If your windows have worn out and you want to replace them, try doing it yourself. There are only eleven steps to installing them and you can use the money you save to buy some new curtains. Here we will give the details on installing your own windows and the tools you will need. The tools are; tape measure, scraper, hammer, caulk, foam insulation, screwdriver, prybar, sandpaper, nails, shims, primer, and paint.



1) The first thing to do do is to measure your current old window space for preparation of the new window. If you need to take out the sash to measure more accurately, go ahead. Buy your new window with your measurements.


2) Completely remove the sash if you did not do so in the first step. If you can remove the old window do so.


3) Use the pry bar and take off the window jambs and liners if they have any.


4) Get your sandpaper and take off extra paint from the frame that use to hold the old window. Remove all the old wood putty also. If you have layers and layers of paint, a scraper will save you time. Patch the holes and cracks that may get revealed with new wood putty. Sand it smooth enough to be primed and painted along with your new window in a future step. If your house has sash weights remove them along with their panels.


5) Install the polyurethane foam. Use only foam that expands with low pressure or you will ruin the seal of the window. Drill three eighth inch holes in the window sill to insert the liquid-like foam. Make three holes, one in the center and one at both ends to insert the foam into. Fill the inside of the frame with the foam until it begins to come out at other places. Let this foam cure for six hours, then remove the excess.


6) You are nearly ready to install the window. First use a caulking gun and caulk the inner frame of the casings and the sill. Cover the whole area where the frame of the new window will be going. Use elastomeric caulk.


7) Install the new window from the inside of the house. Put the bottom of the new window in first and then the top. Make a good seal with the frame of the house.


8) Install a temporary screw in the top of the frame of the new window. It should be in a place where the window can operate freely. If the window is open, close it and lock it.



9) Use shims if necessary to line up your new window. Make sure the window is in the frame of the house with all spaces being equal. Once you are sure it is in there right, use screws to secure it permanently to the frame of the house. If any shims are left in, cut them off squarely with the frame of the new window.



10) Go outside and take a look at the gaps of the new window. If the gap is smaller than one quarter inch fill them with caulk. If it is larger than that, put foam rubber in the gap. For gaps inside the house use liquid foam with a low pressure quotient to prevent bending anything.


11) Install your old stops or new ones. Then apply primer and your choice of paint.



This is the basic way of installing a new window in your home or other places. If you use double or triple pane glass you will also save money on heating and cooling.