Choosing the appropriate frame style when installing new windows

Final week, I told you how to measure for your vinyl replacement windows when replacing aluminum windows. Now that you're prepared to order your new vinyl replacement windows, we want to speak about the diverse frame style choices obtainable. In most of the country your options are limited to either new construction or replacement frames. New construction frames come with a nailing fin to attach the frame to the studs for the duration of the construction of the new home. The replacement frame is fundamentally the new construction frame minus the nailing fin.

But in the west, where stucco properties are typical, producers came up with a third variety of frame referred to as a retrofit frame. The retrofit frame has a fin about two inches wide, located flush with the outside face of the window. This is the very best choice when replacing old windows, but not all jobs will accomodate a retrofit frame application. So let's go over how to determine which frame is going to operate for stations of the cross 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 making use of deck screws by means of the side channels as well as the prime header. We will get into far more detail on the actual installation in a future report. If you have a stucco exterior, but there is a wood trim about the opening of the window where the flush fin would usually go, you can nevertheless use the retrofit style frame. You would require to get rid of the wood surrounding the opening, install the retrofit window, then purchase and install new wood trim. The old trim will no longer fit considering that the retrofit window frame dimensions will be bigger in width and height than the old window frame. One more choice is to install the retrofit fin on leading 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 residence of the innermost portion of the old aluminum frame is much less than 3 inches deep. The purpose is due to the fact a excellent quality retrofit window will have a three inch frame depth from the back of the flush fin to the innermost component of the frame. That innermost component requirements to be additional into the property than the innermost element of the aluminum frame so that the aluminum frame orthodox cross will be hidden after we apply the inside trim. What if you have brick about the window openings? Or siding? Then what? Properly, if you can install the window against the face of the brick or siding and nevertheless have the innermost element of the vinyl frame be additional into the house 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. If you are able to get a retrofit frame with a reasonably thin fin, you can also trim down the fins so the window fits between the brick or wood. That would eliminate the need to have to trim out the outside. Some producers of retrofit frames will have grooves in the back of the retrofit fins. You simply run a utility knife in the groove till you are able to break off that piece of the fin.

The primary point to don't forget when figuring out no matter whether or not to use a retrofit frame or a normal replacement frame is that in order to use the retrofit frame there demands to be much less than 3 inches from the outside point where the flush fin will rest to the inside point in the chalice area where the old frame ends. If it is much 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.

Subsequent week I am going to explain the process of removing the old aluminum window.