How To Fill In A Basement Window
How to Install Basement Windows and Satisfy Egress Codes
How to saw the hole, frame the opening and fix a basement egress window
Time
Multiple Days
Complexity
Advanced
Price
$501-1000
Introduction
Nosotros'll show you all the how-to steps you need to install a basement egress window, from cutting a hole in the basement wall to framing the opening to setting the window. Doing the project yourself can save y'all more than than $4,000. The egress window will non only let natural sunlight to enter your dark basement, information technology will provide a condom escape road for you and your family unit during a burn down or other home emergency.
Tools Required
Materials Required
- one-5/viii in. galvanized screws
- 2x10x10ft. pressure treated lumber (1)
- 2x4x10 ft. lumber (12)
- 3-in. deck screws
- three/16 10 iii one/four-in. physical screws
- six-mil plastic
- Physical mix
- Egress window
- Exterior caulk
- Insulation
- Masking tape
- Plastic moisture bulwark
- Shims
- Tarp
Installing an egress basement window
Egress basement window
With an egress besement window you'll go more natural light, plus an emergency escape. An egress window in a basement dramatically brightens an otherwise dark, dingy room, just it too has a more than serious purpose. Information technology's large enough to offer a safe exit from the basement in the event of fire or other emergency. Adding an egress basement window is essential whatever time you remodel your basement to brand a new bedroom, function or other living infinite.
In this commodity, we'll bear witness y'all how to cut through a concrete block wall and install an egress basement window. If you have solid concrete walls, the process is similar, except nosotros recommend you hire a professional person for the wall cut (more than on this later).
The egress basement windows we installed (ii 2947 Pella ProLine casement windows for $325) are substantially larger than the minimum requirement considering we wanted to bring strong natural light into this basement. Merely you don't have to add ones this large. An egress basement window must take a clear opening of at least five.vii sq. ft.—large plenty to allow a firefighter, with equipment, to enter the abode through the window. In addition, the window must be at least 20 in. wide and 24 in. high (while still coming together the 5.vii-sq.-ft. requirement). Finally, the lesser of the opening tin be no more than 44 in. from the floor. Come across "Egress Window Choices" at the terminate of this article for more than details.
Gear up for a big project
First, cut the hole.
Wear hearing and eye protection when cut the hole for a basement egress window well.
Then, frame the opening.
Frame the opening so yous can install the window.
Finally, install the window.
Your new basement egress window well provides natural light and a condom emergency escape. Permit at least iii full days to install the basement window, plus time for finishing the interior. The egress window insulation cost with a contractor like the ones shown volition toll from $6,000 to $8,000. If y'all do the projects yourself, the egress window installation price runs about $1,500 on materials, tool rental and refuse container fees.
Project step-by-step (17)
Step 1
Good planning simplifies the job
Marker the window outline
Outline your proposed basement window size (frame) with masking tape on the wall to get a experience for the placement and size of your window. Add in space for the header, if you place the window perpendicular to the floor joists (similar the one hither).
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Step 2
Build a temporary support wall
Erect a temporary 2x4 support wall if the joists are perpendicular to the wall you'll be cutting. Identify it 3 ft. dorsum from the concrete wall. Screw the tiptop plate to the joists and align the studs straight nether the flooring joists. Measure out and cut each stud for a tight fit. How to Install a Terraced Window Well in Your Basement
Pace three
Hang plastic to contain dust
Tent the expanse where y'all'll exist cut with 6-mil plastic sheeting to confine the grit. Utilize sheeting at to the lowest degree 8 ft. 6 in. to 9 ft. wide.
Close-up: Seal the surface area between joists.
Make slits in the sheeting to seal the expanse between the joists and staple information technology in place. Outset, find the best location and size for the basement window. Consider: (1) which wall offers the best light; (2) the result on the outside look of the home; and (3) the obstacles you lot'll have to deal with for a item location.
