How To Measure For Replacement Windows

Measuring Windows for Replacement

Now to get the height I'm going to hook same thing right on the top of the window measure right down to the bottom to the outside and this one measures 32 in so again I'm going to take an e E8 of an inch off that so I've got 31 and 78 okay I'm going to draw myself a nice little picture here um homeowner would like to go back to the same style of window which uh right here we've got a fixed window and an awning so uh I'm just going to draw a crude little picture again viewed from the outside and I even made a note of that so I don't forget or the other person uh doesn't realize so this is viewed from the outside uh I don't know if you can really see it I've drawn it looking like kind of two windows and because this one is an awning I'm going to draw a little dotted line almost like an arroe head up facing to the top that's just indicating that's where it's hinged so they know that it flips out on the bot hinged on the top um and it'll just help you remember too once you've measured all the windows you may forget which ones were which uh we've got one window and uh this particular one here is a den so we're going to mark it off as Den quantity of one I've got the measurement and I've got my little picture and I would just continue on doing that all the way around the house um now we also determined already that the the uh thick of this wall structure is the 5 1/2 plus half in plywood on the outside plus half in drywall on the inside so we've got a total of 6 and 1/2 in and that's our Jam depth that'll be important too they'll want to know that okay so I don't think there's too much more to really explain uh we will hopefully be shooting a video soon showing you exactly how we pull these windows out and install a new one and uh then you'll know completely how to do the job from start to finish if if your supplier will come and measure for you always a good thing because then if they screw up they've got to stand behind that window or they should be standing behind the window and uh you know making sure that it's corrected um that is one liability if you supply with them with the measurements and something's wrong uh you might be stuck with a window or two that doesn't fit what you need and you're going to have to reorder so if they will come out and measure get them to do it even if they charge you 50 bucks or whatever it it'd be worth it if you're going through somebody or you're maybe in a remote area where they are not willing to come out and do that at least now you know how to how to order this window um now the other thing I guess worth mentioning is uh to replace this window obviously I can't use a nailing flange now right because we're not planning on disturbing the exterior finish so I've got to go to a window that has a brick mold which is a wider frame uh usually I like to go to what around here is called a 2-in renovation brick mold and that that'll just be sure that everything fits the hole we don't have to mess around recutting the siding again or the stuckle um you know you can you can pull the uh pull the old window out put the new one in sometimes depending exactly how the window opening is framed the actual uh stud work is framed you may have to uh decrease the size of your actual rough opening a little bit um but these are all things that is going to save you a lot of time in messing around in the long run anyways um so you know you're going to want a a renov renovation brick mold usually a 2in to replace this type of installation if we were removing the siding anyways then really what I would do is uh pull the inside trim off the window measure the actual rough opening that's the framing opening of the house and take that to the to the window Supply and they can determine all their measurements from that but in this case we're not removing this the exterior finish so this is the best way to do it okay

Wall Structure Measurement

The wall structure measurement is crucial for determining the correct size and type of window to be installed. In this specific house, the wall structure consists of 5 1/2 inches plus half inch plywood on the outside and another half inch of drywall on the inside, resulting in a total Jam depth of 6 and 1/2 inches. This measurement is essential for ensuring that the new window fits perfectly within the existing framing, taking into account any potential variations or irregularities in the wall structure.

Measuring from the Outside

When measuring windows, it's often necessary to take measurements from both the inside and outside of the house. In this particular case, we're starting with a measurement from the outside of the window. By using this method, we can determine the exact size and shape of the window, including its height, width, and any notable features such as awnings or overhangs.

Creating a Measurement Plan

To ensure accuracy and efficiency in measuring windows, it's helpful to create a detailed plan and take note of key measurements. In this instance, we've drawn a crude but accurate picture of the window from both sides, labeling its dimensions and noting any relevant features such as the location of the awning and hinge points.

Using the Measurements

Once we have completed our measurement plan, we can use these figures to determine the correct size and type of replacement window to be installed. In this case, we're taking an e8 inch off the original measurement to arrive at a final height of 31 and 7/8 inches, resulting in a picture of what the new window should look like.

