Cantilevered Bay Window Restoration

We’ve received a lot of calls this fall for weatherization work from clients eager to upgrade their windows, heating systems, or insulation.

 A recent University City client had a particularly drafty bay window attached to her ever-cold living room. Not only was the bay uninsulated, but it was severely water damaged on the exterior. 

So we were presented with an opportunity “to kill two birds with one stone”: insulate the bay and repair the rotted woodwork. (The ceiling and exterior walls of the living room were insulated to capacity with blown-in insulation as well).

Restore or Replace Exterior Trim?

Typically, we insulate older homes from the inside with blown-in fiberglass insulation. In this case, we removed the damaged wood panels, air sealed any gaps with spray foam, and insulated the bay from the outside with fiberglass batts. The old plywood panels were replaced with new Azek, exterior-grade sheathing. Also, some of the rot was repaired with Abatron wood restoration epoxy.

After the insulation and prep work was completed, the bay window was trimmed and painted to match the neighbor’s twin bay. The client appreciated the pairing of efficient problem-solving and quality workmanship. Most importantly, she was excited for her comfortable living room this winter.