How to repair a sagging Bay Window in a old house?
Félix Quiñones
4 years ago
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Fixing a settled/sagging old house - advice?
Comments (4)Before starting the jacking you need to be sure you have a footer (or footers) available to take the weight. Even a foundation wall is often not designed to take the concentrated load produced by a major beam. Replacing a missing pole is often a better idea than trying to add a new structural beam. Even the new pole needs a correct footer- if it is simply placed on the concrete floor it can easily cause cracking and punch through. A structural engineer experienced with wood structures (not all are) can look at the exact problem and devise a solution. Jacking of existing structures is typically done at about 1/8 inch per week (maximum) to 1/8 inch per month (better) to limit cracking of walls. Even at the slow rate you can expect that there will be some wall repair required....See MoreHow do I repair this plaster ceiling crack / sag?
Comments (9)sfsuperstar: "My husband's really doesn't like the ridge, and the rest of the ceiling is so smooth he thinks trying to blend a 3/4" deep ridge will look obvious, so his tentative plan as of this evening is to remove the ridge of mesh to try to flatten it, then try to redo the crack repair smooth." That sounds reasonable. You may have to widen the crack just a bit more and clean it out, trying to cut under the edges as much as you can so the patching material has a place to grab in to and hang on. sfsuperstar: "It seems that the sagging part isn't an edge of the mesh, but is a center part of the mesh -- like an upside-down mini-mountain ridge. Should he try to cut out just the ridge part of the mesh with an exacto knife, or does he have to remove the whole mesh tape (even the part that's not sagging)?' I would guess it depends on how easily it cuts. I've not used it before, so I can't say. If it ravels and gets frayed and stringy, then it may be hard to cover over again with whatever you use. sfsuperstar: "And should he re-repair the crack / removal damage with flat drywall tape and joint compound? Or is there something plaster-specific that he should use? I'm not familiar with the patching plaster you mentioned." It may be OK to use the drywall tape, but I would wonder how much it would give or move under changes in temp and humidity in the ceiling without breaking loose at some point. I really don't know! We got the patching plaster at the hardware store; it's dry and comes in fairly small bags, and you just add it to a small amount of water in a container and let it absorb the water, stirring or 'folding' the mixture only very gently. If memory serves, drywall compound is still water soluble after it dries, while the patching plaster is a bit more impervious to water once it dries. Drywall compound also has a tendency to crack easily as it dries if it's applied to thickly, and the patching plaster doesn't do that as readily....See Moreold house windows
Comments (4)Are you handy? Windows of this type can be fixed, but it takes a lot of time and effort. They also need to be maintained regularly, with regular painting and glazing. Deferred maintenance has probably lead to their current poor condition. If you are going to make the comittment to restore them, you also need to make the commitment to maintain them. Ultimately, over time, it is probably cheaper to replace them, especially if you are hiring out the on-going maintenance of them....See MoreWindow sill pan/plastic repair? (X-post in Home Repair)
Comments (2)Klem - thanks! Going to attempt posting pics again, as they may be relevant. I can see slipping a piece beneath the existing sheath for the two side windows, but how that doesn't prevent any water (that may come through) from not draining into the house..does that make sense? With the plastic under the main window so torn up, there's nothing to slip the new plastic underneath....See MoreFélix Quiñones
4 years agoFélix Quiñones
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