Disposable cans definitely can do the job, especially with your warming trick—I’ve found that helpful myself. Still, after switching to a foam gun, I've noticed less waste and more consistent bead size, which can really pay off if you're tackling multiple windows. Totally with you on flashing tape; learned the hard way that saving a few bucks there isn't worth the risk of leaks down the line. Cabinets were another story for me though...maybe I'm just picky, but aligning those doors nearly drove me nuts.
I switched to a foam gun last summer after years of disposable cans, and man, wish I'd done it sooner. Way cleaner beads, fewer gaps, less mess overall. Cabinets though...yeah, aligning doors is just tedious—no shortcut there, unfortunately. Took me forever to get mine right.
I've been tempted by the foam gun route myself, but honestly, disposable cans haven't let me down yet. I get the appeal—cleaner beads and less mess sounds great—but I'm skeptical about the upfront cost and maintenance. Do you find yourself cleaning the gun often or dealing with clogs? I've heard mixed opinions on that.
As for cabinets, yeah... aligning doors is just one of those tasks. Took me an entire weekend once, and even then, I still notice a slight unevenness every time I walk by. Drives me nuts, but nobody else seems to notice. Speaking of windows though, has anyone tried sourcing their own windows directly from suppliers rather than through installers? Wondering if the savings are worth the hassle of coordinating everything yourself.
I totally get your skepticism about the foam guns. I finally caved and bought one last year after going through a ton of disposable cans on a big window job. Honestly, it wasn't life-changing, but it's nice not having to toss half-used cans anymore. Cleaning isn't too bad either—just run some cleaner through it once you're done for the day, and it's good to go. Only had it clog once, and that was because I forgot (okay, neglected...) to clean it properly.
As for sourcing windows directly, I've done it both ways. Ordering straight from the supplier definitely saved me some cash, but it did come with a bit more legwork—measuring twice (or five times), coordinating delivery schedules, and all that jazz. Still, if you're comfortable double-checking measurements and dealing with the logistics yourself, I'd say the savings are worth it. Plus, there's something satisfying about knowing exactly what you're getting without installer markups.
And yeah, cabinet doors... man, don't even get me started. Mine still mock me every morning over coffee.
I've been tempted by the foam guns too, but just haven't pulled the trigger yet—no pun intended. Glad to hear they're not a total gimmick. On the window front, I did direct ordering once... saved money but nearly lost my sanity dealing with delivery delays. Curious if anyone's tried salvaging or refurbishing vintage windows instead? Seems like a cool idea, but maybe more trouble than it's worth...
I've refurbished vintage windows a few times, and honestly, it can go either way. If the wood frames are solid and you're comfortable reglazing and repainting, you can save a good chunk of cash. Plus, vintage glass has that subtle waviness that's pretty charming. But if there's rot or warped frames...it's a rabbit hole. You end up chasing issues you didn't see coming. If you're handy and patient, go for it—otherwise, new might save your sanity in the long run.
Did this once with an old farmhouse we bought—thought I'd struck gold with those charming wavy panes. Until I found rot...and then more rot. Ended up spending weekends scraping, patching, and swearing under my breath. 😂 In hindsight, probably should've gone new from the start, but hey, character-building experience, right? If your frames are solid though, you're already ahead of the game. Just keep an eye out for surprises lurking beneath the paint.
Went through something similar with our first place—thought sanding and repainting would do the trick until I poked a screwdriver right through the sill. Ended up replacing half the frames anyway. Lesson learned: charming old windows can hide some nasty surprises...
Yeah, old windows can definitely be sneaky like that. Had a similar experience myself—thought I was just dealing with peeling paint and drafts, but turns out the frames were rotting from the inside out. Ended up biting the bullet and replacing them, but honestly, it was worth it. Not only did it solve the moisture issues, but our heating bills dropped noticeably afterward. Did you notice any difference in energy efficiency after replacing yours?
One thing I learned is that sometimes partial replacements or repairs can end up costing more in the long run. I initially tried to save money by patching things up, but eventually had to redo everything properly anyway. Now I'm curious if anyone's had luck with those insert replacements or if full-frame is always the better route...
I was skeptical about the whole "energy savings" thing at first—thought it might be marketing hype—but after replacing ours, I have to admit, the house does feel warmer and quieter. Haven't seen a huge drop in heating bills yet, but it's only been a couple months. As for inserts vs full-frame replacements...we went with inserts to save money initially. They're holding up fine so far, but now you've got me wondering if I'll regret not going full-frame down the line...