Window Installation 101- Step 3

It may not actually be the 3rd step, but it is the 3rd installment of the "how-to". So... here it goes:

We are ready for window installation. The hole is prepped & flashed, checked for level & square, & you should have verified that the window you are going to install fits in the opening with approximately 1/4" to spare all the way around. In new construction when dealing with vinyl windows the opening is called out on the plans as the size the opening is supposed to be framed at. The windows ordered should arrive 1/2" shorter in the height & length. So a 5/0X4/6 will actually be 59 1/2" wide & 53 1/2" tall. (Also, the opening is referred to in ways: casement= hinged from a side, awning= hinged at the top, single-hung= sliding up, double-hung= sliding up or down, & x/0= sliding from left to right if looking @ it from the outside... the 'x' represents the operable part & the '0' represents the fixed)

Place carpenter's pencils in the bottom corners & about every 2 or 3 feet on the sill. The window will rest on these during installation, ensuring a gap at the bottom of the window which helps with potential water having an escape route as well as ensuring the window room for movement as the house/addition settles over the first year.

Now, apply a continuous bead of caulk @ the sides & top of the opening. DO NOT APPLY TO THE BOTTOM! This again allows for an evacuation route for any potential water intrusion from above. We are directing it where we want it to go. Outside & down the wall, on-top of the vapor retarder.

We have a 1/6X2/0 single hung window. Remove the screen if there is one, & make sure the window is locked closed. Working from the outside, place the window into the opening on top of the pencils or shims (verify that the weep-holes are on the outside & at the bottom). If you are working alone, slide it to the right, make mark, then slide it to the left. Now, split the difference between the two spots & slide the window to roughly centered.

Take a 2" galvanized roofing nail & drive it into one of the bottom corner holes in the window fin. Don't drive it all the way, in-case adjustment is needed.

Check for level & adjust if needed. This will help to ensure proper function of the operable parts. Tack the window in place, unlock it, & check for proper function. If all is well, fill every other hole in the fin along the sides and bottom, leaving the top alone. At the top, install the nails above the fin about 1/2" and drive part-way, bending them over to hold the window in position while allowing for potential movement in the framing.

You are now ready for vapor retarder & more flashing.

Window Installation 101- Step 2

I have found that different products stand up under pressure in different ways. Some products in the construction industry have been around for 100 years & longer, while some are still under development. As a general rule, I opt for good-old-fashioned-tried-&-true things. Window flashing is an area that has changed almost daily since the advent of "double-paned aluminum" windows w/an integrated installation fin. This has made product knowledge invaluable, & difficult to stay on top of, but I try. Basically I have found the old saying: "Everything is not created equal" to be true. As a general rule, you also get what you pay for. The products I am showing aren't the only ones on the market. I even know of a couple that might out-perform, but the Fortifiber line is among the best @ innovation & quality, while remaining readily available and affordable.

Caulking is placed @ the bottom corners (a healthy bead @ approximately 1/4"). I choose Moistop here and a couple other places due to it's excellent adhesion to vinyl windows & other flashing materials.

Then, place the corner shields @ the bottom corners. These are another product that I believe is money well spent. Again, they

are manufactured by Fortifiber.

Next, place a strip of at least 6" butyl based flashing membrane. I like the FortiFlash, but several manufacturers make quality products. I look for good flexibility & adhesion. Some other options are: BlueSkin, Grace, & WetFlash. Make sure that the inside will wrap onto the flat portion of the sill past where the inside of the window will be (if you keep it in 2" or more, it should be adequate.

Continue applying the flashing membrane. The idea, with all exterior weather-proofing systems, is "shingling". Think of bird feathers or fish scales. Always overlay & work from the bottom up. The outer-most layer will be @ the top, always. Whether you are laying roof shingles, horizontal plank siding, or flashing in a window. So, think like water & layer things starting at the bottom.

The pictures should give a good idea of what the product will look like at the stage we are at. If it seems redundant, complicated, or over-technical; it is. But that is what keeps the weather were it should stay, out-side.

Next: Actually Installing the Window!

Window Installation 101

Windows, while adding much to the outward appearance of a home as well as providing needed ventilation & natural light inside, provide a set of challenges that often remain overlooked in the exterior cladding of a home. I have spent some time installing windows & over-seeing window installation, & correcting poor window installation. So, I recently found myself working on a small remodel/addition with one window needing installation. I decided this would be an excellent opportunity to show a couple pointers & techniques that we employ to ensure a weather-tight building envelope & give the customer a lifetime of service.

Window Install 101- step 1

Step 1: You have a framed house, addition, barn... whatever & if it has windows, there should be holes in the walls. In the Pacific NW, most everything we build is inspected, including the type & thickness of plywood used for framing as well as the type, length, diameter & spacing of the nails used as well as if they were installed flush & straight. All of this might not seem of great importance relating to how to set a window, but... the required inspections limit our ability to install the vapor retarder right after framing. This makes window installation a bit more tricky.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE BEGINNING WITH AN OPENING THAT FITS THE WINDOW YOU WILL BE INSTALLING! Check for square (the diagonal measurements should be equal) and the sill should be level. You should also check the window itself. Sweep the sill, & check that it is clean/free of debris- as well as dry. This is to allow proper adhesion for the flashing materials.

