How Do You Frame A Window In A Load Bearing Wall?
How Do You Frame A Window In A Load Bearing Wall?
- Measure the width and length of the window opening using a tape measure.
- Measure the thickness of your wall using a tape measure so that you can purchase a piece of wood that has the same exact thickness or is just slightly thicker than your wall.
- Check your local building codes to see what types of materials are allowed for use in windows within load-bearing walls, then select one which works best for you and your home.
- Place your piece of wood on top of the window opening to see if it fits. If it doesn’t fit, then you can use a hand saw or a miter saw to make the sides shorter so that it fits into your window opening.
- Make sure that all your mistakes are visible when you are done cutting the piece of wood so that you can fix them with a pencil or sandpaper as needed before painting or staining, then install this new section of wood on all four sides of your window opening.
- Trace around the outside edge of your window on all four sides of your window opening with a pencil so that you can easily access the areas which are hard for paintbrushes and rollers to reach.
- Prime and paint your new wood piece with a brush and rollers so that you don’t miss any spots, then let it dry overnight. Install a section of wood trim along the outside edge of your window so that it fits snugly next to the frame of your window and hides any mistakes you might have made while painting or staining.
- Mount your new section of wood in place using a staple gun or screws and nails, then attach it to the wall to finish off this project.
How Do You Use Window Frame Fixing Cleats?
- Measure your window opening from the top to the bottom and from the left to the right using a tape measure.
- Add an inch to these measurements and use that number to figure out how wide your window frame fixing cleats will be. Select the appropriate fixings to embed each cleat into your studs using these measurements.
- Measure the thickness of your wall using a tape measure so that you know how thick each piece of wood will be. Purchase 2 pieces of wood that are the same thickness or just slightly thicker than your wall.
- Multiply the thickness of your wall by two to get the thickness of one piece of wood, then add this number to each measurement you took in step 1 so that you can make two pieces on either side of your window opening which is the same size and fit them snugly next to each other with screws or nails.
- Make sure that the two pieces of wood you’ll be using have a slight curve at the bottom because they will be used to hide the frame of your window and make it look unbroken so that you can easily access both the inside and outside edges of your window.
- Install all four pieces of your window frame fixing cleats using screws or nails, then attach them to the wall with a staple gun.
- Paint these pieces white once you are finished installing them for a better-finished look, then install your new window on top of each piece of wood.
- Finally, add trim along all four sides so that it fits snugly next to the window frame and gives it a more finished look when viewed from the outside.
How Do You Fix A Split Window Frame?
- Remove the frame from both sides of your split window and set it aside.
- Take the cracked or split pieces of wood out of your window frame, then place a piece of wood in place which is slightly larger than the dimensions of your window opening.
- Glue a small piece of wood onto this new piece, then glue it onto all four sides so that there is some thickness to it and it will be easier to fix in place later on.
- Measure the space between each side of your window opening so that you can find 2 pieces of wood that are just slightly larger than those measurements.
- Use the same method to install these two pieces of wood on either side of the new piece you installed in step 3 so that they fit snugly next to each other and are as thick as your wall.
- Select a piece of wood that is slightly larger than the new pieces you just installed and glue it onto all four sides of your window opening so that it lines up with the original frame after you install it back into place.
- Paint this frame a similar color to your walls so that it matches, then use nails or screws to secure the new piece into a place where your previous frame was located.
- Once you are finished installing the new piece of wood, install the frame on both sides of your window so that it lines up with the pieces of wood you installed in step 5, then use a staple gun to attach it securely to the wall.
- Finish your job off by adding trim along all four sides of your window frame so that they fit snugly next to each other, then paint them white or a similar color if you wish and let them dry overnight before using it again.