Recording Measurements

It's essential to keep accurate records of all measurements taken during the process, including any notes or comments about notable features or potential challenges. By doing so, we can avoid potential mistakes and ensure that our measurements are reliable and trustworthy.

Understanding Brick Mold

When replacing a window, it's often necessary to use a brick mold, which is a wider frame used in conjunction with drywall to provide an accurate fit for the new window. In this case, we're working with a 2-inch renovation brick mold, which will ensure that our measurements are taken accurately and correctly.

Practical Considerations

In addition to ensuring accuracy and reliability, there are several practical considerations to keep in mind when measuring windows. For example, it's essential to account for any potential variations or irregularities in the wall structure, as well as any necessary adjustments for overhangs or other architectural features. By taking these factors into consideration, we can avoid costly mistakes and ensure a successful installation process.

Taking Measurements from Inside

While measurement from outside is often a priority when installing replacement windows, it's equally important to take measurements from inside the house as well. This helps ensure that the new window is properly aligned with the surrounding wall structure and any other architectural features.

Tips for Accurate Measurement

- Use a combination of methods, such as measuring from both inside and outside, to achieve accurate dimensions.

- Take note of notable features, such as awnings or overhangs, which can impact the size and shape of the window.

- Record measurements carefully and accurately to avoid potential mistakes.

- Consider factors like drywall thickness and stud spacing when making your measurements.

