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Building a Home

How did you trim your vinyl windows (pics please)

15 years ago

What type moulding did you use. I would like more than just picture frame casing but not sure how to put a stool on since you can't nail into the window itself.

Please help with some ideas and pictures of yours.

Thanks.

Featured Answer

acountryfarm

15 years ago

tdpillo - Please excuse my harshness, but I think you are judging before asking questions.

For the record much of our home is DIY. My husband and I did all the hardwood floors, did the majority of subway tile. We did all the grout and mortar. We also did at least half of the millwork throughout the house. We did our own concrete stairs outside in 3 different places, did the scoring on the concrete slab in greatroom, will also do the staining and sealing when the time comes. We did almost all the paint prep. Will do ALL the painting, did the crown throughout the house, did the columns, did the beadboard. Will do the T & G in the outside breezeway. Will set all the finish plumbing fixtures and do final cleanup and all the landscaping which is extensive.

I have 11 children, and yes this is a large, expensive home. We absolutely had a budget. If I wanted the house of my dreams I knew we would have to do the work. We also had an incompetent builder that did nothing so we had no choice.

Our current home is also a house we re-did everything. We had a smallish (2200 sq. ft) home that had basic apt. type molding everywhere. Formica counters, lino floors etc. We re-did all woodwork, counters, floors, etc. We now have a lovely home to sell w=hen our other home is finished.
People can DIY and get these results. It is not impossible. But with such a negative attitude it would be hard for sure. I see something and I want to do it. I have learned so much just getting my hands dirty and saying I can do this.

Our current home looks beautiful for a very small amount of money. It can be done, you just have to want it and do the work. I searched out bargains, deals, and internet finds regularly. I do not think someone is destined to mediocrity because of money.

Life is what you make it, not what your stuck with.

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Comments (19)

brutuses
15 years ago
Are you asking about inside and/or outside?
ellied
Original Author
15 years ago
Sorry, should have specified. Inside, please.
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Sallen, I had to learn to post images so, hope this helps. The front elevation has 3 arches on the front porch, but they aren't installed yet so, it doesn't look quite as good as the final product. Other details, like the address stone are still missing. Note the brickwork matches the Fypon over the window on the right. We elected not to add shutters since we felt they hide the expensive brickwork and wasps tend to nest behind them. The rear porch has "receiver" boards against the wall so that a future screened-in porch can be added without disturbing the vinyl siding. My previous house had dark brown windows and trim and the aluminum cladding got chalky over time in direct sun and didn't look attractive. I later broke a window and tried to get the sash replaced and they had a 4-6 week lead time. I was told white is usually in stock and ready to ship because it is more common (15 years ago. Also, there are fewer color options for garage doors and the white windows and trim match the garage door.
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Yeah, they would not be my first choice. I still have the original wood windows in most of the house. They are drafty despite storm windows. The window in the picture is a room that used to be a garage, so it never had a great window there. I have to say that they are so easy to keep clean with the tilt feature. My house is a 1940's tract house, so it's not as if I am putting vinyl on a lovely historic home. I am so tired of those cellular shades. The darn things just won't die. They are at least 15 years old. I also think that window could use a valance or something. The shades are the top down, bottom up style,which is very handy in my location. The trim is white -- I think the color is called Camellia. I can't remember my sons' names half the time but I remember all the paint names in my house. Thanks for saying they look nice.
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Don't mean to hijack the thread but I have the same question as OP. The house has (sort of) transitional style. The current moulding is very traditional and clashes with my contemporary streamlined kitchen. Contemporary works in the house as long as it is not "stark contemporary", iykwim. But I am having a very hard trim finding a trim and a wall tile wouldn't work for me, unfortunately. Please keep the ideas coming!
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Its not love of "all" wood. Its love of desireable high quality old growth wood that you generally find in old vintage houses. Not always, but usually. This is wood that was harvested from old growth forests that used to blanket north America up til the early 1900s - yellow pine, chestnut, oak, etc. This wood is vastly superior to the modern lumber of today - which because of growth accelerants is splintery and of poor quality. Old growth wood is very dense, hard as nails, and has a beautiful tight grain. Because wood was so plentiful then, they used the best and most beautiful knot-free pieces for floors and trim. If you doubt the value of old growth wood, look at prices in an architectural salvage place. If its "too dark" then its not the woods fault, its the old shellac which darkens over time. So then just remove it and put on a light finish. I hope this gives you some insight about why some of us are so passionate about this. No, painting is not the end of the world - if you do it over shellac as described above so that it is reversible. I would just ask "why," since OP didnt say he disliked the wood - it was the vinyl inserts that were the problem. i should have said in my reply that instead of spending time and money on paint or special custom shades you can get wood sash inserts that fit in an old window frame without removing the trim, so it looks pretty much like the original window. Lower cost too than yanking out and replacing entire window.
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brutuses
15 years ago
Is this what you are asking for?
acountryfarm
15 years ago
Here are a few of my windows.

