| |
| |
|
Renovating Houses and Condos |
|
|
|
Replacement or Retrofit Style Frame? Which is Right for You?
Last week I told you how to measure for your vinyl replacement windows when replacing aluminum windows. Now that you're ready to order your new vinyl replacement windows, we need to talk about the different frame style options available. In most of the country your choices are limited to either new construction or replacement frames. New construction frames come with a nailing fin to attach the frame to the studs during the construction of the new home. The replacement frame is basically the new construction frame minus the nailing fin. But in the west, where stucco homes are common, manufacturers came up with a third type of frame called a retrofit frame. The retrofit frame has a fin about 2 inches wide, located flush with the outside face of the window. This is the best choice when replacing old windows, but not all jobs will accomodate a retrofit frame application. So let's discuss how to determine which frame is going to work for you. If you have a stucco exterior, retrofit is the way to go. You install the new window from the outside, and the flush fin covers the old aluminum frame that you are going to leave in place. Then you screw the new window in using deck screws through the side channels as well as the top header. We will get into more detail on the actual installation in a future article. If you have a stucco exterior, but there is a wood trim around the opening of the window where the flush fin would normally go, you can still use the retrofit style frame. You would need to remove the wood surrounding the opening, install the retrofit window, then purchase and install new wood trim. The old trim will no longer fit since the replacement window frame dimensions will be several inches larger in width and height than the old window frame. Another option is to install the retrofit fin on top of the wood trim. You can do this as long as the depth from the face of the wood trim to the point in the house of the innermost portion of the old aluminum frame is less than 3 inches deep. The reason is because a good quality retrofit window will have a 3 inch frame depth from the back of the flush fin to the innermost part of the frame. That innermost part needs to be further into the house than the innermost part of the aluminum frame so that the aluminum frame will be hidden after we apply the inside trim. What if you have brick around the window openings? Or siding? Then what? Well, if you can install the window against the face of the brick or siding and still have the innermost part of the vinyl frame be further into the home than the old frame, then you can use the retrofit style frame. If not, then you have to use the replacement style frame,then use trim to finish the outside. The main point to remember when determining whether or not to use a retrofit frame or a standard replacement frame is that in order to use the retrofit frame there needs to be less than 3 inches from the outside point where the flush fin will rest to the inside point in the room where the old frame ends. If it's less than 3 inches, go with the retro, more than 3 inches, use the replacement frame and add trim to the outside in lieu of the flush fin. Next week I am going to explain the process of removing the old aluminum window... John Rocco has been installing replacement windows since 1978. To learn more, visit How To Install Windows
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Summer Is Here! Consider Tackling Key Home Improvement Projects While The Weather Is Good! Summer time means barbeques, baseball, camping, and yes, Home Improvement Projects! As the weather gets nice and the days get longer so do lists of home improvement projects. Here are a few projects which are best done in the summer maximizing the long days and the good weather!Gardening/Landscaping: Depending on which part of the country you live in it may be too late to plant a garden from seed, but you most likely still have time to get your garden going using starters. The Importance of Bedroom Design in a Home Decoration Project. A home is a place where we live, spend most of our lives, with family members and our loved ones.A bedroom design project includes a careful study of the surrounding of the entire home. Add A Room To Your Home With A Patio Awning Do you need a patio awning for your lovely patio off of your backyard that only gets half the use it could because of rain or far too bright sun? Installing a patio awning to shade and protect it can be almost as good as adding a room to your home!When choosing a patio awning, you'll need to consider a number of things - the area that needs to be covered, the structure on which the awning will be installed (usually your house), the weather conditions in your area, the cost and the aesthetics. There are many types and styles of patio awning available to suit your needs - once you're certain what your needs are. Measure Your Window for Verticals and Horizontal blinds, Wood blinds, Faux Wood Plantation