Conclusion

Measuring windows for replacement requires attention to detail, accuracy, and a thorough understanding of various factors that may impact the installation process. By following these guidelines, homeowners can ensure that their new window fits perfectly within the existing framing, taking into account any potential variations or irregularities in the wall structure.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhi Shannon here from host improvements.com uh today we're going to shoot a video and it's going to explain to you how to measure your existing windows in your home so that you know if you wanted to replace them or get a quote on uh new windows you could take those numbers uh to A supplier and and get a quote done up so to start with uh generally you've got two thicknesses of walls to start with um you usually have either a 2x4 framed wall or a 2x6 framed wall um so if you have a 2x6 framed wall like we have in this home you've got your 2x6 framing which is actually 5 and 1 12 in wide you're going to have in this age of home you're going to have/ inch plywood on the outside and you're going to have half inch drywall on the inside for a total of 6 and 1/2 in in depth so that would actually be your wall thickness that's an important part that uh your your Builder or your sorry your window supplier is going to want to know um so you're going to need that measurement uh now depending on your age of your home this can vary a little bit because uh you know if you've got a home that's built uh let's say from the 50 before the 50s or even even some some of the 60s have 3/4 in shiplap on the outside instead of half inch plywood so you need to determine a little bit uh you know exactly how your home is constructed before you can for sure make up that that decision so a little bit of Investigation work look at the year your home um some of the practices used there could be uh if it is an older home there could be um LA and plaster on the inside instead of halfin drywall so I mean that can vary anywhere from uh you know half an inch to an inch just depending how or who put it on so you know there is some variables there you you need to consider for the width um so once you've determined that uh another another way of doing it I guess really would be is if you opened up your window so we've got a window here we're going to pop the screen out uh so if you can determine a distance from the outside of your window frame to where you're sheeting your your plywood should start and put a little Mark here then you should be able to measure from that Mark into here where the back side of your trim is and that will also give you that same measurement a little trickier to do but if you're a little bit uncertain it might be the best way to go just to double uh confirm what what you think is going on there um so anyways that pretty much is all you need to do from the inside uh we're going to I'm going to show you how to do it measuring everything from the outside uh in this case we're trying to fit into an existing exterior finish which in which here is an X90 type wood siding composite type siding um so the homeowner isn't wanting to disturb that siding anymore than necessary so we want to fit into that hole that we cut when we remove the window and uh that being said that's going to mean we're probably going to have a little more space in here where the insulation is behind the trim uh than there is right now but uh we'd rather have that than have it not fit in the hole or you don't have to cut excess siding or you know if you had stucco out there you don't want to cut any more than that any more than you have to of that so so again what we're doing is we're going to go outside uh show you where to measure from and I'll explain a little bit the the reasoning for that once we're out there it might be easier to show you okay so uh one of the things to also have with you is a piece of paper obviously to write down everything that you're recording for measurements uh it's handy to have a little bit information maybe pre-written on there you know what room you're measuring uh how many of that particular size you need and then a spot where you can put the width and the and the height as well um something that can be helpful is drawing a little picture viewed from the outside you know so that you know you know who you're talking to you know which side is going to open or how it's going to open and it'll help them uh visualize exactly what you're what you're wanting um so what we've got here is aluminum clad window from uh early 9s I would say to mid 90s and uh this style of window is installed with a nailing flange now that nailing flange is also aluminum and it is actually behind the the siding or stuckle whichever you've got on your home so you can't actually see it or or get at it to pull the nails or screws out so what you'd have to do to remove this window is uh set your saw blade blade depth on your uh circular saw and uh run it around the exterior of the window so that you're cutting through the the cocking the siding or stuckle whatever's there and through that aluminum flange you don't want to cut too far in and cut the plywood wide open but you know uh you you've got to kind of figure that out and and run the saw around there staying close to the window tight to the window so you're not cutting the opening too large um once you've done that it's a matter of removing the inside Rim blinds all that stuff and the window should slide out relatively easy so that being said I've got my book here um what I do is I measure the existing window so I'll measure the width so I'll hook the tape right over on the outside of the edge of the window frame there come right over to this side right to the outside uh this window right now measures 64 in right on uh usually what I do is subtract 1/8 of an inch just to give you that little extra room now your saw blade when you make your cut tight is going to you know free up you know basically an eighth of an inch all the way around anyways but I always take an eighth inch off just to be sure that it's going to fit the opening without too much extra cutting so we had 64 in on the width so what I'm going to request is 63 and 7/8 uh you could get away with exactly what this one measures because of the fact that you are cutting around the perimeter but it's nice to have just a little bit of room extra so now to get the height I'm going to hook same thing right on the top of the window measure right down to the bottom to the outside and this one measures 32 in so again I'm going to take an e E8 of an inch off that so I've got 31 and 78 okay I'm going to draw myself a nice little picture here um homeowner would like to go back to the same style of window which uh right here we've got a fixed window and an awning so uh I'm just going to draw a crude little picture again viewed from the outside and I even made a note of that so I don't forget or the other person uh doesn't realize so this is viewed from the outside uh I don't know if