The all-time natural calorie-free comes from the due east get-go and and so the due south. An eastern window offers rich morning low-cal, while a southern window provides more even calorie-free twelvemonth-round. We centered our egress basement window beneath a large bow window on the front of the house (facing east). This placement maintained the balanced wait of the front end of the home, though the window was not centered on the wall of our new basement room.
Check for obstacles such as cached utilities, shrubbery, indoor wiring and ductwork. The more stuff yous take to move or piece of work effectually, the more than complex, time-consuming and expensive the projection becomes. E'er call for cached utility marking so y'all don't hit or interfere with h2o, gas, electric, cable or sewer lines when you dig your well. And so visit a window dealer or home center and pick upward a manufacturer's brochure listing window sizes to assist plan and size your basement window.
I primal factor that can limit basement window size is the size of the beam (called a header) that you have to install when you remove a section of your foundation wall. If you're installing a small window (less than 48 in. wide) in a wall that runs parallel to the floor joists, you probably won't need the extra support of a header. But if y'all install the window in a load-begetting wall (perpendicular to the flooring joists; Photo 2), consult a structural engineer or architect to determine the header size.
Accept a sketch of your programme (Fig. A) to your local edifice inspector's office to obtain a permit for the project. Local code officials should be familiar with local issues and can help you with details. We actually finished our well first, merely it'south commonly easier to go the basement window in and then finish the well effectually information technology.
TIP: Keep a tarp handy then the sides of the well won't wash in if information technology rains.
When you lot position your basement window layout with masking tape, remember to make the cutting lines about 3-1/ii in. wider than the rough opening required (listed with the window dimensions). Add the width of the header plus 1-3/iv in. to the rough opening tiptop. The actress space is for the 1-1/two in. treated forest rough frame (Fig. A) plus room for adjustment. Cut through concrete isn't equally verbal as cutting through forest!
Since our egress basement window was in a wall perpendicular to the floor joists (in a weight-bearing wall), we built a temporary support wall (Photo two) to bear the weight before cut out the window opening and putting in the header. Sawing concrete creates an incredible dust cloud. So when cut inside, tent the area around the cutting to confine the dust (Photo three).
CAUTION!
Avoid putting an egress basement window near a walkway unless you provide a substantial bulwark to forestall falls into the well.
Tip:
The simplest way to avoid the header size issue is to brand an existing basement window taller. Typical small-scale basement windows measure xxx in. wide by xv in. high. If you extend this opening downwards and install a 29-in. wide by 47-in. high casement window, yous'll satisfy minimum egress window requirements.
Step iv
Rent a concrete saw with a diamond blade
Drill a pilot hole
Measure out down from the joists to locate the height of the bottom cut. Mark the heart of the bottom cut line and drill a level airplane pilot hole with a hammer drill and a bit long enough to go through the wall. How to Finish a Basement: Framing and Insulating
Step v
Mark the window dimensions on the exterior
Level from the pilot pigsty on the outside in both directions from the middle and measure and mark the corners of the cutout. The mortar lines usually serve as a level reference line too. Drill a level pigsty through the wall at each corner.
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Step six
Cut the physical
Cut a 1/2-in. deep groove in the concrete block with an electric 14-in. concrete saw equipped with a diamond blade. Then complete the cut on a second pass. Wetting the blade as it cuts reduces dust. Circumspection: Plug the saw into a GFCI outlet. Your basement or lower-level walls will be either poured concrete or concrete block. In this article, we show you lot how to cut through concrete cake. For a poured concrete wall, we strongly recommend that you hire a professional to cut the opening ($600 to $1,000). Doing this yourself is difficult and unsafe considering of the weight of the slab you cut loose. Cutting through concrete block is no picnic either. The two major tools you'll demand are a concrete saw and a hammer drill. Cull a concrete saw with either a 12-in. or a 14-in. blade. The 12-in. saw will work fine for an 8-in. thick wall.
