Replacing Bay Window

[A. Spruce]

Hey is there a number of different methods to attach and build corners of exterior walls joining?
Is just an L shape join acceptable or strong enough? Looks like some guys incorporate the backing for the corner drywall to attach too. Am I making a big mistake by having no corner backing for drywall? I dont see it getting hit. Or will drywall crack with no backer?

All corners should have backer for drywall support. There are a few instances with interior walls where you can get away with no corner backer, but not many. Without the backer, any building movement or drywall flex will crack the corner. A stud there for a backer is cheap insurance for strong, durable joints. Exterior wall corners that I'm familiar with usually use a sandwich of stud/blocking/stud to make up the corner, this gives you plenty of nailing surface for the mating wall and drywall support. Interior corners can just be two studs in an "L" shaped configuration, again, giving plenty of drywall support to the inside corner.

Hey when sheeting walls osb, do I leave end gap of 1/8 inch? nail width? horizontally and vertically gaps?

I believe you want an 1/8" gap on the joints, but I haven't had to do much wall sheathing, so I'll leave this to Shannon.

[Shannon]

I personally have never worried about gapping the plywood or OSB. I never try to install it completely forced tight but i never worry about leaving a perfect gap either.

[kurt333]

Ok thanks. I think it says something on the osb to leave a 1/8 gap on ends. I guess for expansion or wall flex or something.
And corners, looks like the guy has a U shape corner going on. And maybe some just put three studs in a row, and the third one can be backer board.
My window opening is 6'8". I guess just one jack stud is fine then...
Im goona try and removed the split jack they have and put one continuous.
Once I get my window opening done. Then I can move to the outside and wrap the wall with tar paper. I assume the best would be to have the tar paper under the 3/4 foam board. They have osb then old tar paper under that, then 3/4 ship lap. Maybe I should cut out some of the soft rotten osb, even though it wont make much difference as I have 3/4 SL under that.
Any suggestions on weather proofing tar paper wraping around the door? I had issues here before with water running down and getting to inside of house rotting out the floor by looks of it.
With vinyl siding, do I always need a flashing above window and door openings? Or can I even run that, as the J channel sits on top of window etc.?

[Shannon]

1 jack is fine.

replace any rotted areas.

House wrap or in your case tar paper under the foam. It just makes it easier to attach.

Find the leak around the door and seal it properly, not just taping house wrap to it and calling it good. That will be a temp. fix if it fixes it at all.

You have very little roof over hang so you need drip caps. Put it on over the window or door trim and then install J channels over that.

[kurt333]

Thanks.
Above my vented soffit covers, it is not tar papered or house wraped, just 3/4" df ship lap. Is it ok to leave it un covered? All my soffits are in place pretty much so yea. But I can sometimes see a bit of day light through a tiny crack in ship lap from inside house. So I used sealant over that.

For my wall elec plug in and light switch. They are metal boxes.
Should I change the elec boxes to the plastic sealed kind with that black foam on parts of them on the outside?
And then put vapor barrier cover over the boxes?
Or just use the vapor barrier covers only around my metal boxes?
Like you show in your video. When I push the wires through the vap box covers, should I then tape the holes up or caulking them?
Do windows that are solid one piece picture windows, seal better then sliders? Do they have a higher R rating?

[Shannon]

No house wrap above the vented soffit is fine

Your metal boxes are fine you just need a poly vapour barrier around them and seal the opening where wire poke through.

Any window that opens has more chance of being leaky (for air flow) Most sliders IMO are not very efficient .

[kurt333]

Ok, i guess when the slider window seals velvet part maybe wears out, then there goes your seal?
Ok i will keep these metal elec boxes and remove wires and re wire with vapor barriers boxes

[Shannon]

That little fluffy "seal " is really nothing hardly.

[kurt333]

Sounds like these new vinyl window and sliders are well made compared to the older ones. But solid picture window would never be a problem I guess hey.

I am building furring out the walls, with 2" lumber. I have been running the 2x2 bottom plate down right touching the vinyl planks flooring I laid. I wonder if I should leave a gap of 1/8 off the flooring. Or touching the flooring then I can seal the accustic sealant right to the floor and corner of plate?
Or will that make a mess of things? Under my plates they probablly did not have a sealer gasket or whatever its called. So I remember in your video you said to seal right to floor and plate if you dont have that. If I ever have to remove the flooring, this could be a problem maybe, but could maybe just cut it off at the plate area?

[kurt333]

I guess lay the bottom shim plate right on the flooring? Or cut out the flooring to fit around it on outside of it?
Hey I ran out of 2" boards, I wonder if i can cut some with a skill saw? and straight edge?

[Shannon]

Ya i would seal the poly at the floor /plate joint. If your vinyl planks are a floating floor then remember you need usually 1/4" of space between the flooring and walls plate.

If you have a guild for your circular saw just use that. A straight edge is over kill.

This is what I mean by a guild for your saw.https://www.amazon.ca/DEWALT-DW3278-Cir ... =8-4-spell

[kurt333]

Its the lock together vinyl planks, not glued down,
Just bought a tiny table saw used, cheap one, but works sort of, just slow to cut and jams up easy, but can try different blade later, doesnt like df. Working so far...
I wonder if this means i have floating floor?
If so i can leave a gap.

