Basement Side Bay Windows

Original window

We bought our new basement windows over six months ago, and I’m finally getting around to installing them. When we bought the house, one of the very first orders of business was securing the exterior from rats, weather, and intruders. The two windows on either side of the bay in the basement were in terrible shape so we just boarded them up and they stayed that way until we had the tuckpointing done. We had the tuckpointers put in new concrete sills on the bay windows, but on the two sides we still needed to replace the lintels and add a tier of bricks to either side.

Boarded up

Before tuckpointing

New sills

Dean came over and helped me mortar in the bricks on either side of the windows and position the new lintel. There’s no brick above the lintels, since the windows are at the top of the basement wall, but there is a floor joist that rests on the middle of the window, so I wanted to make sure it was supported by more than the buck.

Dean brick laying

Because we added the bricks, the already not 100% square opening was made less so, so when it came time to build the bucks we wound doing a lot of careful measuring and shimming. The finished openings were a bit smaller than anticipated and I had to make the sides of the bucks out of 1″ instead of 2″ pressure treated lumber. I secured it to the brick with Tapcons and filled the gaps with backer rod, sill insulation, and canned spray foam.

Rough opening

Buck detail

Buck installed

The windows are Newtec R-5 triple pane. We chose casements for the sides so we can direct airflow into the basement. The center window will be a fixed picture window. They’re vinyl, unlike the fiberglass windows we put in the first floor, but they perform better and cost a lot less. The basement windows aren’t especially large, so I’m not too concerned with the vinyl expanding and separating from the glass.

Left side installed

Right side installed

Left window exterior

After Dean helped me install the first buck and window last weekend, I installed the one on the other side of the bay on Wednesday and got everything caulked and sealed. I missed one spot on the right window with the Great Stuff that I’ll catch when I’m doing the next one. For now we’re not installing the middle bay window so the opening can be used by plumbers and concrete guys. I’m planning to switch to 2×8 bucks instead of 2×6 for the remaining windows so that they will be flush with the inside of the wall, which will simplify framing and trim later.