Another ongoing project that is on my DIY list of things to do is replacing all of the windows in the garage, or what was once a carriage house. The carriage house dates back to 1900, the same year that the house was built. The following photo was taken probably in the mid-1930s. At that time, the carriage house had a cupola, but it is now gone.

There are 7 windows, 5 on the first level, and 2 on the second level. Also, there are a couple of small square windows in the back.

The existing windows are old and falling apart. When we bought the house in 2022, I noticed that some of the glass was broken in some of them as well. I temporarily closed them off using plastic sheeting and wood on the inside to prevent the wind and rain from getting in.

We don’t want to try and restore the windows in the carriage house to the original type, so we decided instead just to get white vinyl replacement windows with muntins that look somewhat similar to what was there. So, a new DIY project started in September of last year. I started out by just buying one replacement window to see how things would go. I began with the window on the first floor to the right of the garage door. This window had easy access, so it was perfect to start with.

I had to remove some of the existing window framing and reframe the window surround on the inside before I could install the replacement. I used barrier tape on the outside as instructed to create a seal. I also used pressure-treated wood to create a new window surround and sill on the outside. It blended well with the existing clapboard. Lastly, a coat of primer and a top coat finished the job.

I was happy with the way it came out. I plan on ordering additional replacements. It’s nice to be able to open the window for cross-ventilation in the summer.