We Made 5 DIY Windows from 2x4s and Saved $1,500

We built five custom windows to create a massive panoramic view in our tiny house loft using double pane, low-e coated, vacuum sealed window inserts and 2x4s from our local big box store.
Insta: / tinyityourself
Music Credit:
Lee Rosevere - Southside: freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee...
MBB - Take It Easy: / mbbofficial
Sophomore Makeout - Silent Partner: • Sophomore Makeout - Si...

[@dogmalogy3666]

a couple of points, the flashing needs to be bent at the bottom away from the house. Surface tension will allow the water to flow down and toward the house. Also for silicone chaulking, and to get a smoother cleaner finish, spray rubbing alcohol on the chaulking before smoothing it.

[@brianmann01]

You did a great job. However if someone wants to try this ; cut the channel for the windows first and the big cut second. The workpiece will be much more stable.

[@AlinaKali]

Thank you guys for a comprehensive tutorial, as well as all the helpful tips in the comments!

[@kimjensen8207]

You gotta admire the sheer will to go DIY here - think it through and do it as best you can. A trained carpenter, not to mention an experienced window maker would probably have one or 2 suggestions to add, but - the lesson here is that the trial and error principle decides the outcome. Thanks

[@PerspectivePhilosophy]

Great video guys, definately going the extra mile with it. love the attention to little details, its the small additions that make it your own.

[@rubystones341]

I would love to know how your DIY windows have held up over time!

[@collinjc5058]

I like your detailed & kind instruction along the process step by step. I was planning to make my laundry room window in the basement, and this video will be very helpful! Thank you for your great teaching.

[@rasmushansen1834]

absolutely brilliant guys thank you so much. I am about to make a window and never done it before, so this helps allot, Cheers.

[@debbushee6970]

An ice cube works real well for smoothing calk . and the reason the window trim goes wider on top and longer on side is to drain water away from the wood

[@fixpc9114]

Awesome video. I am getting so many ideas from this. Thank you. It looks really good and functional too!

[@charlotte97838]

Haven’t seen you guys in a while. I love your videos. Your very clear with your explanations. Thank you.

[@snsmystic]

Amazing! Thank you for sharing your know-how. I'd never seen metal studs/frames before, that's really interesting.

[@saxyrep1]

That's a very thorough and precise and well-done walkthrough. Thanks

[@joejoebus8814]

That is awesome you build your custom windows. Great job.

[@jessicawhite3810]

So satisfying to watch these projects! Maybe you'll build your own larger house one day...also 'twas nice to see you guys at Veg Fest!

[@joemiller8029]

Thanks so much for making this video, super helpful. I've got 22 windows on my 100 year old house, many need replacing and I'm considering following your direction!

[@davidianmusic4869]

Thanks, I’m at basically this stage, but with recovered (Restore) Windows. This is encouraging.

[@matthewcacace6804]

Impressive! Nice work, great channel. Good luck with the new tiny house.

[@afajalaka]

Clamping end-to-end for the router is a great idea. Great job on an intimidating project!

[@juancasanova2449]

Great video...keep up the good work and good luck with your dream home. I Admire your dedication and attention to detail. Thanks

[@mjgerges]

This video may be long but informative for someone like myself whose never had to build anything. I'm looking to install a viewing window for my outdoor cat house and possibly add solar. Our Texas weather flux from being either really hot one day or cold the next. Thanks for your video!! :)

[@billdodson207]

Great idea for a DIY window. Love it. No fancy tools! Good lesson on testing angles, testing dados, using scrap first. So nice to see down-to-Earth yet totally viable process.

[@pistolpeds]

Not a good idea at all in constructing the windows frames

[@terapiu]

I was thinking about this today, great job and thank you for some ideeas.Mitre saws don't have angles above 45 degrees because you can just substract from 90 what you want to get as a cut angle and turn it around, for ex if you want 47.5 degrees you just set 42.5 and turn the wood around :)

[@SirSlickman]

If the saw is dual bevel no need to turn the wood around but great point I was thinking the same thing !

[@Arouth249]

Thanks for this. You’ve made an awesome guide

[@Brianrogers86]

Love Seeing these money saving ideas! You two are doing a great job! Can't wait to see more

[@derekcraig3617]

It's not saving any money. They'll pay through the nose in energy costs over the life of these windows

[@itzakpoelzig330]

Okay, Debbie Downer! 😂

[@Shelbizleee]

I love how in depth your videos are! Thank you for being so helpful.

[@darielkenneth2571]

You all prolly dont care but does any of you know a way to log back into an Instagram account? I somehow lost the account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me!

[@vincentmoses8204]

@Dariel Kenneth instablaster :)

[@typhoontim125]

Respect from Dublin Ireland...great bespoke work!

[@diogenesferreira326]

Thank you it is very hard to find this information online. thanks for your time in putting it out.

[@nevesdarocha]

I recently moved into a house built over 100 years ago. The windows on the basement are original to the house. I noticed that the screen windows are removable from the basement and they are also original. I will tell you that they are built with a through mortise and tenon joint. The joint that you built has a design flaw in that you are joining and grain to end grain which means you have less adhesion then you would if you were joining long grain to long grain. In the future, you might consider using a dowel joint which is much stronger than a nail or screw system and still takes advantage of the glue on the grain

[@Monsieur405]

Katie Neves the question is, how strong does it need to be? I’d bet you a million bucks the window builders of 100 years ago would have used screws if they were as good as today’s.

[@KevinBower-gy5be]

Window frames are made from hardwood using mortise and tenon joints for a reason. Apart from the fact that softwood will rot almost instantly no matter how much paint you slap on it, the first shower of rain will run straight into these screwed-together mitres, rot them out, rust the screws, and blow the joint apart. The number of people simping 'wow, great job!!!' shows you just how dangerous and misleading this kind of amateur-hour video is.

