Quonset Hut Side Window Installation, T-Model Quonsets, and Passive Solar Design

Today on Quonset Q & A Earl discusses how we installed our side windows, T-model Quonset buildings, and how they relate to passive solar design in your Quonset hut.
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[@ProfessorMBalmer]

Thank you for your weekly show. Have a great new year.

[@CleverModerns]

Thanks for watching, and Happy New Year to you, too!

[@lightspeedguru]

It seems to me that it would have been easier to install the sill and canopy first... and then push the window frame into the hole and bolt it in place. This would have allowed you to cut the opening more precisely to eliminate the gap between the cut end of the arch and the top of the window frame... that is causing that hole.

[@CleverModerns]

I probably showed the worst one of the bunch, but even if you got a tighter fit, there would still be caulking required to give it the final seal, just less of it. There's no way to overlap the metal components to achieve a properly shingled/flashed assembly. A properly designed assembly wouldn't need caulking, which will eventually fail no matter what. Also, cutting the opening so precisely isn't as easy as it seems. For one the metal boxes for the windows aren't really all identical, they vary. There is a lot of slop in the manufacturing of them, and the canopies are similarly irregular in various ways. It's definitely not a lego set that snaps neatly together. The boxes were wider than the canopy/sill pieces, which you can't really tell from the photos. These are just some of the many factors. The canopy needs to fit very tight against the top of the box and it would be quite difficult to cut it as precisely as you describe, in the field with a grinder. I think if the manufacturer redesigned the whole window system they could come up with a better fitting product.

[@jasonhumphreys261]

Why not use butyl instead of caulking? It stays sticky and soft forever, doesn’t shrink, etc.

[@ericwilson2186]

I'm thinking b better with some kind of evetroughs .anybody ideas out there

[@ericwilson2186]

Think I'm leaving mine intact

[@melissajennings8999]

If I didn't need natural lighting we would just have windows on the end. We have Steelmaster. Don't remember the type but our windows aren't like these bc our slope doesn't start as low as these & allows for more regular type windows. We still have to cut the steel & manufacturer provided nothing on installing these. Steelmasters didn't send us any bracing. We're about to start on the 1st side window this weekend. It's one piece. Our panels on either side of the windows is the same guage as the rest but we went with an upgrade from the start due to potential snow loads & 75 mph winds. Wish we didn't have a problem with FB so we could join the group but alas, I have serious problems with it. I mostly only do KZbin for quonset hut tips & tricks. We avoided many issues by learning from other's experiences. If we didn't both have construction experience, we probably wouldn't have done this. It's just the 2 of us & we aren't spring chickens or in good health but we're getting it done!

[@ericwilson2186]

Mine is a x or double xx .they said this was the best for our area in Canada on the prairies.your thoughts?

[@CleverModerns]

You must have a very high snow load there. If the manufacturer says a particular model is best for your location, I would take their word for it. They will have to do the structural calculations etc.

[@curtwarkentin7743]

I was curious if you have any information on burying a quonset. I have seen a few pics of a couple that were turned into an earth shelter home type thing but can't find any real information on it. I even saw a pic of one that has since been removed in the website of one steel building seller. Just curious on your thoughts on this.

[@CleverModerns]

There would be a ton of non-trivial challenges to overcome to do this but I won't say it's impossible. You would basically have to do all the engineering yourself, and no Quonset manufacturer would ever warranty the building. They would sell it to you but burying it would void the warranty and their engineers wouldn't help you figure it out or anything. This comes up from time to time in our Quonset Dwellers group on Facebook.

[@curtwarkentin7743]

@@CleverModerns kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJnIkot-apyjh9E Actually found the pic at 0:27 into this video. Love the idea. it is even the cover photo for their video. LOL But yes I hear the dealers are zero help anmd will automatically void the warranty if you say you are going to bury it.

[@CleverModerns]

@@curtwarkentin7743 Ha! I'm surprised they put that image out there. I do really like the idea of solving all the technical challenges with this. I think the best approach would be to use the Quonset as a support for a shotcrete structure like the guy at the Home in the Earth channel does. Once the concrete was cured it would essentially take over as the structural system, and the metal shell would just be the interior finished surface. That way the metal shell would only need to support the load of the wet concrete (seems nontrivial but not impossible). The cured concrete structure would be much stronger than the steel shell at that point and could handle the weight of the earth over top of it. Then stack a waterproofing membrane, drainage mat, root barrier, dirt, and plants!

[@lightning9279]

Did you ever think about welding the side windows instead of using caulk?

[@CleverModerns]

I can weld but I'm not that good at welding thin sheet metal, skill-wise. I'm pretty sure you would void the manufacturer's warranty though, if you took it upon yourself to weld their parts after they left the factory. There are also a lot of irregularly-shaped gaps and when you're talking about welding thin material I'm not sure on what the limits are for how much gap filling you can actually do with the welds. So maybe/maybe not.

[@Cactii101]

Welding galvanized parts is always really terrible.

[@mmanut]

Must be a way to introduce flashings to those side windows. I’m a builder, caulking is no water proofing. U must flash it. Lousy, lousy design. Great little building but those side windows suck. Vinny 🇺🇸

[@CleverModerns]

Hey Vinny, I agree 100% with you. We are going to frame little low-slope eyebrow-rooflet things over them and put a membrane roof on those. It will probably be next spring before we can get to it though. For now they are holding the water out. What do you think about a TPO roof membrane and bring it up several inches above the box, adhered to the metal?

[@melissaquinn2620]

some good info, butvuse a script

[@earlparson3936]

Thanks for the constructive feedback, I appreciate it!