I need to rebuild my basement windows. They are rotted and so is the sill. I have never done anything like this before. Can anyone tell me what kind or wood is best to use? Can I use treated wood for the sill? And can I paint treated wood? How do you join the corners of the wood window? I have seen shows that use biskets, but is there any other way? I'm sorry if these seem like stupid questions but I'm kind of at a loss. I know you're going to say it is easier to buy new ones, but these were put into a field stone basement and don't fit the conventional windows. Home is about 65 years old.

 

So that I understand you correctly, do your windows have a removable wooden sash? And I assume that the sash itself is fine, it's just that the sill and sides have rotted out?

Digital pics can be uploaded to any file sharing website (photobucket, etc) and then the link to the pics can be pasted here.

 

Everything needs to be replaced. Sill and sides are rotting and also the lower section of the actual window. So I have to remake the window part also. The windows are hinged so I can take them out and use them as a pattern for the new ones.

 

Remove the entire assembly, build a new pressure treated window buck, install a completely new -new construct type window and call it a day. Granted there's more to it than that obviously, but depending on basement wall thickness, if standard 8" block, just get some treated 2x10's, rip them to width of block, and then start assembling them into the opening, sill and top first, then the sides. Use construction adhesive and tapcon cement screws to hold them into the opening, then install new window and finish interior/exterior to suit.

 

IHI is definately right that it would likely be easier to reframe the opening with a PT woodbuck, then just get a custom sized window (such as a vinyl window) that is made to fit into the opening. Custom sized windows are not that expensive, especially for basements you don't usually want or need to get the best window in the world for a basement. A big box store could fix you up with one for probably $250 or less.

Depending on the kind of opening you have when you remove the old window frame, you might not even need the woodbuck on all four sides. A sloped sill on bottom might be all you need if you have a nice finished cement opening that is even and square. A custom sized replacement window could just be anchored into the opening and sealed on all sides with polyurethane sealant.

But at any rate, if you'd like to build your own frame and repair your existing window sash, here's a picture to give you a small idea of what the pieces would look like:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/thexsleeper/detail?.dir=4b29&.dnm=4989re2.jpg

If you decide to rebuild, you can use PT wood, which may be primed and painted once it dries out.

 

Thanks for the advice. I may have to go back and relook at the windows that our stores have around here. It does make sense that if I have to redo the frames anyway, that I might as well adjust the size and put in new ones. The ones I found before were either too big or way too small. And the windows are not all the same size. The walls are made up of 18" thick field stone and they build the windows to fit the opening and didn't make the opening to fit the windows like you would on a block basement.

 

Right. That's why we are suggesting you get a "custom sized" window, such as the vinyl windows that are common nowadays. They are perfect for situations like this because unlike standard sized windows, custom sized windows are made to order. So you would likely want to rip out the old windows, install the woodbuck or sill as needed, measure the exact size of the openings, then take those measurements in and have them order you a window.

Depending on where the windows come from, the windows would take anywhere from 1-5 weeks to come in.

 

Or you could measure the rough opening of the cement block/foundation opening, subtract for the thickness of the pressure treated buck side to side and up and down, figure in the extra RO you want for the window, and then order the window to that spec. Wait for windows to show up, and then do all the labor work in one fall swoop. That way once the windows are in you can make any necessary adjusitments on the fly vs having everything done and waiting then have to change something up later. That's how we do it anyways.

For example:
cement opening is 30" wide x 20" tall

30" minus 3 1/4" for treated wood thickness of both sides added together and a little leeway between wood buck and cement opening leaves 26 3/4". then figure in 1/4" gap on both sides of the new replacement window for insulation and ease of installation and we're down to a window that would be 26 1/4" wide.

Same thing for the window heigth
20" minus 3 1/4" leaves 16 3/4" and then figure in gap for insulation with another 1/2" deduction and your at 16 1/4" window heigth

so for a 30" x 20" cement rough opening, the vinyl replacement window would need to be ordered at 26 1/4" x 16 1/4".

Pretty easy really and allows you to get stuff ready in advance so your just playing the waiting game for new windows to arrive...alot easier/faster/better than trying to fix/replace the existing wood sash that's in place already. Typically windows of the size given in my example run under $100 since they're soo small, but brand and options will have a big bearing on total cost out the door.

 

Thanks guys. I guess I'm going to go that route.