I havent seen the job yet but a client wants a window put in her kitchen through a brick wall. I have put doors through brick walls but not a window. I saw a guy finishing one once but always wondered how he got the flanges in there behind the brick. He even put the exterior brick sill on it..It looked great. With a door you can trim out with wood but not the window.
I can figure out the rough framing from the inside and then cut out the brick but from that point I am sorta perplexed.
Sound off if youcan
thanks
Replies
You should take a look at the drawing first. How big is the window ? Anything over 4 feet wide should have needle beam(s) and I'm too tired to type that much. All bricks in the picture with red dots must be removed. The red line represents the new opening. You do not saw the opening into the window on these lines. Rather you saw horizontal joints out between the red dot bricks near the top of the new opening. That gets you started removing the red dot bricks. You want an opening bigger than your window so that you can set your brick lintel ( 3" of bearing ) , then set the window. The leftover bricks ( which you saved and cleaned by now I hope ) will be cut in to fit against the ext window trim. If you had sawed this finished joint, You would see a rotten cut brick edge not to mention the possible core holes in the center of the bricks.
carpenter in transition
I went by and looked at that window job. It can only have a 2x2 window where she wants it. It is a sink right over her kitchen window. I am almost certain there are wires and a vent stack. However, even if I don't do this job I am still very interested in learning how to do this. I went and looked at the window that other guy put in. He cut the brick out with a saw and to hid the cut brick and brick holes he parged the brick with a mortar mix colored close to the brick color. I must admit, it looked good. My question is how he got the window in the hole this way. And how did he nail the nailing fin. There was a remod job going at the time so the studs were exposed but the question still stands. He got the window tight to the brick.
tell me if I am wrong, but this job sounds like about a $800.oo job.
Thanks for the drawing it helped. The way you described makes more sense really. However I will need a lintel because it is going right in the middle of a brick wall.
Is this window going into a load bearing wall? If so then you will need a lintel of some type. I would call a brick layer in to do the job and then he can create the opening you need and tooth the brick in around the opening so that it looks like it has always been there.
The fellow who did this job got lucky. He got lucky that the bricks weren't cored. More than 50% to 60% of the bricks sold today are and that could really put a damper on your spirits if you discover this after you make the cut.
As far as the nailing flange, there are always creative ways of attaching the window without using it. Have you ever seen masonry clips that attach to the side of the window and then attach to the face of the stud inside ? They are galvanized metal flat stock with screw holes. Most quality window manufacturers sell them as an add. Or sometimes you can shim and nail through the side and head jamb. Or sometimes you can even just foam it in with expanding foam. That missing nailing flange is the least of your worries; there is always a way............
carpenter in transition
Perhaps this could be a sister article to hopefully an upcoming article on replacing windows in brick veneered houses.
There is a thread on this in the magazine feedback section.
Many of the questions you ask, especially the flange issue, could be addressed.
The editors mentioned the possibility of such a feature and they were discussing it last time I heard.
I have a couple of brick walls I would like to knock out for some windows.
Alan
Great suggestion! I'll look forward to that article. I'm planning to put in larger windows into a veneer wall that is currently unfinished on the inside.
"and how did he nail the nailing fin"
How are you so sure there ever was a nailing fin? Replacement type windows can be factory made to any size you desire, and they are attached by screws through the side jamb. Windows can also be ordered with side plate extenders that move outward and wedge the window in place. These extenders extend or retract by turning a screwdriver in the designated slot milled inside the window sash jambs.
For brick retrofits, I'd use a replacement style window rather than a new construction style.
Davo
Nice drawing Tim. This same question has been ask several times here.
Your way is what I reccommend also. Everything else looks like a bad remodeling job. A good remodeling job looks like was built whit the original structure.
I will go with "proper" way. I am heading over there right now to tear into the sheetrock and find out what lies behind the wall. Frame in from the inside and drill through the wall to make locator holes for the mason. He will remove the bricks around that area, I will then place the window and he will install new bricks. I am still in the dark about exactly where the lintel lands on the window.. But I will figure it out. I realize for it to look good I will have to position the window so the lintel lands right below a course. Do I have the right plan...I hope so because I am out the door.
If there are other windows near by or in the same room, they will determine your eleavtion. Looking at other windows from outside, you will be able to count courses and match your lintel placement to the existing. many times in residential masonary work the lintels are just laid up with the brick. i prefer to lag bolt the lintels to the framing. I may be all wet here, but spreading the load of the brick across the framing, rather than point loadig each side of an opening seems toreduce the amount of step cracking. Besides it was always spected on commercial jobs I have worked on.
Good luck
Dave
Made a fist size hole in the wall and what did I find,...half inch water line. Spicket was 2foot over but I guess for whatever reason they decided to run it down that wall. Oh well..he aint gonna spend any more money to get a plumber to re-rout.
thanks for all the hell guys
Weathershield windows can be installed with a flange that is mounted from the inside. I couldn't find details on their website but their technical support will fax you the detail...800-538-8836.