Installing windows in brick wall?

[macgyver37]

My shop was built in app 1893, it is 14" thick brick walls. In the past the windows were removed and the openings were bricked over. I'd like to put windows back in.

My main question is what do you do with the rough opening? It is bare brick inside the opening and I don't know what you attach a window to. Do I need to build a frame that I attach to the brick then I attach the window to?

What is the method of sealing the window in and flashing etc to keep water out?

The opening is flush with the surrounding wall, there isn't any overhang of the upper arch nor is there any lower sill plate (or whatever the correct term is) sticking out of the wall.

Thanks for any help,
Jason

 

[BigGarage]

My shop was built in app 1893, it is 14" thick brick walls. In the past the windows were removed and the openings were bricked over. I'd like to put windows back in.

My main question is what do you do with the rough opening? It is bare brick inside the opening and I don't know what you attach a window to. Do I need to build a frame that I attach to the brick then I attach the window to?

What is the method of sealing the window in and flashing etc to keep water out?

The opening is flush with the surrounding wall, there isn't any overhang of the upper arch nor is there any lower sill plate (or whatever the correct term is) sticking out of the wall.

Thanks for any help,
Jason

I'd think it depends on a couple of things. Do you want to be able to open & close the windows?

Are you planning on building or buying something already made?

I've made window frames out of wood and routed a 1/4" groove around the inside of it for a 6mm window pane. It worked great for what I wanted but you may want more.

Dennis

 

[kbs2244]

This is what you need to do.

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/20...and-airseal-a-new-window-in-an-old-brick-wall

The only question is the sill.
You will need to make one.
A simple job for a carpenter or a mason depending if you want wood or brick.

 

[MJO]

There are dozes of ways to do it, if you use glass block you can go flush with the exterior and mortar it in, done. If you want the windows set in a bit you'll need to put something in to get the water away from the bottom of the opening, could be as simple as a cement ramp. I've done vinyl windows in masonry, measure up the opening, give them the smallest dimensions, then they are attached to the masonry using screws through the frame of the window and then caulked. I'd avoid wood in contact with masonry.

First thing you need to do is make sure that there are lintels or beams and that they're in good condition before opening up the old window holes, if they're gone you'll need to cut some in.

 

[zoepop]

I can't be the only 1 to want to see pictures of a shop built in 1893!

 

[The Cobbler]

is the building insulated? you should have at least 75% of the window within the insulation envelope .
fasten the window directly to the brick , no need for an additional frame. you want a sill at the bottom that slopes away to run of rain etc, the sill overhangs the building so water drips off and not down the wall.
measure the opening for level & plumb etc and leave enough wiggle room to square up the window (min 1/4" per side )
caulk after set in & enjoy.
if the brick's not pretty, parge it or cap it or whatever .

 

[Kevin54]

Pictures would really help. There are quite a few way to go about it.

 

[HotrodHR]

THIS THREAD IS USELESS WITHOUT PHOTOS! That said, is the building in town, in a historic district, or would it just make sense to make it look period correct? If it's out in the middle of a farm property then you probably don't have any restrictions.

I would do some research, look for early photos of the building, similar buildings in the community, maybe by the same builder, visit the city library, local historians, etc.

Again, it would be better if you posted some pics...

 

[macgyver37]

Thanks everyone, I don't have any pics of the window areas, will try to get some tomorrow. The included pic is from 7 yrs ago or so when we bought it.

The building was built as a coal mining company hardware store and is app 50x120 and originally 2 stories. In the early 60's the second floor was removed and a drop ceiling was put in at 10ft. It was the towns grocery store for right at 50 years. I bought it and have my machine shop etc in there. It had 600 amps of 3 phase already there, so it made life easier on me for all my machines.

I had some storm damage last year and as part of that mess I decided to remove the drop ceiling and make the old 2nd floor ceiling the only ceiling which is at 16ft and now the old windows will be exposed where I could reuse them.

Anyway, to answer some questions, the building is not fully insulated yet. I am working on it. BTW, not sure what it meant by keeping the window 75% in the insulation envelope.

The window openings that I want to use were the old 2nd floor windows. The opening starts at app 9.5 ft from the floor and is 4-5 ft tall. They are mostly on the west wall of the shop. I will want a nice insulated window as that wall gets very warm in the summer. I can feel the heat off of it 6 ft away when I leave in the evening.

Opening them is not a priority, but it would be nice sometimes. Would need to have a mechanism to open them from the floor.

