[md2020]

What is a good rule of thumb to go by when figuring trim detail size around windows so that it is proportional to the siding size?

I'll be using Miratec to give this house a craftsman feel.
Using 7 1/4" JH - 6" Reveal.
Is 5 1/2" for outside corners and windows too much?
I know house size comes into play too, this is a 2000 sq ft. and window sizes avg. 3' x 5'

Let me know your expierences and opions.
Thanks in advance,

md

 

[TLHWindows]

You need to take into account your window frame size too.

5 1/2 may be way to big. I try keep it around 60-70%. So 3.5- 4.5".

 

[Tom Struble]

most older colonials around here use 5'' on the casing with average 4''siding exposure

,but a craftsman doesn't have to have the rails and head match in width but always the head would be wider not narrower

depends on your trim details are you using a sill or picture frame?

 

[md2020]

Going with sill look. Here is my bottom with beveled sill.
This is all 5/4, 5 1/2" with 2" sill (not fully attached at yet).
5 1/2 may be a bit much for the sides and the bottom isn't a done deal either.
I always like the bold depth these trims give to the windows. This is my first expierence with FC and Miratec. In the past with vinyl I've built 3-4" coil stock "picture frame" style with an incorporated j-channel.

 

[TLHWindows]

Most Craftsman's I've see here are sills with "narrow" rails, around 3 1/2" with a large header, 5-6". A few with some detail on the rails.

 

[greg24k]

Each building must have its own character and its own design factors that will make the building look right and well designed. Most homes you see will have a 3 1/2" exterior casing, which is a very popular size in 85% of home designs. The wider the trim, the more it will take away from the overall facade detail, i.e it will take the eye away from window detail, siding detail, and other house characteristics columns, railings etc. Someone said to me a long time ago that you cannot make exterior trim same size or wider then the fascia. Trim should always be a size smaller so it will not dominate the facade style. If you have 8"+ fascia and you have a large home frontage 2+ stories with 8+/12 pitch roof, and tall windows, you can get away with 6" trim. If you have an average home with (3x5 windows in your case) anything wider then 3.5" it will over power the look and it will look out of place.

 

[Tom Struble]

i have never seen milled trim 3.5'' wide that was not a more modern rendition

 

[Tom Struble]

Going with sill look. Here is my bottom with beveled sill.
This is all 5/4, 5 1/2" with 2" sill (not fully attached at yet).
5 1/2 may be a bit much for the sides and the bottom isn't a done deal either.
I always like the bold depth these trims give to the windows. This is my first expierence with FC and Miratec. In the past with vinyl I've built 3-4" coil stock "picture frame" style with an incorporated j-channel.

i think you have way too much skirt that could be cut down to say 3'' then to 4.5-5'' rails,then either the same size head with an additional ''wood'' drip or go to 7''

kinda like house 517 on here
http://www.houzz.com/photos/126202/Greenlake-Custom-Home-traditional-exterior-seattle

i like seeing bringing the paper and flashing through the sill/rail connection:thumbsup:i would leave it a little longer and leave it loose to you could tuck the next to last course under it so it can drain to daylight
i would rabbit the skirt so you can bring up the siding behind it

 

[md2020]

Thanks everyone for your input, it helps!

Tom, thanks, I've found too many times when tearing into an older house and seeing around the windows where water has found its way in. the older the home, the uglier it gets. I've just been in the habit of oversizing my flashings and installing them when putting the windows in. Then when siding (always been vinyl previous to this FC) I trim the bottom of the flashing to lay on top of the last full row under the window. Even more imortant on window details like I'm working on here - more places water can make its way in if something fails.

I do like the looks of the link you attached, other than the angles on the header. It now makes better sense, my mock up is way too big.
Excellent idea on rabbiting the skirt also.

Thanks again,
md

 

[hdavis]

Normally the sill face would be parallel to the side of the house. Just takes ome more angle cut and a quick sanding. If it were wood, the old sills had a drip groove about 1/8"X1/8" cut in on the bottom.

 

[superseal]

These are 3.5 inches - and don't forget your drip relief.

 

[Tom Struble]

tyvek looks like it's been on for some time?i'd worry about it's long term performance if it's been exposed to u.v. too long..just an observation

 

[md2020]

Tyvek

You are correct, its been on for over a year. With direct UV and elements we are told Tyvek has a life span of 4-6 months. Our tyvek "Specialist" says we can put new right over this. Once the siding details are worked out we are putting new drain wrap over the existing wrap.

 

[Tom Struble]

good but i would tie the existing sill flashings to drain over the new wrb,just slit the old and slide up the new under the windows:thumbsup:

 

[ROVACON]

good but i would tie the existing sill flashings to drain over the new wrb,just slit the old and slide up the new under the windows:thumbsup:

over, up and under.......got it.............:shifty:


:laughing:

 

[Tom Struble]

:thumbup:

 

[plazaman]

With a 7" Exposure siding, would a 4 3/4 trim all around work? Rake, corners, and windows?

 

[Reframmelator]

Can someone explain to me why the sill is so much wider than the window in md20s0's pictures above?

We're redoing our exterior so it doesn't look just like the other 1,099 two-box Colonial homes in our 1970s development.

We searched the internet, drove through older towns and newer developments and showed the ideas to an architect friend of mine. He came up with a sketch that had sills extending past the windows, under the shutters. We never saw that anywhere else until I saw md2020's pictures above. We must have looked at 400 homes - seriously - in person and online and have not seen this treatment anyplace else.

Maybe the fact we haven't seen an example here in upstate NY is a reason we don't want to do this on our home, but I'd really like to know why the sill is made that wide. Could someone enlighten me?

 

[greg24k]

Maybe he likes to have big ears on things... and if you lucky, he be back to give you the answer, just don't hold your breath...this post is ancient history.

 

[md2020]

Ears...

Those photos were just a mock up, with the side trim pieces not installed. I'll get some photos of the finished install.