you can really see it I've drawn it looking like kind of two windows and because this one is an awning I'm going to draw a little dotted line almost like an arroe head up facing to the top that's just indicating that's where it's hinged so they know that it flips out on the bot hinged on the top um and it'll just help you remember too once you've measured all the windows you may forget which ones were which uh we've got one window and uh this particular one here is a den so we're going to mark it off as Den quantity of one I've got the measurement and I've got my little picture and I would just continue on doing that all the way around the house um now we also determined already that the the uh thick of this wall structure is the 5 1/2 plus half in plywood on the outside plus half in drywall on the inside so we've got a total of 6 and 1/2 in and that's our Jam depth that'll be important too they'll want to know that okay so I don't think there's too much more to really explain uh we will hopefully be shooting a video soon showing you exactly how we pull these windows out and install a new one and uh then you'll know completely how to do the job from start to finish if if your supplier will come and measure for you always a good thing because then if they screw up they've got to stand behind that window or they should be standing behind the window and uh you know making sure that it's corrected um that is one liability if you supply with them with the measurements and something's wrong uh you might be stuck with a window or two that doesn't fit what you need and you're going to have to reorder so if they will come out and measure get them to do it even if they charge you 50 bucks or whatever it it'd be worth it if you're going through somebody or you're maybe in a remote area where they are not willing to come out and do that at least now you know how to how to order this window um now the other thing I guess worth mentioning is uh to replace this window obviously I can't use a nailing flange now right because we're not planning on disturbing the exterior finish so I've got to go to a window that has a brick mold which is a wider frame uh usually I like to go to what around here is called a 2-in renovation brick mold and that that'll just be sure that everything fits the hole we don't have to mess around recutting the siding again or the stuckle um you know you can you can pull the uh pull the old window out put the new one in sometimes depending exactly how the window opening is framed the actual uh stud work is framed you may have to uh decrease the size of your actual rough opening a little bit um but these are all things that is going to save you a lot of time in messing around in the long run anyways um so you know you're going to want a a renov renovation brick mold usually a 2in to replace this type of installation if we were removing the siding anyways then really what I would do is uh pull the inside trim off the window measure the actual rough opening that's the framing opening of the house and take that to the to the window Supply and they can determine all their measurements from that but in this case we're not removing this the exterior finish so this is the best way to do it okay so I hope uh I hope this was as clear as mud and is going to make sense and like I said uh keep watching for us to post a video on replacing this type of window so you can see the job start to finish uh if you have any comments or uh questions you can always go to our Forum at house improvements.com and uh you know sign up it's membership's free post your comment question whatever it is there and I'll try to do my best to answer it and if I can't hopefully somebody else can on there for you thanks a lothi Shannon here from host improvements.com uh today we're going to shoot a video and it's going to explain to you how to measure your existing windows in your home so that you know if you wanted to replace them or get a quote on uh new windows you could take those numbers uh to A supplier and and get a quote done up so to start with uh generally you've got two thicknesses of walls to start with um you usually have either a 2x4 framed wall or a 2x6 framed wall um so if you have a 2x6 framed wall like we have in this home you've got your 2x6 framing which is actually 5 and 1 12 in wide you're going to have in this age of home you're going to have/ inch plywood on the outside and you're going to have half inch drywall on the inside for a total of 6 and 1/2 in in depth so that would actually be your wall thickness that's an important part that uh your your Builder or your sorry your window supplier is going to want to know um so you're going to need that measurement uh now depending on your age of your home this can vary a little bit because uh you know if you've got a home that's built uh let's say from the 50 before the 50s or even even some some of the 60s have 3/4 in shiplap on the outside instead of half inch plywood so you need to determine a little bit uh you know exactly how your home is constructed before you can for sure make up that that decision so a little bit of Investigation work look at the year your home um some of the practices used there could be uh if it is an older home there could be um LA and plaster on the inside instead of halfin drywall so I mean that can vary anywhere from uh you know half an inch to an inch just depending how or who put it on so you know there is some variables there you you need to consider for the width um so once you've determined that uh another another way of doing it I guess really would be is if you opened up your window so we've got a window here we're going to pop the screen out uh so if you can determine a distance from the outside of your window frame to where you're sheeting your your plywood should start and put a little Mark here then you should be able to measure from that Mark into here where the back side of your trim is and that will also give you that same measurement a little trickier to do but if you're a little bit uncertain it might be the best way to go just to double uh confirm what what you think is going on there um so anyways that pretty much is all you need to do from the inside uh we're going to I'm going to show you how to do it measuring everything from the outside uh in this case we're trying to fit into an existing exterior finish which in which here is an X90 type wood siding composite type siding um so the homeowner isn't wanting to disturb that siding anymore than necessary so we want to fit into that hole that we cut when we remove the window and uh that being said that's going to mean we're probably going to have a little more space in here where the insulation is behind the trim uh than there is right now but uh we'd rather have that than have it not fit in the hole or you don't have to cut excess siding or you know if you had stucco out there you don't want to cut any more than that any more than you have to of that so so again what we're doing is we're going to go outside uh show you where