prepping window for glass placement
final caulking step of new window
We finally have our new bent windows in hand, and this past weekend, we installed one of them.
About two months ago, Wil removed the original curved windows from the foredeck (bending windows post). Up until this point, Wil has been able to use each old window as a template for each new window. However, the curved windows were a different story. He had to take the original windows, along with the new sheet of glass, to someone who can bend acrylic. This guy uses some sort of propane weed torch. He slowly heats up the area to be shaped and then manipulates the glass until the appropriate shape is achieved. Then he makes a rough cut that is somewhat close to the original window.
When we first got our windows back, the curve was actually too far, and we had to get the glass guy to relax the curve a bit. When we got the windows back the second time, they still stood too high off the deck, but they were the correct shape. Trimming the glass bit by bit brought the glass to its proper fit. Our more window work post describes our general window installation in more detail.
The next challenge was figuring out how to stick the window to its exact spot. If the sticky tape in the middle grabbed the window before we were ready to push the window in place, we would have an impossible mess to deal with. We performed a few practice runs before settling on the final how-to. Kneeling on the upper side, I had a spacer and two screw drivers in place to keep the glass centered and off of the tape at my end. Wil pressed the lower side into the caulk and tape first. Then, while pressing inward at the bottom, he slowly pressed the curve down to position. Finally, I pulled the screw drivers out and pressed the upper side down. And voila, the window was in place!
The final part is usually pretty funny. Anyone passing by at this point might wonder why we are lying on our backs pressing our feet against the windows. Or might wonder why we’re doing silly little dance steps with our feet. It’s our ritual to make sure the window is pressed into place and won’t be popping out at any point in time.
It felt good to pull off the plastic and tape from one window opening. For the past two months, we’ve been a tad nervous with every passing weather front, and I’ve had to re-tape the plastic more than once. Just one more curved window to go, and our crew quarters will be safe and sound.