[Shannon]

if it s not glued down then it's floating.

Use a blade with as few teeth as you can on that saw, it will cut better . DF is tough cutting for under powered saws.

[kurt333]

The 2x6 boards cut pretty good, feeding through slow or it will jam up.
I am just creating a backer for the corners too and running vertical shims on 16 centers, and leaving some of the other odd verticals without shims over top. Is that ok? Like will the insulation still stay in place? This way I can have more insulation in the wall too. I just run a shim around the window and door frame. I just have to be able to hang the drywall I guess hey and have the insulation stay in place.
So I will be trying to keep the 2x6 insulation in place with a 2x4 in some places and 2x6 in some other spacing. If thats ok.

[Shannon]

Sounds OK.

[kurt333]

I see lots of adds on your site now. Is that just me?
Hey is there a general rule to what height a window starts at for the top of window frame?
I see that it can depend on how tall the header is. But it seems to be around 16 inch from the ceiling to top of window opening where mine start.
Is there a general rule of how big a living room window should be? Like height wise.
I see that if I put in my 31.5 inch height window, then I only have 25 inches of glass, because the frame takes up 3 inches on each side. I wonder if it will look funny. I mocked the window in there to see what it would look like. It is an opener, slider, middle post. It looks decent, really more a bedroom window, but works with my house maybe as its so small.
Or I could go to hd and buy there 36x72 middle post slider. Or order a picture window.
A 36x72 slider means it will sit 4 inches lower. And fixed window will sit 6 inches lower at the glass viewed when im sitting.

[Admin]

I see lots of adds on your site now. Is that just me?

We made a change to the ad setup about a month and a half ago. You may see more or less ads depending on many factors such as mobile vs desktop, first time vs returning visitor, etc. The ads are automatically placed by Google, which runs the ad platform we use.

[Shannon]

There is not really a Rule written in stone but usually between 78-82 inches from the floor .
Your window can be what you want and what works for your home. I like a large window in the front room usually coming anywhere from 24”-36” off the floor.

[kurt333]

Thanks. Sounds good. Im right in there for starting height of window but really restrictive for sill height. But should be good. Un conventional.
Sheeting it now. I pulled off the old osb with a bit of rot, I need to cut some 3/4 pcs to match the old 3/4 ship lap.

Is there any point in removing all the 3/4 ship lap, the layer touching the walls studs framing etc?
I guess it provides another good layer or protection and base to nail into?
It doesnt look like 3/4 df ship lap likes to rot very easy if at all. But there is a few little spots that have termits or wood bugs got in it. I will maybe treat it quick with the copper stuff, green copper i think its called, maybe that helps. The wood is pretty brittle but solid stuff. I will throw a few screws in it here and there or some spiral nails.
I will then nail 1/2 osb to the 3/4 ship lap, and that will be it.
What nail size to mount the 1/2" osb to the 3/4 ship lap? I bought some 2.25 inch galvanized, and I think 2.5" spiral nails too, and have some 2" galvanized nails too.

They (APA) do recommend on the internet quite a few places to always gap your sheathing 1/8 inch, walls, roofing and floors etc. Lots of comments on guys never spacing leaving a gap, have never seen a problem in 30 years. But some guys say they have seen hundreds of houses with buckling showing up transfered to the roofing shingles or siding. Sounds like in open barn spaces some guys have problem, if they dont gap the sheathing, as all the moisture gets soaked up from barn hay and animals etc and expands the wood and it buckles. Just throwing that out there, as I did research it a bit on google and read all the articles on it. Sounds like spacing it with 1/8 nail is good. Says right on this osb sheets to leave 1/8 gap on all edges. Apparently the sheets of osb and maybe plywood, is sized 1/16 under 4 and 8 feet to account for this, spacing. Im not the expert, just saying what I have found. When I build my shop I will be gapping all sheathing for sure. I dont like the idea of the air coming through, but I guess the tar paper will stop that, and its good for ventilation maybe.

[Shannon]

Just change what rotted /damaged.
I would use 2-1/4" nails so that you get into the framing a good inch.
Gap if you want, that is what's recommended

[kurt333]

K, I got 2.25 spiral nails and other ones.
What are the spiral ones used for? I notice they are a bit thinner and bend easier when driving them in.

When sheeting the window opening, is it ok to run 4 by 8 sheet horizontally right over the whole window opening, then cut the opening out later? Is it just faster to do it this way?
Less pieces wasted? I did run it this way. And will put the other underneath it, but need another small strip about a 2 or 3 inches to complete the sheeting on the bottom.

[A. Spruce]

But there is a few little spots that have termits or wood bugs got in it. I will maybe treat it quick with the copper stuff, green copper i think its called, maybe that helps.

If you've got wood boring bugs, you absolutely want to treat it and as far around it as possible. Copper napthenate "the green stuff" is certainly a good choice, but this is more of a deterrent than a pesticide/preventative. A borax solution is more effective at both stopping infiltration and eradicating termites, and it is absolutely non-toxic to humans and animals, but absolutely deadly to turdmites and ants. Treated areas will be rendered free of pest infiltration, and with any luck end the pests altogether.

