New siding and windows project

[duncanshannon]

I'm overdue for a longer update... lots of work since the last update.  (prob. not enough progress given how long its been...)

Here is a visual of one of my lessons learned going thru my first major remodeling project myself.... Make sure your windows are set exactly right so the jamb extensions will be flush with the drywall! (or perhaps it was a bad drywall job...)

Now that I'm trimming the windows... i'm paying the price for this being off.



Too bad its that way on a handful of windows.   

I'm not striving for perfection on the finish work here... so we will see how it turns out in the end.

Any good tips for dealing with this kind of gap?  I've got one somewhere else that is about 1/4" (and i hired the install of that window out!  It seeems to usually be the corners and is not that way around the entire jamb.

Caulk? Wood Putty? Bondo? Shims? More jamb extension strips? 

Last night on one window I took a planer and scraped away some of the drywall (which is now covered up by the trim). 

I spose I could sand off the back of the trim too... not at 1/" tho.

Trying to 'wrap up' the interior parts of the project in the next couple weeks before dear-parents come for a visit.

Lots has changed. More soon.

[MountainDon]

custom cut wood strips to fill the required space. At least that is what I have done once.   Cut to rough length, place against the window jamb, scribe a line, rip close to the line, plane smooth, glue and finish nail. 

[PEG688]

 Its a pretty common issue, it's cause is thick / wide studs , some run right in the 1/2" some can creep out to close to 5/8" . Then the sheathing can be not sucked tight all the way around the window RO . Then we add  building wrap , the the Vycor and / or Vycor + Vy-corners at the bottom , maybe add a bow   out  in the trimmer midway on the trimmer causing the top and/ or  bottom to ride out . The hangers can get lazy and not suck the S/R tight on the inside , the insulation may be pooched out of the stud bays not allowing the S/R to set tight ..     So you get the idea , having a window not flush all the way around is pretty common.

What you want is solutions , not causes 

  The basic way IF one uses vinyl windows which you didn't do by that photo , is to adjust the interior surround before it's set , I put the surround in the opening then adjust it's depth  by trimming , to get it as close as I can all the way around so I cheat it to the "best fit" position then .

In you case you could go outside and use a block and attempt to drive the corners that are  to far out on the inside in. This seldom works , but you might get one in 5 to move inward a bit.

So when that fails the next easiest fix  is  the old sheet rock bash, place a piece of trim where it goes for the inner reveal , trace the outside edge so you know how far out you can bash , then bash away  , this works most of the time.

If the offset is a 1/4" or more a jamb extension placed flush with the casing can work depending on if the casing is paint grade , or stain grade .   

If it's paint grade you can let the caulking help you a 1/16 to 1/8" gap is caulk-able.

Good luck .   

[duncanshannon]

Well... I guess lots of things can cause that. I feel a little better... thanks PEG

So when that fails the next easiest fix  is  the old sheet rock bash, place a piece of trim where it goes for the inner reveal , trace the outside edge so you know how far out you can bash , then bash away  , this works most of the time.

Now we are talking!  sounds nice and fast. I'm gonna give that a whirl on he worst ones.

If it's paint grade you can let the caulking help you a 1/16 to 1/8" gap is caulk-able.

Thats deff. my speed.  I was hoping caulking would be ok. I don't know why it wouldn't... other than it seemed to easy given the mild anxiety i had over starting the finish work!

I've got my trim and jambs painted with the sashes clear coat stained.

Thanks!

[PEG688]

Well... I guess lots of things can cause that. I feel a little better... thanks PEG

Now we are talking!  sounds nice and fast. I'm gonna give that a whirl on he worst ones.


Thats deff. my speed.  I was hoping caulking would be ok. I don't know why it wouldn't... other than it seemed to easy given the mild anxiety i had over starting the finish work!

I've got my trim and jambs painted with the sashes clear coat stained.

Thanks!

All this is heresy to fine home building of course and I'd never do any of it    My windows and doors always lay flat , plumb and square , the grain is always aligned , things that are designed to be flush are flush , and in relief are well in relief!! 

One note of caution on the S/R bash , the casing can appear tipped inward , you can lessen that some if needed by taking some meat off the back side of the outer edge of the casing , depending on it's style / thickness.  If you're mitering the trim you can monkey with the miter or give it a slight back cut angle to help out some times.

G/L PEG 

[MountainDon]

monkey with the miter

That's where finish carpentry becomes an art.....

[PEG688]

That's where finish carpentry becomes an art.....

Or butchery 

[duncanshannon]

Thanks PEG and Don for the tips.

I applied the hammer smash technique with some luck.  Its a bit coarse, hopefully some caulk and paint will make it so people wont notice

Of the 11 windows I finished this weekend, only one is really bad.  Overall the work is not as bad as I expected it to be.  The last two windows of the day, which were flush with the sheet rock almost all the way around, are pretty respectable. 

10 more windows, 3 doors and 1 sliding glass door to go.  Oh, then baseboard all around too... but I think thats gonna come later.

[PEG688]

Glad we could help out, paint covers a multitude of sins , or a good painter can make a marginal carpenter look better, of course a poor painter can make a great carpenter look marginal , such is life!   

[MountainDon]