How to Install an American Craftsman Replacement Window
Installing replacement windows in place of old windows today is a much easier project that the original window installation was. This is because modern replacement windows come pre-hung in their casings, already fully functional, so all you have to do is set them all at once into the window opening. American Craftsman makes a line of vinyl replacement windows that use this principle, and can be installed by any competent homeowner.
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Prybar
- Hammer
- Level
- Shims
- Screw gun
- Mounting screws (provided with the window unit)
- Foam insulation (spray can)
- Finishing nail gun
- Caulk
Instructions
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1
Take measurements of the width and height of the window opening, measuring from inside the tracks of the sashes. Move the sashes up and down as needed to get at the edges. Order your Craftsman replacement windows based on the measurements. Leave the old windows in place until they arrive.
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2
Pry off the border of wood trim holding the old unit in place, using your prybar and hammer. Keep the trim intact as you remove it. Pull the old windows into the room, so the opening is empty. There should still be an exterior border of wood around the outside edge of the opening.
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3
Set the Craftsman replacement window unit onto the sill of the opening, bottom first. Push the top in until it rests against the exterior trim border. Set a level against the unit, and shim under and around it until it reads square.
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4
Set the unit in place using your mounting screws and screw gun, shooting the screws outward through the holes in the sides, into the surrounding frame.
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5
Spray foam insulation into the spaces around the window unit.
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6
Put the trim back in place, using your finishing nail gun. The trim will trap the window in place and hide the shimmed spaces around the edges.
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7
Run caulk along the edges where the trim meets the wall and the window unit.
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