Windows - finally.

Despite the intensity of the experience, there have been very few times where I actually felt any anxiety about any particular aspect of this project. One of those aspects was not having a roof. Another was the lead-up to the installation of the trusses. And yet another was the installation of the big picture windows I ordered from Thermotech. The reason for this anxiety (mild though it was) was that the the largest windows are quite heavy and awkward - not to mention expensive - and we were to be working on scaffold 10' above the ground. My "Spidey senses" were tingling and I do well to pay attention.

Installing large windows is a team effort.

Time to Switch to Whiskey - Corb Lund

As it turned out, the installation of the windows went very smoothly and everyone went home safe. I don't think, however, that my earlier anxiety was in vain since that was the factor which motivated me to make sure the pre-installation preparations were as thourough as possible. Which resulted in a very smooth operation and, in turn, the alleviation of my anxiety. Pre-installation preparations included:

• Cleaning up the worksite and making lots of space for maneuvering.
• All flashing work at the rough openings complete and bottom shims installed at the corners.
• Scaffolding secure with sufficient planking to carry the weight of four guys and a large window.
• Cardboard to protect any under-foot surfaces that need protecting.
• Tools at the ready - 2 1/2" screws, drill driver, levels and caulk.
• Half-decent briefing for the help - safety first, installation procedures, walk through, job descriptions, etc.

Preparing to lift a window. These are the largest windows in the house at 80"x60". Because they use one large fixed glass unit, the glass is a little thicker than normal and they weigh quite a bit - the shipping weight of each was 340lbs. They were shipped with 2x4 blocking already attached to the brickmould at the corners. We used straps designed for lifting heavy furniture to lift each window from under each corner. In case anyone is wondering, the beer in the foreground was on reserve for after the work was done - it was a chilly day so no worries about it getting warm.

Out onto the scaffolding. Since a couple of my helpers were not-so-comfortable with heights, I really took my time to shim under the scaffolding so that it was nice and solid. Also, I rented a bunch of extra planks - the aluminum kind that are load-rated. To spread the weight more evenly over the planks, I put down a few sheets of plywood as well. That's me in the vest, bringing up the rear.

Rounding the corner onto the roof of the sunroom. Here I put down sheets of cardboard with plywood over top to protect the EPDM roof membrane from accidental dings or scuffs - you never know. Watch that step off the scaffold - definitely worth mentioning ahead of time. If you look closely at the window opening in the photo, you can see how I set up my shims. The two corner-most shims were installed so that they are level with each other. Intermediate bottom shims were also installed but at a lower height than those at the corners. More on this stuff in a later posts.

Caulking the jambs and window head before lifting the window into the opening.

Lifting the window into the opening and trying to keep fingers out of the fresh caulking.

Securing the window with a couple of screws at the top corners before checking that it is sitting plumb and level in the opening. After checking for plumb and level, further screws were added to secure the window - two screws to each corner, and every 24" in between.

Windows installed and ready for shimming and flashing around the rest of the frame...