We used a 14-in. saw considering our wall contained both 8-in. and 12-in. blocks. Forth with the saw, rent a diamond blade. This blade volition pay for its college cost in fourth dimension saved because it cuts much faster than abrasive blades. Some rental stores carry but gas saws; others rent both gas and electric. We recommend electric so you won't have to worry about fumes while you're making the inside cut. As well, the electrical saw is less beefy, making information technology easier to go far tight spaces. If you use the electric saw, specially if you wet the blade, plug it into a GFCI outlet to protect yourself from electrical shocks. These are large, heavy saws that take strength and attention to control. E'er wear goggles, gloves and hearing protection when operating them.
When you lot rent the hammer drill, also hire a masonry drill bit long plenty to go through the wall: 12 in. long for viii-in. block and 16 in. for 12-in. block. Look to spend most $120 to $140 to rent the saw, hammer drill, diamond blade and masonry bit for the 24-hour interval. Having a helper spray water on the blade with a hand pump sprayer while you cutting reduces the dust near 90 per centum (Photo 6). Only you lot'll have to make clean up a mucky mess on the flooring.
Tip: Apply a dewdrop of insulating cream to the floor to act as a adjourn to comprise the h2o. Let a day for the cream to harden.
For height accuracy, lay out your cutting lines on the inside wall (Photo iv). Since yous have to cut from both the inside and exterior, drill through the wall at the lower corners with a hammer drill held perfectly level, to found the layout on the exterior. Or drill through the center of your proposed layout (Photo iv) if you build your window well kickoff. That fashion you lot can suit your layout to middle the egress basement window on the well before drilling the corners (Photograph 5).
Tip: Use the joints on the cake to help maintain authentic alignment—if you tin find them through the tar that'due south often spread on the exterior!
Forestall Moisture Trouble—Institute Adept Drainage
Any fourth dimension you install an egress window below ground, you have to ensure practiced drainage. If your basement has ever had wet problems, take these steps:
- Footstep one: Brand certain existing gutters and downspouts are clean and drain water away from the house. If necessary, install new gutters.
- Step two: Check the class of the slope around your foundation walls. Information technology should be i/2 in. per human foot at to the lowest degree 10 to 12 ft. out from the foundation wall.
- Stride 3: Brand sure the drainage system is in skilful repair. Many homes accept a drainage system around the footing of the foundation walls that sends excess water to a sump pump or exterior drain. If yous have such a system and your soil has a high clay content, create a gravel drainage path below your window well to tie into this system.
- Step 4: If you've had moisture or flooding issues, consult a waterproofing specialist earlier adding a below-ground window.
Caution!
If you lot wet the blade to reduce dust, make sure you lot plug your concrete saw into a GFCI outlet to prevent a hazardous shock.
Step vii
Curl up your sleeves and get to work
Consummate the cut from the outside
Terminate cutting through the wall by making the aforementioned cuts on the outside wall. If yous have a brick ledge like we did, some blocks will exist 12 in. thick and some will be 8 in. Mark the lines for the outside cut with tape and embrace the well expanse with a tarp to go along it make clean.
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Step 8
Knock out the cake
Break out the block with a iv-lb. hammer, starting at the tiptop middle. Work advisedly around the edges and then y'all don't loosen the remaining blocks. For stubborn blocks, beginning break out the core in the middle of the block, and then pause the block.
Footstep 10
Fill the block cores with concrete
Fill the open cores under the sill with physical. Stuff paper into the cores to keep the concrete from falling downwards through them.
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Step 11
Install the sill
Comprehend the moisture concrete with plastic sheeting and then the h2o from the concrete won't warp the frame sill. Bulldoze 3-in. deck screws partway into the treated wood sill and push them downwardly into the wet concrete. The screws will anchor the sill and prevent the frame from shifting.
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Footstep 12
Frame the basement window opening
Build the header co-ordinate to your plan (we installed two), hoist information technology into place and screw it to the flooring joists. Cutting the frame sides to length for a very tight fit and bang them into place to support the header. Plumb the sides with a level and toe-screw them to the sill and header. How to Get Rid of That Musty Scent in Your Basement
Pace 13
Anchor the frame to the block
Anchor each side of the frame to the cake wall with two 3/16 x 3-ane/4 in. physical screws. Predrill for the screws with a masonry bit. Countersink the hole for the screwhead with a 3/viii-in. drill bit.
