Hello,

This is related to siding, in that, apparently, the vinyl brickmould is not supposed to be used with fiber cement siding (I didn't know that until after I purchased the window and it sat in my garage a few months).
Instructions with the window say that, if you are using wood or masonry siding, then the brickmould must be removed, but they don't say how to do that.

Does anyone know how to remove the brickmould from the Pella Thermastar vinyl window without destroying it?

Thanks in advance.

 

I would call Pella's tech support. I'm assuming they would be the best ones to answer your question. And who knows, they may even have a way of using the brickmould for your specific application.

 

Brickmould? Or integral j-channel.

 

It is probably integral J-channel. It's tucked behind trim that has the look of brickmould.

 

If you don't want any trim around the window, I would get some Azek PVC 1x2 from Home Depot, rip it in half on a table saw so that it's 1x1 and insert it into the integral j-channel. Caulk the edges neatly with white OSI Quad. Put a drip cap over the top and then put whatever kind of siding you want around it.

Otherwise, I'd recommend you trim the window with a 1x4 or similar (5/4x4 might work better) that will cover both the open side of the integral j-channel and the nailing fin. The benefit of having trim around a window is so that someday when someone wants to remove/change the window, they simply have to remove the trim to do it. Otherwise you're either removing siding or cutting the siding back just to get to the nails holding the window in.

 

Thanks Bruce H and XSleeper

XSleeper, I favor the idea of using trim around the window for the reason you stated (I'm hoping it will look better too). I'm thinking that, even if I do add trim, I should fill up the J-channel, as you suggested, with PVC. Would you agree? But, you said "caulk the edges neatly with OSI Quad". For me, "neat" and "OSI" don't seem to go together. I can't seem to find the right rate of application to fill the spaces without having lumps or waves. Since I can't tool the OSI, it often remains looking lumpy or wavy.

Bruce H, I'll try calling Pella's tech support. After looking at the window, it does seem that the edges that have the look of brickmould form an integral part of the frame, as XSleeper, suggests. Maybe Pella does make a version of the window that has a detachable brickmould. I don't know, but their instructions definitely state that the brickmould needs to be removed if installing with masonry or wood siding.