DIY Installation of Replacement Vinyl Windows

With the economy still not doing well, and perhaps moving into recession, more homeowners are finding it advantageous to stay in their homes for longer.  Staying put means improvements have become more important to ensure durability and efficiencies.  Vinyl windows were at one time considered to be inferior, however advances in design have made it so that vinyl windows are not a high quality product.

Installing vinyl windows does not have to mean hiring an expensive professional.  With a few steps, you can be installing your own vinyl windows.

1. Measure your old window opening properly, and accurately.  Most vinyl windows are manufactured in sizing increments of ¼”, and you will want to ensure the tightest fit possible with that in mind.  In order to measure the opening, raise the lower sash of the old window, and measure jamb to jamb near the top of the window, at the middle, and close to the bottom.  Measure the height of the window in a similar manner, measure from the head jamb to the sloped sill, just past the point where it meets the inside of the window stool.  If replacing multiple windows, do not assume each window is the same size, even if they appear to be.


2. Remove the old sash.  A typical double hung window has two sets of removable stops.  An inside stop holds the lower (inner) sash in place, and a blind stop separates the two sashes.


3. Remove the inside stops carefully so that they can be reused.  Cut the sash ropes, and remove the lower sash.  This will allow the blind stop to be removed, and then the upper sash can be removed.


4. Place the new window into the opening.  Ensure that it fits tightly between the inside stool and the outside stops of the old window on the exterior of the opening.  If the new window is narrower than the opening, it may be necessary to install a strip of wood to the jamb in order to fill in the gap.


5. Examine the new vinyl window and determine if it has a sloped extrusion on the bottom that is to match the sloped sill of the old window.  If your window has a flat bottom, it may be possible to use a piece of lattice, or a doorstop to support the front edge of the window.


6. Create supports for all of your windows at one time.  Plane the edge of a board at an angle that will roughly match the slope of the sill.  Rip a strip of wood accordingly to match the gap.  In order to install the support strip, cut it to the appropriate length, and nail it in place beneath the point where the new window’s front edge will sit.


7. Center the new window in the opening.  In order to assure that the window is square, use a carpenter’s square and then shim the sides of the window directly behind the predrilled screw holes in the jamb.  Screw the window in place through the side jambs, and then the inside stop can be installed.


8. View the window from the exterior, and ensure that it opens and shuts properly.  Once the window is operating properly, place a narrow bead of caulk all around the window in order to properly seal the gap at the outside stop.