I don't want glass block for this.

The openings are fairly rough, I am not sure if they were capped with some wood trim originally or what but they are pretty scruffy. I would think I'd need to finish it out somehow.
I have not taken any bricks out yet, so I don't know how true the original openings were. There must have been some sort of sill plate that was removed.

 

[macgyver37]

THIS THREAD IS USELESS WITHOUT PHOTOS! That said, is the building in town, in a historic district, or would it just make sense to make it look period correct? If it's out in the middle of a farm property then you probably don't have any restrictions.

I would do some research, look for early photos of the building, similar buildings in the community, maybe by the same builder, visit the city library, local historians, etc.

Again, it would be better if you posted some pics...

Was working on the reply when you posted this. It is in a little tiny almost defunct town, so historic? Only due to age, not that anyone cares. There are not any restrictions at all in this little town, another reason I bought it. It is essentially in the county, so no permits for anything. I can do anything I want to in it or to it as long as it is legal.

I wish I had the money and motivation to restore the exterior to raw brick and it's original facade. I really dislike the 60's vintage front on it with the sheet metal and blonde brick. But it really just needs to house the business and allow me to try to earn a living, it will never be worth anything to anyone else due to location.

I would prefer to have an efficient window that looks like it is meant to be there, it doesn't need to be period correct, but I don't want a mirrored glass modern look to them.

I hope to be able to repaint after I do some repairs and tuck point. Won't keep the tan.

I have the old Sanborn and Perry insurance maps, but have yet to get any old photos of use, the only ones I found so far are just enough to tell it is my building, but nothing as to what it looked like. I may end up putting a wanted sign in the window asking for old pics.

 

[doctordirt]

Cool building and project. Please keep us up to date on your progress. Good luck.

 

[nadogail]

Is your town the Pittsburgh on the Harbor Freight tools?

 

[randydupree]

I live in an old warehouse that had the windows on a 2nd floor loft.
The loft is long gone but i cut the 18'' brick walls and made the windows very tall.
I used doors as windows and hung them on steel,4x4x1/4'' steel angle iron.
The steel helps support the rest of the wall (didn't need it) and makes it very hard t break into the building.
The doors are wood framed with insulated glass.
The whole door opens just like if it was an entry door,i have screens on them too.
Having the window open like a door gives a ton of air flow and being glass lets lots of light in.
Win,win.

My windows had an arched top,cutting the bottom wall away under the window allowed me to have the arched tops,along with a big window.
You can't tell i made the holes bigger,from the inside or outside.

 

[macgyver37]

Here are some pics of the openings, the brick arch is only on the outside row with the wood header on the inside. There is more room it looks like that maybe a larger header was in there at one time? Looks like there might have been something at the bottom too?

I have not pulled the drop ceiling grid out of this area yet so it makes it a bit confusing since it is in the window opening.

The last pic is outside, everything is flush with the wall, the sill must have been part of the window or was removed.

Openings are 48" tall 34" wide.

 

[dutchgray]

Smash bricks out, get windows with sills that fit the openings with ~ 1/4" to 3/8" of space around all edges, install an inch or two from the outside surface, we would use a frame fixing for that through the sides, 3 each side, they are a large screw with a corresponding plastic wall plug that is full screw length, you drill the frame and brick, push it in and then tighten the screw down, they prevent the screw pulling the window frame out of shape but hold in masonry. Then expanding foam the gap, cut the excess and caulk inner and outer joints or use a cover strip.
It may have been boxed internally to make the window opening look nice, timber sill, paneling sides and top.

Fischer frame fixings

That would be quite a nice job to do.

 

[MJO]

Here are some pics of the openings, the brick arch is only on the outside row with the wood header on the inside. There is more room it looks like that maybe a larger header was in there at one time? Looks like there might have been something at the bottom too?

I have not pulled the drop ceiling grid out of this area yet so it makes it a bit confusing since it is in the window opening.

The last pic is outside, everything is flush with the wall, the sill must have been part of the window or was removed.

Openings are 48" tall 34" wide.

The arches are good provided the mortar is in good condition (won't need a lintel). On the inside there might have been steel lintels that were removed, I wood put lintels back in or at the very least put a piece of brick under and up to the beam and mortar it in. Then you should be able to carefully remove the bricks in the the old window openings, add a sill and have some windows made to the opening size.

 

[macgyver37]

Thanks guys, I figured I was making it more complicated than I needed to. Now to price out windows...