Boarding up windows

[bigtiller]

I need to board up a 24" wide window in an unheated garage for the winter.

The window frame has deteriorated badly. Only paint is holding it together in some spots.

What type of material is recommended for this?

Here is an old pic of the building.

 

[CADplans]

Deteriorated? you need light and thin,,
screw on a piece of 24" wide aluminum flashing,,, that will stay if screwed to Styrofoam,,

 

[4570Man]

I’d tear out the rotten window and replace it unless you’re boarding up permanently. My temporary approach would be to tear out the rotten window, screw a 2x4 across all 4 sides of the hole, screw a piece of advantec in the hole and then insulate it.

 

[CADplans]

and,, if you find a window guy, he can form a top and bottom lip,,
then cross break it for strength,, the big "X" cross break will make it super strong, and look good,,,too!!

 

[Roadworthy]

The window frame itself is secured to 2X4 supports. The window appears to be surrounded by brick mold. Pull the window and the brick mold trim. You can then cut a piece of plywood (or whatever) to fit and nail it in.

 

[Diggin It]

Is this for the winter only? What happens next spring/summer? Are you planning on heating the garage/shed? Do you want something solid that will block light or something that will allow light?

Is the gray siding wood or vinyl?

If it were me, I would gut the window and replace it, maybe with a thermal window. At the very least, I'd replace the frame/trim/brick mold. A new brick mold frame outside could have threaded inserts installed to accept bolts for future use if you want to add a storm window/cover in future years. Brick mold is now available in PVC that won't rot.

 

[bigtiller]

Is this for the winter only? What happens next spring/summer? Are you planning on heating the garage/shed? Do you want something solid that will block light or something that will allow light?

Is the gray siding wood or vinyl?

If it were me, I would gut the window and replace it, maybe with a thermal window. At the very least, I'd replace the frame/trim/brick mold. A new brick mold frame outside could have threaded inserts installed to accept bolts for future use if you want to add a storm window/cover in future years. Brick mold is now available in PVC that won't rot.

It's just for the winter/spring. There is a hog heater in there but I may turn it on once in the late fall just to clear the cobs out of it. Siding is composite wood that was popular back in the 70's and later.

One of the windows is so far gone that the bottom panes of glass has slid down an inch into the bottom of the frame.

This garage has stud walls on 24" centers. Years ago, cheap windows were made to fit between those studs. 15 years ago those windows needed replaced but replacement windows were not sold any where, so I bought some wood barn sashes and made my own windows to fit. I'm not "into it" now I would rather put it off until warmer weather to do it again.

For now, wanting a quick easy fix to keep the snow from blowing in.

 

[Diggin It]

It's just for the winter/spring.

I'm not "into it" now I would rather put it off until warmer weather to do it again.

For now, wanting a quick easy fix to keep the snow from blowing in.

Then I would just get a piece of plywood or OSB and run screws through it just outside the brickmold, through the siding, into the studs. Plan would be to replace the windows in the spring with something slightly larger that would cut out the siding with the screw holes.



By the way, I used thermal sliders that take a 24 x 24 rough opening, priced at around $40 from Lowes.

 

[Diggin It]

That might even be an option:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-So...4-in-x-24-in-Actual-23-5-in-x-23-5-in/3681940

Might fit right into the existing opening. Made for 'new' construction, it has an exterior trim molding. You could cut the thin nailing ears off all four sides, slip it into the opening and glue, caulk or whatever from the inside to secure it in place. Might take less time than trying to nail over and fix later.

 

[3Ts]

If you can't replace the window and you can't nail or screw into the siding/framing beside the window, I'd remove the window and cut a piece of plywood a little larger than the opening and use a carriage bolt thru the plywood in each corner so that it is inside the rough opening and use a 1x on the inside in each corner that the bolt goes thru and put a washer and nut on it. If need be, you can also use a foam gasket on the top and sides of the outside plywood for a better weather seal. That way there are no holes in your building and is about as secure as you can make it.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you can't replace the window and you can't nail or screw into the siding/framing beside the window, I'd remove the window and cut a piece of plywood a little larger than the opening and use a carriage bolt thru the plywood in each corner so that it is inside the rough opening and use a 1x on the inside in each corner that the bolt goes thru and put a washer and nut on it. If need be, you can also use a foam gasket on the top and sides of the outside plywood for a better weather seal. That way there are no holes in your building and is about as secure as you can make it.

Good answer. Short of replacing the window, this seems to be simplest.

 

[EddieWalker]

Plywood or OSB are going to require something solid to anchor it to.

Instead of dealing with that, I would get a roll of ZIP Tape from Lowes for about $26. Then cut some foam and tape it in place.

Edit. After posting I thought that you could just tape the glass into place and not cut anything to fit the opening. If the glass is still there and it's not broken, then ZIP tape it back into place an deal with it in the Spring.


ZIP tape is pretty impressive stuff and it will easily stay in place for years, if not forever. You will only need a little bit of the roll for this, and then you will find that it's what you use for everything else, all of the time.

 

[LouNY]

I'd be tempted to pull the window and trim, measure the hole and get a piece of lexan cut to fit and install it,
that way you will still get a bit of sunlight thru and into the building.

 

[bigtiller]

posted by Eddie

Edit. After posting I thought that you could just tape the glass into place and not cut anything to fit the opening. If the glass is still there and it's not broken, then ZIP tape it back into place an deal with it in the Spring.

I wish I would have known about that tape YESTERDAY, I could have been done with it for a few months. :laughing:

After reading all the posts and looking at the forecast, I went to Menards yesterday and bought some ceder 8" siding. That great big you-fix-it store doesn't sell any thing to match what I have.

The only beveled siding they sell is ceder. Everything else is ship-lap.

If I can get the glass out without breaking it or bleeding, the rest should just about fall out with a little nudge. So with my luck, I'll be working till dark just to get the old window out today.

 

[bigtiller]

Mission Accomplished.
And it took only 3 hours, but I still need to clean up a little.

 

[3Ts]

Looks good. A little bit of paint will blend that right in.

 

[jaxs]

Mission Accomplished.
And it took only 3 hours.

View attachment 625266

:thumbsup: Great job Tiller. 3 hours isn't slow nor is it fast,but most important it isn't half-fast.