Tack flashing paper across the bottom of the sill. You can use a couple roofing nails, or a hammer-tacker w/A11 staples. In either choice, keep the penetrations at the top & minimize the amount (less is more). The flashing paper should be loose @ the bottom- this allows for the vapor retarder to go underneath it later.

More of the house at the beach. Built up barge's, exposed t&g pine soffits, 4x8 rough sawed tails, timber accents.

Working on the North Oregon Coast

Neahkahnie Mountain & the Pacific Ocean

Here is our latest foundation to be framing on.  Not a bad view.  I need to bring a good camera & get better photo's, but hopefully this wets the appetite.  We just started, & the first day in the beginning of May felt much more like late November. 50 mph gusts & driving rain.  Honestly, I enjoyed it a little, but was happier today with some blue sky peeking through.  The first 5 years of my married life were spent on the North Oregon coast.  It is a terribly awesome place, and a great challenge to build in.  It will throw much of what the Pacific has to offer at you on any given day.  This forces better construction practices (hopefully); and I appreciate that.  Pushing things to the limit helps you define your boundaries.  Here's to a great house that a family will enjoy and relax in for years to come.

the state of construction...

After driving to the Oregon coast to look at our companies next project, I came back fairly encouraged. We have seen several large (5-9000 sf) custom home plans cross my desk for bids on framing & siding lately. At the coast, things seemed to be rolling along- the foundation guy said he had been very busy, & this is looking to be a banner year. It would seem that people who are either very creative with financing 2nd homes, or people who finance them the old fashioned & secure way (Cash-outa-pocket) are realizing that now is a great time to build. Our prices our down like 30% and the product (our labor), is great. I wear my bags most days and our employees have rarely been as skilled. We are hunkered down & trying to weather the storm... with prayer & hard work.

So, here is Alpine Design. If you know of anyone that needs the services that we offer, please get us in touch. Spread the word on behalf of a company that is striving to build something for our children's future. And do it with integrity. Thanks for reading.

It all adds up to about 56' from the dirt... we thought about putting in a "mountain goat wanted" add on craigslist. Now the decks are framed where you can see the ledger boards, & all the windows are set. We are ready to begin siding any day.

House on a Hill

Rocky Butte... aptly named. If you are going to build it, do it up right. So if you have driven down 82nd in Portland, and looked to the east on the side of Rocky Butte, you may have seen a house being built, and been a bit concerned. Who is crazy enough to build a house on a 50 degree slope, w/ a foundation? Well, I thought it looked like a good challenge. So here you go. It does have killer views. I need to figure out how to get some good pictures that capture the panoramic spectacle as you look out over what seems like most of the west coast.

Hendricks' Home

Mayfield Cabin

Now this cabin, on Mayfield Lake, somehow seems more "Cabinish" than Larry and Rita's, even though it has a garage for a basement.  I guess really the purpose behind the cabin experience is more whatever brings a sense of relaxation.  For this couple, water skiing is what brings the family together, and the ability to leave the boat at their favorite lake, and have a retreat ready for entertaining the family or friends.  I think maybe letting the cars sleep outside in the cold is what helps Rita feel like they have escaped and found a refuge in the mountains.  Both projects have been pleasing to be a part of.  Whatever we can do to help families relax & stay close, that's what we are about.  I think I might have to try out the whole "vacation" thing someday.

-Eric

Why a blog?

Well, to put it simply, it works for us.  With encouragement from all different avenues over the past several years to have a presence on the web, my oldest daughter has convinced me that this will be a relatively pain free experience.  Alpine Design has been without any significant PR other than word of mouth, and I don't want to loose that closeness to our customers.  I do desire to allow customers and prospective customers get to know us in a non-pretentious way.  So, here is the beginnings of our web presence.  As I have given thought to what this will all be about, I am realizing that there is much to write about, and I intend to share our company values, current projects, thoughts on new products and techniques in carpentry, hopefully some good pictures, and possibly a link to a video or two of our crew and what we do.  Anyway, thanks for looking.

-Eric

Mount Saint Helens cabin

Lunch Discussions with Rita

Rita (the homeowner) brought delicious lunches along with great company almost weekly to our crew as we worked at this remote job-site.  One fine Friday lunchtime, as we were warming around the fire and finishing our chili-burgers, I was teasing her insistence on calling this beautiful Timber Frame a "cabin".  She asked me if I knew what the difference was between a mountain cabin, and a 2,600sf timber-framed second home.  I explained my supposition that anything that could house my family of 13 at the time fit my definition of house, not cabin.  She politely corrected me, and proceeded to inform me that a cabin does not have a garage.  I humbly acknowledged my error, thanked her for the great food and got back to work.  Larry (Rita' s husband) laughed and let me know that he had warned me not to question her.  This project has definitely been  one of my personal favorite houses  to build, for its simple clean lines and great clients. 

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Present challenge on Rocky Butte, in Portland, OR.  The day after trusses arrive, we are now dealing with snow and ice.

Deep Breath

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