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We have a client with a five year old custom home that has been condemded to build an office building. we are trying to salvage everything possible before the bulldozers arrive. Our biggest problem is the windows. About 23 units. top of the line clad casements, with no exterior casing and stucco right to the clad, over the nailing flange. I figure we can spend about thirty minutes per unit to remove them without damaging them. before it starts to cost more than its worth to save them. we have decided to sacrifice the nailing fin and the extention jambs if we can save the unit.
Our problem is how to free the Jamb from the nailing fin. we have several 4-1/2″ grinders with diamond blades for cutting stucco. but at approx 14 LF of perimiter per unit this sounds to time consuming.
the other ideas thrown out were a) a hot knife from the inside with 7″ reach to cut the (Plastic) fin loose. b) a roto- zip with carbide bit that slip between the clad and the stucco. c) put a couple of glass cups on the sash and pull really hard and see if we can pull the unit out. we are going out next weekend to test drive all of our ideas. any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Jeff Wheeler Wheeler Construction service
Replies
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If you run out of time you could pull the operators and window sashes and leave the frame. Then get new frames from the manufacturer. Or sell the sashes to a window repair company.
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Interesting problem, please let us know what you tried and if it worked. I would suggest using a masonary blade in your skillsaw to simply score the stucco 1/2 inch or 3/4's inch all around about 3 inches from the window, then smacking off the stucco with a short handled 4 pound sledge. It "might" crack right off of the flange, at least enough to get a wonder bar under the flange to pop the nails. Good luck, those windows sound really valuable - - worth more than just 1/2 hour of your time.
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Am I wrong or are most nailing flanges just held in by compresion force? Try removing all trim on the interior and running a sawzall around the the outside and pulling it free from the nailing flange.
Just a thought, Maybe it SUCKS, who knows? Sacrificing a window or two to come across the right method may be an acceptable loss.
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jeff
if these windows are vinyl clad with the molded in flange, then you should be able to just use a sharp ute knife and cut thru the vinyl where it is exposed, releaseing the flange along with the cladding on the edge of the unit. the edge can then be reclad with a piece of bent aluminum siliconed in place.
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We have a client with a five year old custom home that has been condemded to build an office building. we are trying to salvage everything possible before the bulldozers arrive. Our biggest problem is the windows. About 23 units. top of the line clad casements, with no exterior casing and stucco right to the clad, over the nailing flange. I figure we can spend about thirty minutes per unit to remove them without damaging them. before it starts to cost more than its worth to save them. we have decided to sacrifice the nailing fin and the extention jambs if we can save the unit.
Our problem is how to free the Jamb from the nailing fin. we have several 4-1/2" grinders with diamond blades for cutting stucco. but at approx 14 LF of perimiter per unit this sounds to time consuming.
the other ideas thrown out were a) a hot knife from the inside with 7" reach to cut the (Plastic) fin loose. b) a roto- zip with carbide bit that slip between the clad and the stucco. c) put a couple of glass cups on the sash and pull really hard and see if we can pull the unit out. we are going out next weekend to test drive all of our ideas. any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Jeff Wheeler Wheeler Construction service