The solution I find effective is 1/2 cup of borax (see the laundry aisle in the supermarket) into a gallon of HOT water. The heat increases the uptake of the borax into solution. I use a recycled milk jug to mix mine in. When the water cools, some borax will dissipate out, but not much. From there, you can use a brush, spray bottle, hudson sprayer, or whatever you need to apply it to the areas in question. I actually have a 1" syringe with a modified meat baster needle to be able to inject directly into holes. The smaller the application utensil used, the more important it is to rinse it before putting it back into storage, because the borax will recrystalize and render said instrument useless otherwise.

[Shannon]

K, I got 2.25 spiral nails and other ones.
What are the spiral ones used for? I notice they are a bit thinner and bend easier when driving them in.

When sheeting the window opening, is it ok to run 4 by 8 sheet horizontally right over the whole window opening, then cut the opening out later? Is it just faster to do it this way?
Less pieces wasted? I did run it this way. And will put the other underneath it, but need another small strip about a 2 or 3 inches to complete the sheeting on the bottom.

Spiral nails have better holding power than many regular smooth shanked nails. Either one will do what you want here.
In most cases you would run your sheeting materials horizontally and stager the joints row to row for better wall strength and racking strength. In your case it really would not matter cause the shiplap boards are doing that for you now.

I missed the part about the bugs in your earlier post. Like Spruce said you want to treat those for sure.

[kurt333]

Ok thanks. I have copper green stuff, sure stinks, Ive used it before and the smell is strong. Wonder if I should go look for some borax.
Thanks Spruce, that borax sounds like good stuff.
I guess If I cut osb pieces individual around a window then it would have more gaps and more odd sizes cut and maybe weaker.

[kurt333]

Hey is it ok that I used a weathered used piece of 3/4 inch plywood to fill in the pc where the ship lap is missing where I am filling in below the window sill area, its only a few feet by 8 feet. The pc of plywood is slightly weathered and maybe got rained on some, so its sort of the more grey browned color, maybe a bit softened. This wont matter? As its just filler to go under the 1/2 inch osb? Or should I try and use a piece that is in better shape by layering some 1/2 osb and 1/4 plywood that I have to make up the 3/4 inch?
It wont be showing at all, just from inside of house the insulation will touch it. Is this irrelevant? I know how tough and durable 3/4 inch plywood is. I am pretty sure im over thinking all this stuff. I want to get my speed up a bit. haha But also want to learn to do this right.
Also on the concrete wall top, there is cut out, where the ship lap fits in 3/4 inch, and then the ship lap is sitting flush with the concrete foundation outer wall. Should I space my osb over that hanging a 1/2 inch below the ship lap for the bottom row layer of osb?

[A. Spruce]

As long as the plywood is not delaminated, it will work fine.

[Shannon]

I am pretty sure im over thinking all this stuff. I want to get my speed up a bit. haha But also want to learn to do this right.


YES YOU ARE OVERTHINKING SOME OF THESE THINGS,LOL


Also on the concrete wall top, there is cut out, where the ship lap fits in 3/4 inch, and then the ship lap is sitting flush with the concrete foundation outer wall. Should I space my osb over that hanging a 1/2 inch below the ship lap for the bottom row layer of osb?


A PICTURE WILL HELP US UNDER STAND WHAT YOU ARE ASKING HERE I THINK.

[kurt333]

Thanks. ok, I will try to take pics.

I dont like whats going on with my door, it gets hammered storm side, and if I push the door seals all the way into the grooves on the frame, then I see day light when I shut the door. Wonder if my door is warped or something or bent. I may install different style seals that screw into the frame. There is some rot under door and perimeter.

[kurt333]

Heres some pics of front door.

Any suggestions on how to improve the platform to stand on at the front door?
Its not pretty, it was this way when i bought the house. Is that a stringer they put there to mount the 2x6s too, to build a platform?
I want to pull that stringer off and see whats going on underneath it. I dont trust much of their work...
Suggestions on how to run tar paper or drip edge under door sill or weatherproof area?
As you can see it rotted out the area around the door bottom.

Can you see what i mean about the ship lap sitting in a groove on the concrete foundation wall. The the ship lap sits flush with the wall. I am thinking to hang the osb sheeting lower than this ship lap by 1/2 inch?

And door seal, doesnt contact the door enough, sort of sits just on the edge of it in places, and if I push the door seal into the groove to much, I seem to see day light through the seal gap.

[kurt333]

Pulled the stringer off, and opened a can of worms, awe man, this is really bad, i was hoping it would not be this bad, i saw signs from inside plywood around door. They obviously put the stringer on there to hide the damage.
So plate under door is rotted out completley, not even there in places, floor joists arent even being supported in one or more, floor joists ends look to be rotted out..., not good.
Only thing i can think of is to screw or nail joists to the good part of joist and maybe jack it up and replace... son of a ....
i really dont want to go under this house ever again i said to myself...
i think i will pull off all the other siding on left side and see whats going on... and maybe cut aways at near plate to make sure all is good goimg further away from door.