Shutters Here are five important things to remember.1. Country Home Accessories Country home décor is the most sought after home interior and it's no wonder since country décor invites a casual friendly lifestyle.Make sure you carefully study the specific style, and color scheme then carefully coordinate the colors of each element of your country décor. Research Concerning Color in Homes and Workplaces Over the years, many studies have been done in countries around the world to try to discover how human color preferences affect the choices we make in decorating our homes and workplaces, and one dominant fact has consistently emerged: our choice of colors seems to be based largely on the intended use of the space, whether it's in our homes or at our places of business. Here are a few of the findings from various studies:A Japanese study found that people prefer warm colors in the interiors of their homes, which was mirrored by a study in England, although the English were a bit more eclectic, preferring warm colors in their bedrooms and neutral colors in their living rooms. Are Your Ducts Making You Sick? If you have a heating or cooling systems that uses air ducts, you could have a problem.There are many duct systems that are poorly designed and installed that have the ability to bring pollutants into your home. The Versatile Reciprocating Saw: The Power Tool of Your Dreams A reciprocating saw is simply one of the handiest tools you can own. These tools are great for applications in the home or the jobsite. Kitchen Remodeling Costs It is important to prepare a budget for your kitchen remodeling plan before you start implementing it. Without a complete and detailed budget prepared before the kitchen renovation begins, you may get swept into a spending spiral of unbudgeted extras. How to Install a Ceiling Fan - A Simple Guide A Complete manual on how to install a Ceiling Fan may take more than just an article; it may all even take up an entire booklet. Let me just give you a simple, no-nonsense essential guide in installing a ceiling fan. How To Completely Rehab Your Home In 10 Days! This report is about taking a house and restoring it to an aesthetically pleasing dwelling that has reclaimed it's functional utility. In effect, it is the anti-aging medication for bricks and mortar. How to Get the Most Out of Your Home Theater - Without Spending a Fortune So you've scraped and saved, now you've finally gotten together a semi-respectable home theater system. You want even more, but the idea of spending another few thousand on new front speakers doesn't cut it. Creating Dynamic Window Coverings Without Breaking the Budget When creating dynamic window coverings, it's important to choose carefully, because your window coverings will become the focal points of a well-decorated room. But choosing the right window treatments, at the right price, takes some thought about not only the look you're hoping to achieve, but also about the nature of the space itself. Whats Underfoot? A Quick Guide to Patio Surfaces Patios and terraces have always been popular outdoor spaces. Whether a Parisian courtyard or a rooftop alcove, only porches and sunrooms beat out these paved (or semi-paved) retreats in a recent survey of my readers as the most ideal outside living space. Use Ladders Safely The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that each year more than 511,000 people are treated for cuts, bruises and fractured bones from improper use of ladders. More than 300 people a year die from ladder related injuries. An Introduction to Waterproofing Systems Many homeowners find it necessary to invest in a waterproofing system for their home, especially if their home has a basement or cellar. In modern home developments, it is often required by state or local regulations to have a waterproofing system installed before the completion of the home. Concrete Cutting: Shedding Light On Your Basement Remodel Basements or cellars (depending on which part of the country you are from) are primarily seen as dark and dingy parts of a home. In most cases they are considered a useless area or are used as a "catch all" for family discards that haven't quite made it to the curbside for trash pick up yet. An Affordable Shortcut To Designing Your Dream Home You have likely been making mental notes for years. Every book or magazine that you read and each home that you visit has become a source for pieces to the puzzle that can become your new home. Make your Sauna a Focal Point A sauna has been used throughout history in every part of the world to promote health. The wealthy did not consider their mansions complete without the warmth of a steam bath or spa. Remodeling Your Home: How Much Is Too Much? The classic way for homeowners to increase the value of their house is by remodeling existing rooms or adding on to its current plan.Some choose to build recreation rooms and studies while others add new appliances, fixtures and cabinets to enliven rooms and make their home more attractive to future buyers.
|
|
Home | Forums | Blog | Site Map
|