to measure from and I'll explain a little bit the the reasoning for that once we're out there it might be easier to show you okay so uh one of the things to also have with you is a piece of paper obviously to write down everything that you're recording for measurements uh it's handy to have a little bit information maybe pre-written on there you know what room you're measuring uh how many of that particular size you need and then a spot where you can put the width and the and the height as well um something that can be helpful is drawing a little picture viewed from the outside you know so that you know you know who you're talking to you know which side is going to open or how it's going to open and it'll help them uh visualize exactly what you're what you're wanting um so what we've got here is aluminum clad window from uh early 9s I would say to mid 90s and uh this style of window is installed with a nailing flange now that nailing flange is also aluminum and it is actually behind the the siding or stuckle whichever you've got on your home so you can't actually see it or or get at it to pull the nails or screws out so what you'd have to do to remove this window is uh set your saw blade blade depth on your uh circular saw and uh run it around the exterior of the window so that you're cutting through the the cocking the siding or stuckle whatever's there and through that aluminum flange you don't want to cut too far in and cut the plywood wide open but you know uh you you've got to kind of figure that out and and run the saw around there staying close to the window tight to the window so you're not cutting the opening too large um once you've done that it's a matter of removing the inside Rim blinds all that stuff and the window should slide out relatively easy so that being said I've got my book here um what I do is I measure the existing window so I'll measure the width so I'll hook the tape right over on the outside of the edge of the window frame there come right over to this side right to the outside uh this window right now measures 64 in right on uh usually what I do is subtract 1/8 of an inch just to give you that little extra room now your saw blade when you make your cut tight is going to you know free up you know basically an eighth of an inch all the way around anyways but I always take an eighth inch off just to be sure that it's going to fit the opening without too much extra cutting so we had 64 in on the width so what I'm going to request is 63 and 7/8 uh you could get away with exactly what this one measures because of the fact that you are cutting around the perimeter but it's nice to have just a little bit of room extra so now to get the height I'm going to hook same thing right on the top of the window measure right down to the bottom to the outside and this one measures 32 in so again I'm going to take an e E8 of an inch off that so I've got 31 and 78 okay I'm going to draw myself a nice little picture here um homeowner would like to go back to the same style of window which uh right here we've got a fixed window and an awning so uh I'm just going to draw a crude little picture again viewed from the outside and I even made a note of that so I don't forget or the other person uh doesn't realize so this is viewed from the outside uh I don't know if you can really see it I've drawn it looking like kind of two windows and because this one is an awning I'm going to draw a little dotted line almost like an arroe head up facing to the top that's just indicating that's where it's hinged so they know that it flips out on the bot hinged on the top um and it'll just help you remember too once you've measured all the windows you may forget which ones were which uh we've got one window and uh this particular one here is a den so we're going to mark it off as Den quantity of one I've got the measurement and I've got my little picture and I would just continue on doing that all the way around the house um now we also determined already that the the uh thick of this wall structure is the 5 1/2 plus half in plywood on the outside plus half in drywall on the inside so we've got a total of 6 and 1/2 in and that's our Jam depth that'll be important too they'll want to know that okay so I don't think there's too much more to really explain uh we will hopefully be shooting a video soon showing you exactly how we pull these windows out and install a new one and uh then you'll know completely how to do the job from start to finish if if your supplier will come and measure for you always a good thing because then if they screw up they've got to stand behind that window or they should be standing behind the window and uh you know making sure that it's corrected um that is one liability if you supply with them with the measurements and something's wrong uh you might be stuck with a window or two that doesn't fit what you need and you're going to have to reorder so if they will come out and measure get them to do it even if they charge you 50 bucks or whatever it it'd be worth it if you're going through somebody or you're maybe in a remote area where they are not willing to come out and do that at least now you know how to how to order this window um now the other thing I guess worth mentioning is uh to replace this window obviously I can't use a nailing flange now right because we're not planning on disturbing the exterior finish so I've got to go to a window that has a brick mold which is a wider frame uh usually I like to go to what around here is called a 2-in renovation brick mold and that that'll just be sure that everything fits the hole we don't have to mess around recutting the siding again or the stuckle um you know you can you can pull the uh pull the old window out put the new one in sometimes depending exactly how the window opening is framed the actual uh stud work is framed you may have to uh decrease the size of your actual rough opening a little bit um but these are all things that is going to save you a lot of time in messing around in the long run anyways um so you know you're going to want a a renov renovation brick mold usually a 2in to replace this type of installation if we were removing the siding anyways then really what I would do is uh pull the inside trim off the window measure the actual rough opening that's the framing opening of the house and take that to the to the window Supply and they can determine all their measurements from that but in this case we're not removing this the exterior finish so this is the best way to do it okay so I hope uh I hope this was as clear as mud and is going to make sense and like I said uh keep watching for us to post a video on replacing this type of window so you can see the job start to finish uh if you have any comments or uh questions you can always go to our Forum at house improvements.com and uh you know sign up it's membership's free post your comment question whatever it is there and I'll try to do my best to answer it and if I can't hopefully somebody else can on there for you thanks a lot\n"