Once the 14-inch wet-saw was used to create the gap for the steel lentil installation, a dual-blade deep-saw was used to cut the rough openings perimeter which allowed the front side of the cinder blocks to be knocked out with a mallet.
A matching 39-inch-by-70-inch window was installed for the new office, and a 15-inch-by-70-inch sliver window was positioned in the new office kitchenette to allow in some natural light.
Photos by Marc LaBossiere / Winnipeg Free Press
Accurate Dorwin Inc crew began by positioning the aluminum frame, ensuring it was level before securing it to the cinder blocks before the dual-glass panes were installed.
Once the full breach of the cinder blocks was accomplished, the interior drywall, studs, insulation were removed, and networking cables re-routed. A temporary two-by-twelve was set in place to keep the lentil from shifting.
Working at a commercial job site presents one big and obvious challenge — how to get the required tasks achieved during regular business hours, with minimal disruption to the everyday workplace activities of the business. For the less intrusive jobs, a contractor will do his best to muddle about in the background, in an attempt to stay out of everyone’s way. For bigger endeavours, however, it just isn’t possible — off hours over the weekend may be the best option.
After completing the introduction of a few new offices, and the relocation of the office kitchenette within the Petro-Canada Cardlock job site in St. Boniface a short while back, it was necessary to co-ordinate the how and when to introduce the two new windows desired for one of the new offices, as well as for the kitchen. The new windows must match the existing windows around the building, while catering to the specifics and desired requirements as set forth by the client. The exterior cinder block wall would be breached, to coincide with the exact positioning of each window’s interior placement — there was no room for error. With very little aluminum-frame window-installing experience, I called upon the experts at Accurate Dorwin Inc. to discuss the project. Following an on-site visit, the aluminum windows were ordered to specification, best matching the existing windows on the building. Accurate would then notify me once the windows had been manufactured.
My concerns were many: 1) Once the cinder block wall is breached, how soon could the windows be installed? 2) What gauge of steel lentil was required for the new window rough openings? 3) How easily could networking and/or electrical wiring behind the interior wall at the new window locations be rerouted? 4) The studs (and drywall) would need to be cut away, but in what order? 5) And once the breach was completed, how to temporarily secure the openings until the windows are installed. In that this entire process relied upon the co-ordinated efforts of my initial rough opening prep-work, and the timely scheduling of the windows installation, I quickly realized that many of these steps could not be achieved during regular weekday business hours — it would be noisy, invasive and prevent nearly all day-to-day business activities, and this was not acceptable. Therefore, I opted to schedule the job tasks as follows: the full breach and rough openings for both new windows would be tackled over a given weekend, so that the window-installation crew could then install the windows on a Monday morning. In speaking with Bob Saunders at Accurate Dorwin Inc., a 38-year veteran window installer, the scheduling details were sorted out and the installation date was chosen based on when I planned to prep the window openings.
A few weeks prior to the formal breach (and while awaiting the manufacturing of the windows), the window locations were marked on the walls both inside and out, based on the existing windows found throughout the building, and best placement of each window within the respective spaces of the new office and kitchenette. Several confirmation measurements were taken to guarantee that the rough openings marked on the exterior cinder block wall matched those on the interior drywall. Once I was 100 per cent certain that the locations matched, the drywall was cut away to reveal studs, insulation and all wiring that may inadvertently be in the way. Luckily, only a few network cables ran vertically through both windows locations. These lines were rerouted and the exterior cinder block process could begin.
On a sunny Saturday morning in mid-May, I rented the first of two saws — a 14-inch diamond blade wet-saw was needed to create the initial perimeter cuts for both windows. This saw also allowed me to create the gap along the top horizontal edge of what would be the top of the windows’ rough openings, required for the installation of the three-eighths-thick window lentils that must be set into place before the full breach was attempted. Of course, midway through the process, the wet-saw failed. Luckily, another saw was available for rent and the good folks at Home Depot were kind enough to swap out the malfunctioning saw for another. This took the better part of the day. The next day was crucial — full breach was required because the window installing crew was scheduling to arrive at 9 a.m. on Monday. So, I had to get the job done.
I rented the second saw, a dual-blade deep-penetrating wet-saw which would allow me to slowly cut my way through the girth of cinder blocks, roughly eight inches thick. I began with the kitchen window, a 15-inch-high by 70-inch-long window set to matching window height that would allow sunlight into the new office kitchenette. Because the window locations follow existing grout mortar lines of the cinder blocks, the through-and-through breach proved less difficult than anticipated. I also noticed that it was optimal to cut away the front side of the hollow blocks, which I could then knock away with a mallet rendering the far side of the blocks easier to cut and manage. The process was flawless, and both rough openings through the exterior wall were completed in less than three hours. Once the wet-saw was retired for the day, the interior studs were then cut away based on the newly created openings within the cinder block wall. Slightly oversized half-inch OSB boards were then secured along the interior wall to close off the window openings, awaiting the arrival of the window installers the next morning.
Once the Accurate Dorwin crew arrived, their step-by-step process began. The aluminum frame of the kitchen was first set into the rough opening, shimmed to level and secured to the cinder block wall. The dual-glass pane was then mounted within the frame, caulked in place, and the inside retention frame was fastened to the window unit. This process was repeated for the office window. With both windows in place, the exterior edges of the windows were then sealed along the cinder block with grey caulk. Within a few hours, with minimal disruption to the office staff, the windows installation process was completed. Although the interior finishing would not be tackled until a later date (when I’m also on-site to remodel the front reception area and print station), the introduction of two new windows was a complete success… and a load off my mind. Let the light shine in.
It is often necessary to co-ordinate multiple schedules as a means to an end. It requires some give and take, from all parties. I didn’t relish the thought of working over a weekend, but it was the only way to get these windows installed efficiently. Thankfully, the Accurate Dorwin team was able to accommodate, with short notice, an installation date that would minimize the wait time between full breach and windows installed. And other than a few hours of inconvenience on a Monday morning, the commercial space was able to continue its operation without disruption — so glad it all worked out!
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