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Step 14
Caulk around the frame
Seal gaps betwixt the wood frame and the concrete with polyurethane or other exterior caulk. For gaps more than 1/four in. broad, push a cream capitalist rod into the gap before caulking. With the frame deeply in place, you can remove the temporary support wall. In one case cutting, the masonry blocks won't autumn out of the wall. You have to break them out with a 4-lb. hammer (Photo 8). Be sure to wear middle protection. Fries will fly! With the block cleaved out, you'll see that your cuts won't align perfectly. Smoothen the sides as best you lot can with a brick chisel (Photo 9).
Photos 11 – 14 for setting the rough frame. Cut the pressure treated 2x10 to fit the thickness of your wall. Since we had both 8-in. and 12-in. thick blocks, we fit the window to the viii-in. thickness and mortared a beveled sill under the window to shed water over the 12-in. blocks (Photograph 17).
Anchoring the rough frame to the block tin can be tricky (Photo 13). Mark the cake where the concrete screws can get a expert bite into solid physical. Don't try to describe the side frames tight to the wall with the screws. Utilise shims when tightening the screws to keep the frame straight and plumb (perfectly vertical).
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Step xv
Install the window and wall finishes
Install the basement window
Centre the window in the opening and level it with cedar shims. Get aid here to steady the window while you shim it. Temporarily tack the shims in place and remove the window. Dwelling Repair: How to Flatten Basement Air Ducts to Gain Space
Stride sixteen
Caulk around the window
Apply a generous bead of caulk around the treated woods frame to create a seal behind the nailing fin of the basement window. Set the window in place, bank check it for level, and drive screws or nails through the nailing fin to secure information technology to the frame. Some manufacturers specify that the fin must be nailed, not screwed.
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Step 17
Create a bevel in the ledge
Bevel the ledge under the window with mortar and so it will shed water. Use a straightedge as a guide because your saw cutting won't exist perfectly direct. Wet the ledge, add the mortar and shape the bevel with a small finishing trowel. Installing the basement window (Photos 15 –17) volition go rapidly compared with the prep work. Most manufacturers include complete installation instructions with every window. Read through them to bank check for variations from our process. The trim work will vary according to the style of your home. The exterior finish could pose some problems because well-nigh foundation walls are coated with rubbery tar below the soil level. Nosotros chose to cover the entire exposed foundation around the window and inside the well with metal lath and stucco. If y'all accept lap siding, you may choose to utilize furring strips to the concrete and comport the lap siding down into the well area. On the interior, we trimmed the window with tile rather than the more traditional wood sill and casing; all the same, woods trim also will work well.
Egress Window Choices
Casement windows (windows that are hinged on one side and creepo open) and side-to-side sliding windows are the best choices for egress basement windows. Double-hung windows (windows that slide up and down) don't piece of work well considering they take to exist almost 5 ft. tall in club to run across the minimum openable area requirements—more digging and a deeper well. Here are some other tips to know about choosing egress window sizes.
Sliding windows don't accept to be every bit alpine as a double-hung, only they practice demand to be wide. It takes a 48 x 48-in. sliding window to encounter the minimum egress requirements.
Casement windows are usually ideal considering the entire window swings open. That ways y'all can install a smaller casement window than other types. A 29-in. wide by 47-in. wide (outside frame dimensions) window will meet the requirements, and you can go even smaller if the window is equipped with special egress hinges. Mod casement windows with a single lock are also the easiest for a child to open up. Cheque window sizes in manufacturers' catalogs at any abode eye or window and door store for basement casement windows.
Additional Data
Fig. A: Window Framing Details
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Originally Published: September 12, 2019
Source: https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/how-to-install-basement-windows-and-satisfy-egress-codes/
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