# How to make out of square replacement window sashes



## RichD1 (4 Mar 2021)

I'm replacing all the sashes in my bay window with DG ones in hardwood. But having measured them up not one of them is square.

I was thinking about making ply templates and then routing round once the new square sashes have been made but not sure where the datum point would be. I've now measured them more accurately including the diagonals so I was going to work out the minimum size which would cover all dimensions and then use a plunge saw and track to trim them down to the actual out of square fit sizes.

What are your thoughts on this or is there an easier way?

Richard


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## Just4Fun (4 Mar 2021)

As far as I can see you have 3 options:

You could make the sashes square and then trim the outer edges to match the non-square openings. This might be an easy option if the out-of-squareness is not huge.

Alternatively you could make the sashes out of square to match the opening. This would need a bit more thought over the joinery and might need non-square glass. I don't think I would ever (deliberately) make something like this out of square but maybe worth considering it if the out-of-squareness is too great for the first option to look good.

The third option is modifying the framework around the sashes to bring it square. This is the route I took on a couple of my windows. It worked OK; I opted to add extra timber to bring the window square rather than trying to remove some of the existing timber, which I think would have been an awkward operation. By the time everything was painted the modification was not noticable. If you are not going to have a painted finish it migt be more difficult to hide the remedial work.


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## paulrbarnard (4 Mar 2021)

I'd go for square then cut down. Much easier to build something square than deal with potential four different angles during the build.


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## RobinBHM (4 Mar 2021)

A few years ago I did a pair of casements 2700w x 1500h, it was an eight bedroomed period house in Uckfield which had suffered subsidence. The window openings were out of level by 2"....I made 2 new windows, I made them square, but it was a lot of head scratching working out the size.


I bet you bay windows have parallel sides but head and bottom rail have gone drunk.

All you need to do is make them say 2mm slack in the width and maybe a few mms taller than the height.

Start with the hinge side and shoot into size from that.


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## Woody2Shoes (4 Mar 2021)

Templating is not a bad idea. Another idea might be to make firring pieces to square up the openings. I suppose it depends how much out of whack they are.


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## Jacob (4 Mar 2021)

I wouldn't dream of making them out of square - Sashes usually fit into a stone or brickwork rebate - behind the masonry. So they'll fit if you match the original sizes but the masonry just won't look square. C'est la vie!


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## John Brown (4 Mar 2021)

Wouldn't be a problem for me. My stuff invariably ends up out of square.


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## Sachakins (5 Mar 2021)

John Brown said:


> Wouldn't be a problem for me. My stuff invariably ends up out of square.


Sounds like my stuff, thats why I changed to turning, its all round.
Maybe try and make your stuff not square, it may then end up square.


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## Ollie78 (5 Mar 2021)

Make them a bit big, shoot them in.

Ollie


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## Jameshow (5 Mar 2021)

I could lend you my Chinese square...... 

Cheers James


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## Woody2Shoes (5 Mar 2021)

Jacob said:


> I wouldn't dream of making them out of square - Sashes usually fit into a stone or brickwork rebate - behind the masonry. So they'll fit if you match the original sizes but the masonry just won't look square. C'est la vie!


I agree! I have an original Edwardian bay window which is out of square in two dimensions. I haven't got round to sorting it out yet...


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## RichD1 (5 Mar 2021)

Thanks guys. Think I will go with over size and then trim down.

Richard


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