Seriously, is it just me or does getting those aluminum window frames perfectly straight make you want to pull your hair out? I swear, I measure, level, shim, and then somehow, the thing’s still off by like a millimeter and the sash won’t close right. Maybe it’s my old 70s house with walls that aren’t exactly square, but I feel like I spend more time “fixing” the opening than actually installing the window. And don’t even get me started on the caulking—half the time it looks like a toddler did it.
Anyone else run into this? Is there some trick I’m missing, or is this just the reality of working with aluminum frames in older houses? Would love to hear if anyone’s got a hack for this or if it’s just something you learn to live with.
I feel like I spend more time “fixing” the opening than actually installing the window.
Man, that hits home. I worked on a split-level from the late 60s last fall and swear every window opening was a different flavor of crooked. Even with laser levels and all, I still had to fudge things just to get the sash to close without binding. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles—get it square where it matters most (like the sash), and let the trim cover up the rest. Caulking’s always a mess for me too, especially on textured stucco...
It’s wild how much time gets sunk into making the opening even halfway presentable before you can even think about the window itself. Older homes are a special kind of crooked—sometimes I swear the original builders just eyeballed it and called it good. I’ll spend an hour shimming and cursing, then the actual window drops in like it’s nothing. I don’t even try to get the frame perfectly flush on textured stucco anymore...just do my best, caulk the heck out of it, and let the trim do its magic. If it closes smooth and doesn’t leak, I’m calling it a win.
I hear you—sometimes I wonder if there’s even such a thing as a square opening in a house built before the ‘70s. Do you ever question whether all that extra shimming actually matters? I mean, as long as it shuts tight and doesn’t leak, is chasing perfection just a waste of time? I’ve found myself second-guessing the need for “perfect” when the wall itself is waving at me.
I’ve wrestled with this exact thing. My house was built in ‘62 and I swear none of the window openings are even close to square. I tried to line up a new aluminum frame last summer and ended up shimming one side so much it looked like a game of Jenga. At some point, I just called it good enough because, honestly, the wall itself bows out like it’s trying to escape. The window shuts, doesn’t leak, and the trim covers most of my sins.
I get wanting things to be perfect, but sometimes I feel like you’re just fighting the house’s personality. Maybe in a brand new build it makes sense, but with older places, you kind of have to accept “close enough” or you’ll drive yourself nuts. My neighbor spent hours leveling his frames and still complains about drafts. Sometimes I think the house just wins.
You’re not missing anything—old houses just fight you every step. I always start by checking the opening for square and plumb (usually isn’t), then dry-fit the frame. Shim the corners, check diagonals, and don’t over-tighten screws or it’ll warp. Sometimes, you just gotta split the difference and let the trim hide what it can. Caulking’s always a pain—masking tape along the edge helps keep it cleaner, but yeah, it’s never perfect.
- Old houses = nothing’s ever square, totally agree.
- Aluminum frames are less forgiving than wood—barely any flex, so every dip in the wall shows up.
- I’ve had to stack shims in weird ways just to get the latch to line up.
- Ever tried using a laser level for these installs? Wondering if it actually helps or just highlights how crooked everything is...
I get what you’re saying about laser levels, but honestly, I’m not convinced they’re the magic fix for these old-house headaches. I tried using one when we did the windows in our 1920s place, and it just made me more aware of how nothing lines up—walls, floors, you name it. Instead of helping me set the frame straight, it just highlighted that the whole room is out of whack. At a certain point, you have to pick your battles or you’ll drive yourself nuts chasing “level” when the rest of the house is doing its own thing.
I actually found going by sight and feel worked better in some spots. If I lined everything up perfectly with the laser, there were weird gaps or it looked crooked compared to the trim. Maybe that’s just a trade-off with old houses—sometimes “good enough” is as close as you get. Has anyone actually managed to get those aluminum frames looking perfect? I can’t tell if I’m missing a trick or if this is just how it goes...
Totally agree—chasing “perfectly level” in an old house can drive you up the wall. I tried laser levels in my 1915 bungalow and ended up with frames that looked off against the original trim anyway. Sometimes you just have to eyeball it and make it look right for the room, even if the bubble says otherwise. I think it’s just part of living with these older places... nothing’s ever square, but that’s kind of the charm, right?
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing. I tried to get the new windows in my 1920s place lined up “perfect” and every time I stepped back, something looked off. Here’s what worked for me: First, I checked the trim and floor—turns out neither was straight, so using a level just made things look weird. I ended up matching the new frames to the existing lines, even if that meant they weren’t technically level. It’s a little counterintuitive, but it actually looks better in the room. Sometimes you just have to trust your eyes more than your tools.