Tried swapping out my old drafty windows myself last weekend—figured it’d be a good “simple” project. Two days, three trips to the hardware store, and a lot of swearing later, I’ve got one window in and a newfound respect for shims. Didn’t realize how crooked my house actually is until I tried to make everything square. Anyone else discover their house isn’t as straight as they thought when doing stuff like this?
Man, I hear you on the shims. I swapped out a couple of windows in my 1950s place last spring, and wow, nothing was level or square. Ended up with a pile of wood shims just to get the frame to sit right, and there’s still one window that looks a little off if you stare too long. Makes you wonder how anything in these old houses still works. At least it’s less drafty now... mostly.
That sounds about right—old houses have a mind of their own. I remember putting in a new kitchen window a few years back and realizing the whole wall was out of whack. I must’ve used half a pack of shims, and it still sits just a little crooked if you catch it in the afternoon light. But hey, like you said, it’s less drafty and that’s what matters most. I figure a little character never hurt anyone...
I get the whole “character” thing, but I gotta admit, the crooked stuff bugs me after a while. When I put in my first window, I thought I could live with a small tilt... but now it drives me nuts every time I see it. Maybe I’m too picky, but sometimes I wish I’d just called in a pro.
I totally get what you mean—once you notice that tilt, it’s like your eyes are drawn to it every time you walk by. I thought I could fudge things a little and just “eyeball” it straight, but the bubble level never lies. The worst part is, now that I’ve installed one window, the rest of the house just looks even more off-kilter in comparison.
My place is from the ‘60s and apparently “square” was more of a suggestion back then. It’s wild how much shimming and adjusting goes into something that seems so basic. I tried to convince myself that a little slant adds “charm,” but honestly, it’s just annoying when you’re staring at it with morning coffee.
At this point, I’m half-tempted to hang all my picture frames crooked too, just so everything matches.
That’s the curse of old houses—nothing lines up, and you only notice after you “fix” one thing. I did a kitchen window last year and ended up redoing the trim three times because the wall was so out of whack. Makes me wonder if builders just eyeballed everything back then. At this point, I just lean into it... a little tilt here and there gives it character, right?
At this point, I just lean into it... a little tilt here and there gives it character, right?
Honestly, I can't get behind the "character" excuse when it comes to windows. If they're not square, you risk air leaks and thermal inefficiency, especially if you're running smart thermostats or sensors. Even minor misalignments can throw off automated blinds or window sensors. I know old houses are tricky, but shimming and laser levels go a long way—I'd rather fight with the trim than deal with drafts all winter.
Is it really that big of a deal if a window’s off by, say, a quarter inch? I get the energy loss argument, but I’ve lived with a few “crooked” windows and didn’t notice any major drafts. Maybe it depends on how bad the tilt is, but sometimes I wonder if we overthink this stuff. Anyone else just caulk the heck out of it and call it good?
I’ve wondered about this too, especially after putting in a couple of windows myself last fall. I thought a quarter inch wouldn’t matter much, but when I checked with a level, one was definitely off and you could see the gap more on one side. I just filled it with foam and caulked over it, like you said. No drafts so far, and honestly, I can’t see any difference from inside unless I’m really looking for it.
But then again, my buddy swears that over time those little gaps can mess with the frame or even cause condensation if you’re in a colder climate. I guess it’s one of those things where the “right” way is probably better long-term, but for most of us, a bit of caulk goes a long way.
Curious if anyone noticed their windows getting harder to open or close after a while when they weren’t perfectly square? That’s my only worry—whether that quarter inch catches up to you down the line.
- Been there, done that—my first window was off by about the same, and I just foamed/caulked it too.
- Two years in, still opens fine, but I do notice one corner gets a little sticky when it’s humid.
- My neighbor’s window was way worse (almost half an inch!) and that one’s a pain to open now.
- Honestly, unless you’re in the Arctic or super picky, a quarter inch probably won’t haunt you... but I’d keep an eye on it if you start feeling resistance.
- Sometimes “good enough” really is good enough—at least until you get the urge to redo it next year.