Replacing Wood Sash Windows with Vinyl Windows

Follow these easy instructions and you should be able to replace your old windows with new vinyl windows in no time.

The first step to this process is to remove the old wood sash windows. Once this is done, you will need to prepare the window openings so that they are ready to install your new vinyl windows. Be sure to recruit someone to help you with the actual installation. The windows come packed in shipping materials which will need to be removed before you start. Match up the windows with their proper location, especially if you are installing windows in several different sizes. First place the window inside the opening to ensure that it fits correctly. Once you are sure that this is the correct window for the opening, run a bead of caulk along the face of the outside blind stop where you will place the window. Always be sure the window fits properly prior to caulking. This step only takes a few minutes, but can save you time and trouble down the road. Occasionally the top of the window frame will hit the top of the wood frame of the house as you are placing it into location. If this happens simply gently tap the top of the vinyl window while at the same time keeping the pressure towards the outside.

After you have tested the new window and decided that it is indeed the proper fit, remove it from the casing and set it to one side. Now you will need to place a bead of caulk on the face of the outside blind stops. It is fine to use white latex painters caulk. Once the caulk is down, place the window back into position. Here is where the help you recruited will come in handy. As they hold the window in place, raise and lower the sashes to ensure that the window is sitting squarely in place. There should be about 3/16"- 1/4" all along the window, giving you the wiggle room you need to adjust for plumb and level. It is a good idea to go to your local grocery store and pick up a box of coffee stirrers and a box of popsicle sticks. Using the different thicknesses of the two sticks will allow you to shim the windows into the proper position. You will probably need to shim all four corners of the window. Before you install the stops, caulk along the sides and the top of the window. While it is a good idea to place one screw along the center of both the top and bottom, it is best not to place any screws along the sides. Since you have both shimmed and caulked the window, it is really not necessary to use screws at all in this installation. After completing these steps you will still need to install the stops.

You should remove and replace any old nails prior to installing the stops. It is ok to use a 1” or 1 ¼” finishing nail to do the job. The stops will probably have old caulk on them which will need to be removed before you install them. You should then nail your stops on while your helper is holding your window securely in place. When working with a window with four stops it is a good idea to install the short stops first, allowing you to then bend the longer pieces to securely fit them between the two short stops. To sink the head of the nail below the surface of the stop you should use a nail punch. It is a good idea to complete the first window of a several window project all the way to this point prior to beginning work on any of the other windows. Can you imagine having all the old sashes removed only to figure out that your new windows don’t fit properly? This is why it is best to make sure the first window can be properly installed, then have your helper begin working on removing the sashes from the rest of the windows. Of course, measuring carefully is the best way to be sure that all your windows will fit properly. When you are measuring remember that tight minus about ¼” will allow you to properly place, plumb and level your new windows.

The inside can be finished by placing caulk along the points where the inside casing meets the stop and where the stop and the new frame come together. You can hide the nail holes by filling the nail holes on the inside stops with caulk. Once you have finished the inside you can go ahead and finish the outside. If you have purchased a high quality replacement window it will come with either a sloped frame that fits together with the sloped sill or an insert piece that can fit nicely under the new frame to fill in the gap created by the slopping wood sill. Lower quality windows will not come with either of these. You can fill the gap yourself using some wood trim or a piece of flat vinyl trim that you can attach to the fame along the bottom of your new frame. This vinyl trim piece is available from many online retailers. You will need to caulk along the place where the outside blind stop meets the vinyl frame and where the wood sill and the bottom gap filler meet once the bottom gap has been covered up.

All you have to do now is celebrate a job well done! If you like you can purchase additional accessories such as vinyl wrap extrusion to cover your old wood sills. You will be able to find these from online retailers as well.

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