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txgal06
15 years ago
Don't have a close up but here you go.
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ajpl
15 years ago
Here's what we did:

The vinyl windows are Jeld Win Atlantic Pro series(I think that's the name) and they have slots to insert wood trim. Our window stool is thicker than the slot (it's perfect for the sides though) and so we routered the board so it fit into the slot. It's then nailed to the studding/blocking in the wall to hold it secure.
ellied
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, that is exactly what I wanted.

acountryfarm, I love the natural wood mixed with the white.
Can you show me your trim on the inside of your doors, also.

We do not have any slots for the window stool. Our window frame is just flat and square. How would you attach the stool in our case.
acountryfarm
15 years ago
ellied - I hate to disappoint you but the natural wood you see is fingerjointed hemlock. Everything you see will be painted white.
Thanks for the compliments.
Here are some interior doors.
mekon1971
15 years ago
Wow acountryfarm! The arch entryway with arched door is awesome! (the rest is pretty awesome, too!)
brutuses
15 years ago
I second that, very, very pretty!!
tdpillo123
15 years ago
The casings are VERY nice! So was everything else. Outstanding craftsmanship and very obviously high budget if done with a "budget" at all. I'm not knocking these but it's completely impractical to expect a DIY'er like most of us to come up with those results. It's deflating to look at pics like those when you're trying to dress existing windows on a budget of about $50 a window. Those windows dressings look like they're about $100 to $200 per window if I had to guess. Most of us just can't afford it. My windows have blinds already and are finished with drywall. I'm not going to throw the blinds out to put wood on the sides so, I'll add a wood sill/stool and apron and pic frame the sides and top. That will come out nice enough and keep me around $150 for 4 windows at 4'X3'.
bto24
15 years ago
acountryfarm,
Your house looks beautiful. I can't wait to see finished pictures. You have also inspired me and my DIY abilities. I love your quote that you don't think someone is destined to mediocrity because of money. That is something we all seem to forget. thanks and good luck with the rest of your project.
worthy
15 years ago
I'm trying to figure out how trimming vinyl windows would be any different from trimming wood windows.

"Picture frame" trim on Pollard all vinyl windows
acountryfarm
15 years ago
bto24 - thank you very much. I appreciate your comments.

I am constantly amazed at such negative attitudes and then people blame others for their problems, etc.

We can do just about anything we set our minds to, its not always easy, but doing nothing and complaining about it is nothing to be proud of.

Thanks again for your compliments.
mamabirrd
15 years ago
acountryfarm........your quote is amazing and so is your house. WOW! And 11 children....WOWOW! Wonderful!

Your new home is truly my dream home and I hope you will share pictures once everything is painted. We have a way to go before we can start trimming any windows, but I envision a similar style as yours for our interior.

ellied, I have no pictures to share with you yet, but I hope you find what your're looking for.
acountryfarm
15 years ago
Mamabird - thank you for the kind words. We are now finished with paint prep and will be painting next week. I can't wait to post pics. IT has been a long 3 years and still don't know how this will all turn out on the legal side. I pray everyday that I will be able to move into this house we have worked so hard on.

You probably haven't read my whole story (its been on other posts) but I am amazed at the things contractors and banks can get away with.

In any case we are happy and healthy and we go forward because there are no guarantees that we have anything beyond today. If this ever turned out to be my last moments I wouldn't want sadness and despair to be what I was remembered for. I want my children to know me for what I can get done not what I wallowed in.

Thanks Again !!
KIRSTILEENA
11 years ago
hi we have just installed all new vinyl windows but they need buildouts. we had wood windows before used all wood oak trim so can i still use the oak or should i go white i wonder what would look better. i love what you have done do you have the dimensions for the wood pieces maybe i can try that please help thanks
User
11 years ago
You're talking to people who were here 4 years ago.

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