Selecting the appropriate frame style when installing new windows

Aus Salespoint

---

Version vom 00:51, 14. Mai 2012

Final week, I told you how to measure for your vinyl replacement windows when replacing aluminum windows. Now that you are prepared to order your new vinyl replacement windows, we require to speak about the diverse frame style options obtainable. In most of the country your choices are restricted 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 essentially the new construction frame minus the nailing fin.

But in the west, where stucco homes are frequent, producers came up with a third variety of frame named a retrofit frame. The retrofit frame has a fin about two inches wide, situated flush with the outside face of the window. This is the very best selection when replacing old windows, but not all jobs will accomodate a retrofit frame application. So let's talk about how to figure out which frame is going to perform 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 by way of the side channels as well as the top header. We will get into much 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 normally go, you can nonetheless use the retrofit style frame. You would need to eliminate the wood surrounding the opening, install the retrofit window, then acquire and install new wood trim. The old trim will no longer fit considering that the retrofit window frame dimensions will be larger in width and height than the old window frame. Yet another alternative is to install the retrofit fin on top of the wood trim. You can do this as extended as the depth from the face of the wood trim to the point in the property of the innermost portion of the old aluminum frame is less than three inches deep. The purpose is simply because a good high quality retrofit window will have a three inch frame depth from the back of the flush fin to the innermost portion of the frame. That innermost part wants to be further into the residence than the innermost part of the aluminum frame so that the aluminum frame will be hidden immediately after we apply the inside trim. What if you have brick about the window openings? Or siding? Then what? Nicely, if you can install the deacon apparel window against the face of the brick or siding and still have the innermost portion of the vinyl frame be further into the property 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 comparatively thin fin, you can also trim down the fins so the window fits between the brick or wood. That would eradicate the require to trim out the outside. Some manufacturers of retrofit frames will have grooves in the back of the retrofit fins. You just run a utility knife in the groove wedding crosses until you are in a position to break off that piece of the fin.

The principal retrofitting point to remember when determining regardless of whether or not to use a retrofit frame or a regular replacement frame is that in order to use the retrofit frame there wants to be much less than 3 inches from the outside point where the flush fin will rest to the inside point in the room exactly where the old frame ends. If it's much less than three inches, go with the retro, much 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 clarify the approach of removing the old aluminum window.