How To Add A Window To An Exterior Wall

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Add an extra window to your home

Improve lite and ventilation with an actress window

If you have reasonable confidence in your skills, you can install an extra window in about homes. An extra window tin can improve your views, provide more flexibility for room layout, improve ventilation and add together more calorie-free. You lot tin can increase the size of an existing window or add together a window into a blank wall. In fact, you can radically change the exterior appearance of your home with more than windows, larger windows, or windows of different proportion or style.

Your Materials Checklist

TIMBER

ninety 10 45mm or 65 ten 35mm structural radiata pino or hardwood to match existing frame
Header to suit opening span (bank check span tables)
Architrave to match existing internal trim
65 x 19mm (or larger if required) treated pine or other durable timber for external trim

HARDWARE

Window to accommodate opening
1 small pack 75mm x 8G screws
1 curl of aluminium flashing (width of wall frame + at least 25mm)
1 modest pack 50 10 1.6mm bullet head nails
i small pack 25mm galvanised clouts
Window lock
Blinds, curtain rods

OTHER MATERIALS

Wood stain (colour of choice)
Articulate satin polyurethane
Woods stop (putty): color to match timber or stain
Interior and exterior paint as required
Interior and outside gap filler and/or sealant
Spackle
Curtains, drapes
Window tint film

Tools for the task

Tape measure, pencil
Cordless drill/commuter and $.25
Keyhole saw, reciprocating saw, power mitre saw
Hook hammer, wrecking bar, boom punch
Stepladder and/or rented scaffold if required
Props
Caulking gun
Utility knife Spirit level, carpenter'due south square Grit mask, safe glasses, and hearing protection
Putty knife, sanding block, sandpaper (120, 280 grades) Paint brush, rags, drop sheet.

Step one: Structural issues

The external walls of your house carry the weight of the roof, ceiling and the second storey (if at that place is i). In the wall frame above all windows and doors there is a stiff beam chosen a header (also called a lintel or head) and this is designed to carry the weight (dead load) of the structure above, plus resist alive loads such as wind uplift on the roof and wind deflection of the wall and window. The bigger the span (the length of the header) the stronger the header must be to carry the load without deflecting (bending) downwards besides much.

"Span Tables" are available at your local Mitre 10. These will tell you the size and strength of header required for your situation. You lot'll need to know a few details: roof type (tiled or metal), truss or rafter spacing, roof span, upper or lower storey, and window opening size.

You will more often than not demand to become approval from your local council before installing a window in an external wall. This is because a window is usually a structural change to the edifice, and information technology may touch on your neighbor'south privacy.

This MitrePlan contains education for installing a window in the walls of timber-framed houses. If your business firm is brick, stone, brick veneer, or steel-framed at that place are differences in the installation requirements. Roof windows likewise require different installation methods. Talk over your specific needs with your local Mitre 10 staff. If your house has asbestos cladding practice not cut it. Contact a licensed asbestos removal contractor for advice.

Stride two: Gild your window

Try to match your new window to the existing windows in your home. Match them in material, colour and fashion if possible. This may be catchy for very old windows, but demolition yards and building recycling centres will often carry local windows in good condition.

Windows are bachelor in both standard sizes and fabricated-to-order. Naturally, standard sizes are the most economic – although sometimes "factory 2d" windows are available at bargain prices. These are often incorrectly ordered windows that are otherwise brand new.

You tin can either brand the opening to suit the window, or order the window to adapt the opening. Depict a dandy sketch of the window, viewed from the outside, showing the opening dimensions, position of any fixed panes, position and direction of opening sashes, and the overall thickness of the wall including cladding and lining. Betoken conspicuously if you want a reveal fitted. This is a timber frame on the inside of the window to muffle the wall framing.

Step three: Cut the wall and frame the opening

Use a stud finder to locate the position of the wall studs (the vertical timbers in the wall frame) and any power, water or gas lines that may exist concealed in the wall. If there are whatsoever services in the way, contact a licensed contractor to have them repositioned.

Attempt to position the window so that you minimise the number of studs removed from the wall. It's unlikely that a window will fit between the studs because the space between them is only 400 to 565mm.

Marker out the position of the new window accurately on the inside of the wall. Employ the existing windows every bit a guide to the meridian. You lot'll probably detect that you lot tin't go too high because the roof eaves are usually lower than the ceiling. Allow 10 to 15mm clearance all around between the window and the opening. You'll need this to pack the window so that it's perfectly level and plumb.

Cut the plasterboard with a keyhole saw and remove it. Get out the outside cladding in place until you are set up to install the window. Now information technology's time to remove whatsoever studs that are in the fashion. If simply i stud is to exist removed you shouldn't demand any propping, but for wide windows yous will demand to have the weight of the structure on props until the header is installed. Yous can apply timber and wedges for props, or hire adjustable props.

Cutting through the studs at the bottom of the window opening with a reciprocating saw. Insert the saw 45mm below the opening in the plasterboard and carefully cut through. This will provide plenty room for the 90 ten 45mm "window sill trimmer". The slot in the plasterboard will be concealed by the architraves or may be spackled. Check the span tables for windowsill trimmer sizes, as large openings may require either larger or multiple trimmers. Cutting through the studs at the peak in the same style, assuasive plenty infinite above the opening for your header.

Fix the header into place using screws into all of the studs. The screws volition have to be skewed (angled), and you tin can practice this correct through the plasterboard and spackle them later. Set up additional studs tightly under the header at each cease to back up it if at that place'south enough room. Screw-gear up the window trimmer into position at the bottom of the opening, and then fit trimming studs at the sides to complete the frame if necessary. At every footstep use a spirit level to brand sure each role is as level or plumb as possible.

When y'all have the window set up to be installed it'due south time to cut the opening in the external cladding. Use a long drill chip (at least 150mm long) from the inside to accurately drill at each corner of the opening. Utilize a direct edge exterior to mark the opening on the cladding, and so cut information technology with a reciprocating saw.

Step 4: Install the window

Install "flashing" at the bottom of the opening. This is a tray of thick aluminium foil that will catch whatever water that penetrates the opening and and then direct it back out of the edifice. It prevents rot in the wall frame. Bend the flashing so that information technology fits neatly in the opening and overhangs outside past almost 15mm. Remove sliding sashes from the window or open double-hung sashes. Pre-offset 75 x 2.5mm nails in the window reveal, then place 10mm packers (pieces of fibrous cement) on the flashing and sit down the window into position from the outside.

Align the outside confront of the window with the cladding and partly drive in the fixing nails to hold the window while you lot check it for fit. Some windows volition fit neatly confronting the cladding but others will need to have timber trim fitted. Check that the internal reveal aligns with the wall lining, and cut or plane it to fit. Once you're happy with the fit of the window, place packers above the nails in the reveal and drive the nails home. Practise non blast the window through the superlative (into the header) or through the bottom (through the flashing).

Step 5: Finishing

Cut and gear up architraves around the window reveal and fix with 50 x 1.6mm nails. For more information see our MitrePlan "Change your architraves and skirtings". Seal between the cladding and window with a skilful quality exterior sealant – except at the lesser, where the flashing must be able to bleed. If the sealant volition be seen and is to be painted, utilise a paintable sealant and follow instructions advisedly, as some must exist painted within 48 hours. Make full whatsoever holes in the plasterboard with spackle and whatsoever holes in the cladding with exterior filler, and then pigment as required.

Source: https://www.mitre10.com.au/diy/add-an-extra-window-to-your-home

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