I've actually found that shims can sometimes cause more trouble than they're worth. Last time I replaced windows, I skipped them entirely and just took extra care leveling the frame itself. Turned out cleaner and saved me from fiddling around with wedges all day...
I get what you're saying, but honestly, shims saved my butt once when the opening wasn't quite square. Frame leveling works great if your rough opening is decent, but older houses can be tricky. Learned that the hard way...
Totally get where you're coming from—older houses can be a real puzzle. I've tackled a few window replacements myself, and honestly, shims have been lifesavers more times than I'd like to admit. Frame leveling sounds ideal in theory, but when you're dealing with decades-old settling and quirky angles... well, sometimes you gotta improvise. Good on you for figuring it out the hard way; that's usually how the best DIY lessons stick.
Can definitely relate to the shim situation... those little pieces of wood have saved my sanity more than once. I remember when I replaced a couple of windows in our old place, thought I'd measured everything perfectly—twice, even—but when it came down to fitting them in, nothing was square. Not even close. Ended up spending half the day just nudging things around and wedging shims into every conceivable gap.
One thing I'd add from experience: don't underestimate how much mess you're gonna make pulling out the old windows. I figured it'd be straightforward—pop them out, pop new ones in—but nope. Old caulking crumbled everywhere, paint chips flying around, and bits of rotten wood I hadn't noticed before suddenly appeared. Had to pause mid-job to run out for extra supplies and cleanup gear.
Also, if your house is anything like mine, watch out for hidden surprises behind the trim. Pulled off one window casing and found a charming little mouse nest tucked away in there (thankfully unoccupied). Not exactly what you want to see halfway through a DIY project...
But honestly, despite all the headaches and unexpected detours, it's totally worth it once you're done. Nothing beats standing back at the end of the day with a cold drink in hand, looking at your handiwork and knowing you did it yourself—even if it's not 100% perfect or professional-grade.
Haha, your mouse nest story brought back some memories. I once pulled off some trim and found an entire ant colony behind it—talk about a surprise. I swear, these little critters have a knack for picking the worst possible spots to set up shop.
You're spot-on about the shims, too. People underestimate how rarely anything in a house is perfectly square or level, especially older homes. I've seen some window openings so far off that you'd think the original builders eyeballed everything after a few beers. Shims are basically the unsung heroes of DIY window installs—cheap, simple, and they fix a multitude of sins.
One thing I'd add from my own experience: don't skimp on flashing tape and sealants. It's tempting to rush through that step because it's tedious and messy, but trust me, water intrusion is no joke. I've had to redo jobs where homeowners skipped proper flashing, and it's never pretty. A little extra time spent sealing things up tight can save you from major headaches down the road.
Also, your point about the mess is spot-on. I always tell people to budget extra time just for cleanup. Old caulking crumbles into dust, paint flakes get everywhere, and there's always more rotten wood than you expect. It's like opening Pandora's box every time you pry out an old window.
But you're right—at the end of the day, there's nothing quite like stepping back and admiring your own handiwork. Even if it's not perfect (and let's face it, it rarely is), there's a real satisfaction in knowing you tackled it yourself. Plus, every DIY project comes with a good story or two... mouse nests and all.
Your point about flashing tape is pretty solid—I've seen a few DIY installs where people skipped that step, and let's just say it wasn't pretty. Ever had to deal with moldy insulation or rotted framing because someone thought they could save 20 minutes on sealing things up? Yeah, no thanks.
But I'm curious, did you run into any issues with sizing when you replaced yours? I've found measuring for replacement windows can be trickier than it seems at first glance. Even if the opening looks straightforward, there's always some weird twist or bow hiding behind the trim. I usually end up measuring like three times and still second-guessing myself right before ordering.
Also, what about disposal? Did you have trouble getting rid of the old windows afterward? Some places around here get picky about accepting construction debris, especially if it's older stuff with layers of paint (lead concerns, etc.). I ended up having to call around quite a bit last time I tackled window replacements, which was honestly a bigger hassle than the install itself.
Totally agree on budgeting extra cleanup time, though. Every single project I've done has ended up messier than expected. And yeah, the satisfaction afterward is definitely worth the hassle—though sometimes I wonder if I'm just telling myself that to justify all the weekends I've spent covered in sawdust...
Anyway, sounds like you've got a good handle on it. If you've survived mouse nests and ant colonies already, windows should be a breeze by comparison...right?
Yeah, sizing was definitely trickier than I expected. I measured multiple times too, but still ended up shaving down a bit of framing to get things to fit right—nothing major, just annoying. Disposal wasn't too bad here, luckily. Our local recycling center took the old windows, but I had to remove all hardware and glass first. Kind of a pain, but manageable. And hey, after dealing with pests, a little sawdust and measuring stress seems pretty tame, right?
"after dealing with pests, a little sawdust and measuring stress seems pretty tame, right?"
Ha, true enough. Honestly, window sizing always feels like a bit of a gamble no matter how careful you are. I've done it a few times now, and each time there's some minor adjustment needed—just part of the DIY charm, I guess. Good call on recycling the old windows though; disposal can be a headache if you don't plan ahead. Sounds like you're handling it fine overall.
Fair point about sizing being tricky, but I'd argue it's less about luck and more about prep. If you're meticulous with measurements and factor in expansion gaps from the start, you can usually avoid those last-minute adjustments...most of the time anyway.
- Agreed, prep helps a lot—but even then, surprises happen.
- Last year I measured twice, left proper gaps, and still had to shave a bit off one window frame...
- Sometimes houses just aren't perfectly square, ya know?