Window Replacement

In a little baseball mishap while playing with his daughter, Ron broke a pane in his kitchen window. Normally he would simply remove the broken pane of glass and replace it, but since Lynn had been unhappy with the window for a long time, he decided to replace it. Ron selected a window from Pella's Architect series that looks very much like the old, traditional window, but with state-of-the-art-energy efficiency and many up-to-date features. Learn more about Ron's new Pella window. Click Here For a list of what you will need in order to complete this project.

1. Remove trim and casings First remove the window casings on the inside. Use a wide putty knife to break through the paint and loosen the casing, and then use pry bars to gently work the casing free.

Outside, use a magnet to locate the nails that are buried below the paint. Extract the nails using a nail puller designed to dig deeply and provide a strong grip.

Once most of the large nails have been removed, you should be able to pry off the trim. When the window is free, carefully remove it from the frame. If you are working alone, attach handles on the outside of the window so you can get a solid grip on the window as you remove it.

2. Opening preparation Before installing the new window, you will need to prepare the rough opening. This includes cutting away the shingles or siding around the edges of the opening. The key is to set the depth on the circular saw to slice through just the shingles without cutting into the framing underneath. Measure the opening. If it is too large, add strips of plywood of the appropriate width to make the opening the correct size. Secure it with galvanized nails.

Watertight integrity is crucial when installing a replacement window. To make sure that the new window won't leak, slip aluminum tape up underneath the shingles along the top of the window opening.

Next, apply adhesive-backed metal tape to the bottom of the sill. To make a good seal at the corners, snip the tape and fold it over onto the face of the framing. Add one final strip along the back edge, and the opening should be properly prepared to prevent any water leaks.

Finally, you need to ensure that the bottom sill is perfectly flat and level. It you have any low spots you will need to add shims to bring the opening to level.

Create the shims out of pieces of plywood and sheet metal. Tack the shims in place and then lay the level down again to make a final check.

3. Install new window The new window will be held in place with the nailing flange, which needs to be bent out 90 degrees, or perpendicular, to the top, sides and bottom.

Lifting the new window into place is a two-person job. Once it is resting on the shims, drive two nails through the flange to temporarily hold it in place and then go inside to check the plumb and level.

To keep the window from shifting inside the opening, slip shims between the window frame and the inside of the opening. Also use shims if you need to make any adjustments to the placement of the window.

4. Exterior finishing Return outside to drive in the rest of the nails that will secure the flange to the framing. Apply adhesive-backed metal tape on top of the nailing flanges. The tape will cover the nail heads. Bend the aluminum tape that you had slipped up under the shingles earlier down over the nailing flange. In order to match the rest of the window exteriors, you may have to create your own exterior sill by cutting out a matching piece with a table saw.

The top edge of the sill should have a slope on it, to carry water away from the window. Apply caulk to the top edge of the sill before nailing it in place.

Above the window, cut a simple piece of wood trim with a drip cap attached to the top. The trim will sit in the space between the top of the window and the edge of the shingles or siding that you cut away. Also install wood trim over the foil tape along either side of the window.

Finally apply caulk along all of the openings and smooth the bead with your finger. Aside from applying a coat of paint, the outside part of the window installation is complete.