This HouseCalls visit took place in picturesque Laguna Beach, known for its summer art festivals and beautiful beaches. Jenny Kemp and her family live only three blocks from the shore. But when Ron stopped by her mind was not on the beach but rather her kitchen window. She had asked Ron to help install a garden window, and he couldn't wait to get started.
Click Here For a list of what
you will need in order to complete this project.
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The box shaped garden window that Jenny had selected would not only provide an ideal place for indoor gardening but Jenny was hoping it would make her kitchen seem larger as well.
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1. Remove old window:
- The first step was to remove the old window's sliding glass panel. This was simple enough to do. Ron just lifted it up and then pulled the bottom outward.
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- From the outside, Jenny removed the screens the same way. To get the fixed panel out she used a hammer and a pry bar to loosen and remove the center break.
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- With the center break removed, the fixed panel lifted out the same way the first one did.
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- The next step was to remove the exterior trim. Ron had Jenny take a utility knife and cut the paint away. The paint was fairly heavy and Ron was afraid that it might actually act like a glue to hold the window in place.
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- After Jenny scored the rest of the trim, she and Ron went to work prying it off. With the trim gone they had access to the old aluminium window frame.
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- The old window frame was essentially caulked in place. To loosen it, Ron used a hammer and a block of scrap wood to give the frame a whack from the inside while Jenny pulled from the outside. Ron cautioned that Jenny keep her balance because the frame could let go suddenly.
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- As the old frame broke free, Jenny was able pull it completely out.
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2. Remove old framing:
- All that was left was the window frame that the original wooden windows were set in. This frame would have to come out to fit the new window that they were about to install. The frame was held in place with pairs of nails all the way around. Ron showed Jenny how to use a nail remover to take these nails out so the frame could be removed.
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- They drove the duel prongs up under each nail head with a hammer then just pushed down on the handle to begin to pull the nail out. They flipped the nail remover over to the other side and gently rocked the nails out. After all the nails were removed, the old frame came out quite easily.
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3. Adjustments:
- There were two more things that needed to be done before the opening was ready for the new window. The first was to finish off the interior ledge and insides of the frame where it would be seen from the inside. This work was mostly cosmetic.
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- They also needed to make an adjustment on the outside of the building. The new garden window had what was called a nailing flange. That was actually what would hold the window up against the house. The flange would attach to the front edge of the 2 X4 that surrounded the window opening, but in order for that to work they would need to cut away a strip of siding about 2 ½ inches wide.
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- Before they could complete the finishing work on the surrounding opening, they needed to build up the bottom sill because it was a little bit lower than it needed to be. They nailed the new piece of wood in place with a butane powered nail gun.
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- They nailed a shim piece to the top inside, just as a spacer, to get the opening to exactly the correct size to accommodate the new window.
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- After Jenny nailed the shim in place they then added a trim piece. They repeated this process on the sides and the sill so the whole opening was nicely trimmed.
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