Can I cheat a jam extension?

11 years ago

Hi,

As discussed in another thread, I have an extra brand new fibergalss window that is a little short for the intended room. One idea that I have been discussing on the kitchen forum, is taking the available, short window to the kitchen and adding it as a second window in that room. The kitchen is rather dark so the natural light would be a bonus. Problem is the available window is 1 inch shorter than the existing kitchen window. It is also narrower, but that is less of a concern. The inner wall on this side of the house is just framed in (outer area is sided, but we would be prepared to fix the siding if the window was installed).

My question for you window experts is as follows: is there a way to cheat the jam extension and/or trim to essentially make the two kitchen windows look as if they are the same height? I have posted the proposed inside wall showing the two windows. The picture shows the existing window with lower trim, and the available window without lower trim as I show the counter under the available window higher to accommodate a wall oven. The kitchen folks are not liking the slight raise in counter height, so that idea will likely be scrapped.

Thanks in advance!

Carol

This post was edited by OntarioMom on Thu, Mar 28, 13 at 21:07

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Comments (7)

PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
11 years ago
Carol,

Probably easier to hide the height differential with wider trim of the same style around the shorter window.

I am not sure it would be a real issue to begin with but keep in mind, if it is going to bug you, the cost of a new window is cheap.

Can you put the shorter window somewhere else?
thechad1
11 years ago
Carol,
You can also center the window up and down to the window on the left. 1/2 inch on top and 1/2 on bottom. Then add a 1/4 mullion ripped to 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 and nail this to the face of your jamb. This will stretch out the jamb while you use the same size casing. You will have to remove 1/4 inch from your window jamb in order to make room for the mullion.
If your jambs can't be removed. If your casing is 2 1/4, rip the mull to 2 3/4 for the top and bottom. this gives you your inch back. you can leave the side mull at 2 1/4. trim your window with the mull and stack your casing on top of mull. It looks as if your cabinets and counter top will cover the sides so you don't see the side edges where its stacked.
Hope this helps ! Chad
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The processing time doesn't affect the set, so regardless of whether it's 10 minutes or 20, the set will be consistent. However, 20 minutes is totally unnecessary and I have no idea why that recipe says that. The cooking time will probably not make these preserves stiff as the acid-pectin ratio with strawberries makes a stiff set difficult to achieve. You'd really have to cook the he** out of that preserve for that to happen. However, if it is overcooked, the flavor may be caramelized and the preserves may move to the browner end of the spectrum. I looked at the recipe and instructions. If the preserves do foam, it will be during the initial cooking. All the instructions say to do after the preserves have rested is re-heat to "hot" and that's what I'd do. If there is any foaming at that point it would be minimal (some small flecks) but generally if it's been well-skimmed, you won't see any. Carol
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ontariomom
Original Author
11 years ago
@Washington,

Thanks for your comments. I can't find anywhere else to put the window except keep it in the laundry room with a transom over top. It is funny the inch difference does not bug me much, but my designer and some on the kitchen forum suggested it would certainly look like a mistake. Thanks for your trim idea, that sounds like a fix that will keep costs down.

@Chad,

Thank you so much for the detailed explanation. I will be able to pass along your instructions to our framer. I think your strategy, while a bit of cost labour wise, would certainly do the trick to fool the eye. With the fridge in between the two windows, it won't be often that a person will focus on two windows at the same time. Thanks again for taking the time to response!

Carol
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
11 years ago
Carol,

Chad's option will not cost much and is a more comprehensive way to do it.

Good idea Chad.
ontariomom
Original Author
11 years ago
Chad,

Thanks again for your great idea to balance the height of the two windows. We will be using your idea if we go for the extra window in the kitchen. I say if, as we are now struggling a bit with how to rearrange things in the kitchen layout to give up the wall for the extra window. Hopefully we will find a kitchen layout solution that allows for the extra window.

In the meantime, my second option is to buy a transom to go over the short window and put them in the laundry room. This window/transom would be over a table so the window alone is too high to be seen when seated. Do you have any tricks for after the fact for mulling a window and transom together? For example, with the top jam extension (sorry if that is not what it is called) for the window and lower jam extension for the transom can they somehow be joined into one jam? In other words, can we cut out one, and place one inbetween the two windows. I do apologize if this idea is crazy, but I wanted to see what the best solution would be for joining the two. BTW, our ceilings are just 8 foot for what it's worth.

Carol
thechad1
11 years ago
Carol,
If I am understanding you correctly you can try this; If your windows have jambs, you can leave them on. Trim the both windows as if it is one. Then place 1/4 mull or bullnose between the two windows on the jamb.

Chad
ontariomom
Original Author
11 years ago
Right, so I don't remove the top jam extension for the window but just butt the two jams together and cover with a bull nose. The bull nose will need to be an inch and a quarter to cover both jams (the window and transom one).

If I have misunderstood your advice, please let me know. If not, thanks for your help!

Carol

Can I cheat a jam extension?

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Can I cheat a jam extension?

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