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Bought replacement windows that are too small; How can I make them fit?

We are poor LOL bought some discounted replacement windows at a bargain price $49 each (normally $835.00 each installed);double hung, Low E, Argon filled, Vinyl Simontron Windows. These windows are about 4-5 inches smaller than my current widows outlined by brick. How do you make them fit?

Public Comments

1. make the window opening smaller


2. you could always use shims or just redo the frame...get some lumber and build a nice frame around the windows...you cant make the windows fit without doing that


3. You will have to frame around them to mount them in the opening no matter what.You can fill around the outside with PVC "wood", brick, or wood wrapped in aluminum. the inside could be filled in with drywall or whatever material is there now.


4. It's called a Build-out. Cut and fit 2x4's till you bring it in. attach with tapcons at 8" spacing. then have a good stucco guy fill it in outside


5. use 4inch stone sills for bottom and frame out sides with wood after insulating and siding add shutters on the outside and repair drywall on the inside.......good luck ...tony


6. That's not a bargain price if you're going to have to do major renovations


7. Take the overall dimensions of your windows and add 1/2" to the width and 1/2" to the height.

   Leave the top of your old window framing at that same height.

   Now you need to match the wall framing of the old hole with the same framing materials. So if your wall was a 2" x 4" frame wall with 1/2" insulation board over the studs on the outside and 1/2" drywall on the inside, use the same thickness materials to construct your new smaller window frame.

   Find the center of your existing window opening (remove window first) Now divide the total width dimension + 1/2" of your new window and go that distance to the left of your existing window center mark, and the same distance to the right. Your new framework needs to be done so your window is in the center of the old opening. Now come down from the existing old window header the distance +1/2" of your new window height. This is where you will install a new double 2" x 4" flat horizontal between the new 2" x 4"s you installed vertical to make your new window opening. This is the new bottom sill for your new smaller window.

   Now measure your newly made opening and see if it is 1/2" larger in width and height than your new window. If it is now cut and fit some new exterior wall sheating that matches the thickness of the existing.

   Install your new window in the opening, if it has nailing flanges just use roofing nails to nail through the nailing flanges. It it does not have built in nailing flanges on the window, hold the frame out 1" past the new exterior sheating you installed,secure window through the sides of the frame.

   Now take some 1" x 6" lumber and rip it to fit around the sides,bottom of the new window. Leave about 1/8" space between the new board and the window frame and also 1/8" space between board and existing brick. Now I would hire someone that has an aluminum brake. This tools is used to bend aluminum to fit around these new boards you put up around all your new windows. We cut and fit aluminum and then use clear silicone on the back of these pcs to hold them in place without any nails. Nails are ugly. Then we caulk between window/brick and aluminum with silicone to match the color of the windows - usually white.

   Now you simply get a table saw and more 1" x 4" or 1" x 6' good grade pine boards and rip them to fit against the new windows all the way out to flush with the surface of your new/existing wall materials, then Patch around inside wall of window framing with same materials walls are in the house, install new window casing around the windows.

   Put insulation in the new areas around the window.

   Do the smallest window first to experiment with the procedure, then after correcting any mistakes, move onto a larger window.

   You can do it - just take your time.