Bay Windows Add Character And Area To A Home
It was the perfect spot. Our California cattle ranch style house had a big picture window in the front room. The window extended from a couple of inches above the floor to just a few inches below the cathedral ceiling. The walls and ceiling were redwood stained knotty pine and the flooring was a matching wood. The window kept an eye out over a flower bed, shrubs and the stretch of front yard. It was the perfect window to be replaced with a bay window.
The window was nearly square. It was 72 X 72 inches. We thought about a bow window, however elected to install a bay window instead. We just felt that our specific house looked better with 3 panel bay window rather than the numerous panel bow windows. Our intent was to fill the seat board of the bay with potted plants we had sitting in front of the present photo window. The brand-new arrangement would give us a bit more area in the room and improve the general appearance of your house. It was time to go shopping.
Scratch vs. Pre-built
When we initially understood of setting up the brand-new window, I started collecting prepare for constructing a bay window. Thumbing through books and magazines, and the Internet search engines, I discovered a number of prepare for building a bay window from scratch. I also found that carrying out such a job was going to be unnecessary. Most of the significant window makers, such as Pella, Milgard and Anderson make both entirely pre-assembled bay windows along with pre-built elements for bay windows.
These days extremely couple of contractors will take on the project of developing a bay or bow window from scratch. It merely isn't useful when for the very same or less money they can install a high quality pre-built window. If the specialists utilize pre-built windows or elements for brand-new home building or restoration projects, then we might do the same for our remodeling task, we reasoned.
Installing a bay window can easily be a do-it-yourselfer project. Before you go the do it yourself route, nevertheless, you may wish to line up a specialist to help out if required. This is not going to be a job that you can finish during a Saturday afternoon. Possibilities are you are not going to complete it in a weekend, for that matter.
You are likewise going to wish to line up some assistance. Bay windows and window components are heavy. At least they are too heavy for a single person to manage.
Be sure and check out the weather report, consisting of the long variety forecast. Setting up the window implies opening a hole into your home. It can take a couple of days to get the brand-new window in place and sealed. The last thing you want is for rain to come gathering on your flooring, walls or furniture.
Be sure and inspect your city or neighborhood building and construction codes. There might be unique local requirements, such as having shatterproof glass in low profile windows. You are most likely going to need a building authorization anyhow, so that is also a great time to check the codes.
Tools and Materials Needed
The tools you will require for this job include a measuring tape, a framing square that you can likewise use as a straight edge, a circular saw or miter saw, crow bars, drill and bits, level, stapler, energy knife, tin snips and a caulking weapon.
The products you will need consist of https://donate.utahtech.edu/page.aspx?pid=305&dgs980=3&rid980=1623&tid980=11405 the bay window unit, the assistance brackets, nails, roofing paper, shingles, roof nails, exterior grade silicone caulking and fiberglass insulation. You will also require 1X6 inch boards for the window skirting. If you are expanding an existing window, or if you are setting up the window in an area that was previously the wall, you will likewise require 2X4s for cripple studs and additional framing.
Basic Setup Steps
1. Establish window position in the wall. Eliminate the existing window. Measuring the bay window, mark on the exterior of the house the opening required for the brand-new window. Utilizing your circular saw, cut the required opening.
2. Framing. Develop the framing for the new window. This will likely include cutting through existing studs and putting in a new header, rough sill, jack studs and paralyze studs.
3. Install the assistance braces. A window as much as 5 feet large will take a minimum of 2 assistance braces. A wider window will need three.
4. Set the window in place. Lift the bay window on the assistance braces and move it into the rough opening. Shim as required to level the window. Anchor in place.
5. Build the window roofing. Set the roof frame on top of the bay window unit and nail in place. Fill the space in between the roofing and the top of the bay window with insulation. Attach the roofing system sheeting to the frame and cover with roofing paper. Install the drip edges and the flashing and after that shingle.
6. Set up the window skirting around the bottom of the window. Fill will insulation and then attach the skirt bottom to seal the beneath side of the window.
7. Seal the edges with silicone caulking.
This is a list of the standard setup actions and they have actually been abbreviated in the interests of simpleness and area. The window system you buy will have complete installation steps. Take it from the voice of experience; it truly makes the project go much more efficiently and it will be completed in much less time when you check out and follow them.
In our case, I had two friends aiding with the task. We have collaborated on other tasks and interact well. We had the old window out and the rough framing finished on Saturday afternoon. We buttoned up the hole with plywood over night and went back to work the next day. By Sunday evening we had the brand-new window installed and the roof and skirting finished. On Monday afternoon I finished sealing up the outdoors and finished the trim work for the within.
And, we were right. It was the ideal area for a bay window. It looked great from the exterior. Inside, it became the centerpiece of the space and added an unique beauty to the house. The window provided your home added character and value.
When it came time to sell your home, it was one of the functions that were particularly attractive to the purchasers.