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I have a vintage 1926 two story house that didn’t get proper window maintenance in the past, so most of the windows have severe termite and/or dry rot damage, and in many cases, the surrounding rough framing is also termite eaten. I plan to buy new wood casement windows throughout (36 windows) and I’m looking for any advice on how to handle fixing the termite damaged rough framing. How do you attach the surviving exterior stucco to the new framing? Is adhesive enough, or do I need to drill and screw from the outside? Or demo it and make big stucco patches? The old tar paper is no longer acting as much of a moisture barrier, is there anything I can do from the inside about this? Would it be better to put on one of those thick exterior coating systems? What’s the smartest way to deal with the problem that in 1926, 2×4’s were bigger than they are now? Are there any gotchas I haven’t even thought of? Money is tight, so I have to do this myself.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
— J.S.
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Sounds like a project that may never end. In many ways, my first thought comes in saying that you may as well commit this job, at least in your mind, to the possibility of complete restructuring in some of the worst areas. But, let's say you get lucky and can fill in framing with the existing walls in place. Your questions about the old lumber are the easy ones, no problem to rip some new studs and tack on the extra 1/8-1/4" that you'll likely need to bring them into plane, or you can just buy more and space them alternatively, one flush to outside, one flush to inside, can even use 2x3's for this and gain an insulating advantage (if your walls are 2x6) or at least keep the costs in line.
I am no termite expert, but doubt that the window rot is due to termites, you can expect most of their destruction lower on the house, especially around the sills, water table, etc. It doesn't really matter, the damage is done, now you need to get it under control. There is so much involved with restoring rotted areas that it will be difficult to talk you through from here, but many ways to be creative. My suggestion is to remove all of it, don't just cover rotted material up. It needs to be removed and each area needs it's own assessment of needs and solutions as best as you can tell.
As far as affixing stucco, I don't know. A stucco expert would be invaluable. My instinct says if you get some stucco mesh for substrate material, you may be able to get the old stuff to bond to it from the inside. I don't think screws or nails alone from the outside would hold for long.
A question: What are your interior finished wall surfaces going to be?
MD
*Thanks --For the interior walls, what I'm going to do is take down all the existing lath and plaster in the affected areas, shearwall with 1/2" ply glued and nailed, and then rocklath and wet wall plaster.I'll also look at the possibility of tying thingstogether vertically between floors.-- J.S.
*Further to MD's post:Better find out if its rot or termites. If you've got termites that high up, you might have some major structural issues.I'd get a pest inspector out there. Preferably one who just inspects and doesn't offer treatment. (Some home inspectors do pest inspections, so far as I know, not many pest co's do just inspections.)Bob
*These are drywood termites (which, contrary to theirname, actually like a little water with their lumber). They spread by flying, and land on a window sill, which they eat. Then they have access to the surrounding rough framing. So, the damage is mostly in and around the windows. There was none in the cripple walls when the earthquake bolt down and shear walling were done. It's the other termites, the subterranean ones, that eat from the bottom up.-- J.S.