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- A straight edge, it's best to use a framing square to serve both purposes.
- A tape measure for obvious reasons
- A couple of crow bars for prying
- A miter or circular saw for cutting your window out
- You'll need a drill and bits to fasten your bay window securely
- A heavy duty stapler
- A Level
- A pair of tin snips
- Utility knife
- A caulking gun
- A picture of a bay window that you'll want to model yours after
You'll need some materials as well. These include support brackets, shingles, some roofing paper, roofing nails, fiberglass and silicone caulking insulation (look for exterior grade).
You will need two by fours for additional framing if you're creating a new space in the wall as your window.
Here are the installation steps you'll be taking.
You'll have to first establish the position in the wall for the window. If there's an existing window remove it. Next measure the bay window, then mark on the outside of your house the opening that you'll need for the new window. Now cut the opening with your circular saw.
Next you'll begin framing the new window. This includes cutting through any pre-existing studs and inserting a new header, a rough sill, cripple studs, and the jack studs.
Now it's time to put in the support braces. For a window of up to 5 feet wide, you'll need about two support braces. Anything wider will require three.
Okay, it's time to set your window in place. Slide the bay window into the newe opening using the support braces. You'll have to shimmy the new window into place to get it as level as possible.
The next step is to build the window roof. Nail the roof frame into place on top of the new bay window. Fill in any space with insulation. Before covering with roofing paper, you'll have to fasten down the roof sheeting to the window frame. Now install drip edges, flashes, and begin to shingle.
Time to put in the skirting at the bottom of the window. Fill it with insulation and then fasten the skirt, which will seal the underside of the window. Now just seal it all with silicone.
Though this is an abbreviated, this is the basic run down of the steps involved to install a bay window. When you buy the window unit, complete steps will surely be given in the instructions. Always read and follow the instructions to avoid headache.
I was fortunate enough to have two friends give me a hand. I knew that I work well with these guys. We popped out the window and had framed the new one by the end of the same day we started. We plugged the hole with some plywood through the night, and jumped back on the job the next day.
By evening on Sunday the new window was installed and roofing and skirting was finished. I easily finished sealing everything up myself on Monday, plus got the trim work done on the inside.
We do not regret for a minute the spot we chose for our new bay window. It looked tremendous from both outside and in. After my wife slapped up a bay window curtain it finished off the job perfectly.
Now were selling our house, and have many prospects due to the bay window alone.
When you want to install bay windows in your place you need some basic tools. These tools include, a framing square or other straight edge. You will also need a tape measure. You should also make sure to have a circular saw, bits and a good drill, a working level, a stapler, a caulking gun, tin snips, and crow bars.
You will need a laundry list of materials as well such as the bay window unit, the supporting brackets, special roofing paper and nails, the right shingles, silicone caulking for your caulking gun and some insulation of fiberglass. You also need the proper size boards for window skirting. If you are simply enlarging a window that is already there or if you are installing a window where there used to be a wall then you need 2X4s for the additional framing and for the cripple studs.
Steps for Installation
1. Decide wear the new window will go and remove the old window. Using the measurements from the bay window to mark on the outside of the house where the bay window will go and then cut the opening using the circular saw.
2. Cut through the studs already in place and put in jack studs, cripple studs, a new header, and a rough sill to begin building the framing for the new bay window.
3. If your window is up to five feet wide then you will need two support braces and if the window is even wider then you will need three support braces.
4. Put your bay window on the support brace to get it in place and then slide it in and follow by shimming to get it even. When this is done you can anchor it.
5. After putting the roof frame on the window then you can nail it in place. Between the roof and the window you can fill it with insulation. Afterwards you can attach the roof sheeting and the frame and then put roofing paper over them. Put the drip edges in, flashing, and finally the shingle.
6. Using window skirting for the window bottom. Add some insulation and put the skirt bottom underneath the window.
7. Finally you can use caulking to seal it.
This basic list will help you know what steps you need to do in order to install bay windows. Using a picture of a bay window and instructions you will get your bay window installed and will only need bay window curtains to add for a final touch.
We had two friends help us with installing our bay windows and working on them and had it finished in three days time. It was the best spot for a bay window and increased our home's value as well as made us feel great about our place!