Thread: Advice re. window problem needed

Put a plant pot in the middle to distract your eye!

Seriously, having a break or distraction in the middle somewhere will help stop your eye from comparing heights at each end.

I suspect that you'll notice it less once its finished too.

BTW, if you've got a 25mm drop over 900mm, you've got a worse problem somewhere!

This is an old Queenslander and maybe the builders didn't have a spirit level?
The window is square just not level with the floor.
Put a plant pot in the middle to distract your eye!

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 Seriously, having a break or distraction in the middle somewhere will help 
stop your eye from comparing heights at each end.

I don't think I have enough room behind the sink to put a pot plant there
and I don't like clutter under the window.
Suppose, if I halve the difference with the frame, it won't be as visual and we are probably the only ones who will notice anyway, because we know it is there.
Wolffie

Wolffie,

The idea of breaking up a straight line to conceal a problem was used quite often even by cabinet makers in the past. Mouldings can cover a multitude of mistakes. Perhaps putting a gently curving wood top to the stainless steel either concave or convex and making sure that the ends match the most noticeable discrepancy could be a way out of your trouble.

Putting a break in the centre also has merit. Bringing each side of a wood top trim into a moulding that splits the trim into two sections, such as a rosette could work.

Jerry

War does not decide who is right. War only decides who is left.

SS splashback looks a neat fit. Has it been cut to march the fall, or is there some hidden below bench level. If cut to fit, then any truly corrective measures like resetting the window will scrap the splashback.

Given that, the other options are to live with it or disguise with pots, cannisters etc (not matching) at each end.

The splashback goes below the benchtop but resetting the window in this old house is just not possible, the timber used for the framing is as hard as cast iron. Even the nailgun gave up the ghost. We think it could be ironwood.
They made them to last in those days, even Cyclone Larry didn't stand a chance
We were just talking about the cost today of building a house from handhewn timber, ouch my wallet.
I think we will just have to disguise it as best we can.
Wolffie

I'd still consider resetting it, anything else is a bodge up.

Theres a couple of ways to deal with the hard timber.
Drill clearance and pilot holes and screw with hardened screws or self tappers.
Drill clearance and pilot holes and nail it in using concrete nails

Wolfie, I did a major refurb on my uncles house last year, and we replaced 3 window frames with new ones. Two were made to measures to finish the same size as the ones they replaced, the third (for loo) was our choice as we were relocating it to move unused spece in the bathroom to a usefull location in the laundry.

The two that were made to match size of originals went in without any trouble, with the reveals being packed to level the window, and the frames secured by screwing through reveal and packers into hardwood frame erected in the late 40's, and so hard that the nail gun wouldn't go near it.

It helped that we had the plaster out and were insulating the walls as we went, but it was hassle free. If the worst come to be, It would possibly be fairly easy to fix up the frame opening with softwood or recent hardwood and reset the window that way.

I know that there will be work on the exterior cladding and lining around the window, but once the cabs and benching/plumbing and splashback are in place, it wll stay that way for the next 20 years as well. This really is the best time to correct it, but as always, its your call not mine.

I talked to a local builder about it today.
He said that the framework probably shifted when the house was transported from up north to here about 20 years ago, it had old frosted small pane timber frame windows so the lean could not be seen.
When the aluminium windows were put in 10 years ago, there were no kitchen to speak of, only a sink cabinet, they had a diagonal patterned splashback so the lean was not noticeable.
At the moment the inside and outside (vertical) boards are in line with the windows but, if we start moving the window, it will be out of line with the cladding and the end result will be worse than it is now.
He advised to skew the new bottom window surrounds about a quarter of the difference, make a beading on the benctop that skews another quarter and it will be almost impossible to see.
He said "don't tell anyone and they will never notice"
Old houses, you either love 'em or hate 'em.
Wolffie

Get a stainless angle iron shape made up thats the width of the window have it butt up against the window and lap over the current splashback.

level the window up in the stud frame. how hard can it be

Originally Posted by autogenous

level the window up in the stud frame. how hard can it be

It's not the window that's the problem, it's the frame/studs around it, whatever it is called. The window is a snug fit withing the hardwood (castiron) frame.
Wolffie

There's some great answers here. Start with the cheapest one and work your way up in cost.

How about a mural on the wall either side of the window?

prozac

Originally Posted by Wolffie

It's not the window that's the problem, it's the frame/studs around it, whatever it is called. The window is a snug fit withing the hardwood (castiron) frame.
Wolffie

In that case cut the window down a little leaving enough room to batton/shim so its square.

It's not the window that's the problem, it's the frame/studs around it, whatever it is called. The window is a snug fit withing the hardwood (castiron) frame.

The window would be screwed in?
Undo the screws, pull the frame out.
Have a look at the stud work. Actually its more like the trimmers under and over the window. If the trimmer isn't checked into the stud then you maybe able to whack it down 20mm or whack one end down 10mm and the other up 10mm with a big hammer.

If its checked saw and chisel the checkout and whack the trimmer under the window down.

If the studs are out then that would be evident all the way down the house to the corner. Is the corner of the house leaning adjacent to the window?

The other possibility is one of the stumps has dropped next to the window and its sagged. You can jack these things up and pack the stump with CFC or cement fibre cement sheet.