Edited 9/9/2005 3:59 pm ET by draftguy
Replies
PT may give them problems, primed cedar or such is much better. Pine may be iffy yet cheaper. If they don't have a break to cap it properly a shop could make something up sure but how much$? A properly painted sloping sill caulked well may be more in their scope.