[@harrypehkonen]

Could make some of the parts of the frame removable so that the pane can be replaced if one leaks or breaks. That Alex stuff should really be painted for longevity. Silicone caulking adheres nicely to glass.

[@patbarrett9263]

Nice job, the only thing I did when I made my windows was to add caulk to my miter joints just to keep any moisture out of the joint and I used a better grade of caulk. No DAP crap for me! I used all GE caulk.

[@miriam-fabiano]

Great job. Thank you for sharing.

[@someonespadre]

I really like your ideas presented here. Our house dates to 1935. The wooden casement windows are simple, built like a small door. It has stops on the inside. The operator is a pushrod with a nut on top which locks the rod by tightening on it. The pushrod is available on vintage house hardware sites. Those crank assemblies always seem to fail eventually.

[@alec4672]

Wood glue would be best for the corners, glue the ends line up the two pieces and use tiny finish nails to hold them in line then use a strap to clamp around the window checking for square. Run the bead of sealant in the channel before assembling them around the glass and finish the outside with a second "trim bead". Great work though!! One of the few videos I've found actually making the frames

[@c50ge]

If you were to use wood glue and someone were to break the glass you would not be able to reuse the wooden frame. You would have to build a new frame.

[@joelrothschild5328]

Can't thank you enough for this video. I wanted some 6" x 72" windows and could not find them commercially. So I had the double-pane windows made locally for $80 each and this was the perfect solution for mounting. You saved the day!

[@Brady_Family]

I'm looking to do the same, what would I search for to find a company locally who makes the inserts?

[@SimpleArtisan]

Same question you just find a carpenter?

[@Mov3334]

Neatly explained. Great video.

[@Brimannn1]

What a brilliant idea!

[@sanatandharma4435]

It has given me some ideas. Many thanks indeed.

[@majorrgeek]

I enjoyed your video and I got some great tips and ideas from it - thanks

[@richardlove4287]

Use redwood, paint the end wood and learn how to use linseed oil putty to hold in your glass, loads easier and so easy to do. Great job guys.

[@BrentDaughertyMe]

Richard Love do you suggest a video or other source?

[@angeloc700]

For info on glazing putty, I believe TOH has done videos on replacing a broken piece of window glass…. But the stuff is pretty easy to use and seals well.

[@trianglebean3884]

So helpful, there’s barely any diy window vids out there!

[@apcoronado]

I love this video, I was wondering how I might use thick acrylic the same way to make some picture windows. Thanks!

[@doggiesarus]

I have an old house and want to make large picture windows but do not like the cost. I've been looking for instructions online for a while, so thanks. It seems to me that finishing those frames with countertop epoxy would make the windows totally waterproof on the outside at least.

[@hollyd1392]

That's exactly what I was thinking. I don't know how that would work with the expansion and contraction though?

[@notthegrandma5733]

This was totally worth watching to the end. My favorite part was the broken screw in the caulking tube. Laughed my a** off!

[@joshuapennekamp4333]

To get a crisper caulking line I like to mask it off with painters tape. Once the caulk is placed, I remove it immediately, and it looks nice! Although that is an added expense, and not necessary.

[@jennyzegarra7158]

Thanks for sharing it's what I need to do it!

[@kusnezoff8705]

I knew you would have to recut because of the thickness of the paint. didn't think of that before hand eh, that comes with experience and now you have it. lesson learned, good job.

[@trangwuong7689]

Beautiful, thank you.

[@stonodo]

I think you did a great job and this was very helpful to me. The only comment I would make is that I think it would be helpful to add some glue to the joints before screwing them. Great video, thank you!

[@pistolpeds]

If he glued the joints the frame would possibly be unusable if the glass needed replacement as completely dismantling the frame is the only way to replace glass.

[@ikidd3123]

@@pistolpeds Correct way to do these is to use a removable molding on the inside to be able to remove the pane.

[@Actio83]

Great vid, very well structured :)

[@dejayrezme8617]

Wow fantastic video, this is really great information. Thanks a lot! But seeing you cut the beams on the table saw you could see it moving up and down lol. With more care at that stage you would probably have a more precise cut and less cleanup. I'm also wondering if using epoxy to make the wood waterproof would be a good idea. It would need epoxy and then varnish for UV protection. But maybe that is not good because if water does get trapped it can't get out again? PS: Btw I'm pretty sure you can't paint over silicone caulking.

[@GermanShepherdRanch]

Great video. I’m a new subscriber. I’m homesteading in the Ozark Mountains and building my own home and ranch. I started a KZbin channel. I just knew that I would like this DIY on building a window. Now I’m gonna go back and check over your other videos.

[@whatever_12]

Uhm are you on the run from the cartel too?

[@TheRealLeahBibi]

This was an awesome video! Great job! How have them been holding up?

[@laurapagano9497]

Wow amazing job guys.

[@lucsavignacconstruction]

Thanks! I’m going to take these principles and do a triangular shaped casement window on a tiny home a-frame… wish me luck 😅

[@heatseekerbus]

So nice when you got the right tools available.

[@micahpdiamond]

This is possible with just a circular saw and effective cut guide. The consistency and quality may not be as good and it will definitely take longer, but it's doable.

[@ericmarks6322]

HEATSEEKER BUS

[@rebeccaaaron3082]

I’d love an update on how these are holding up!

[@dianevessels2632]

Nice job. Thanks for sharing.

[@WeemakechangeCoNz]

great vid guys!

[@mabr82]

Excellent work.

[@jimgellein1072]

Thank you for the end to end router lesson.

[@hitabo]

Highly recommend zflashing above the windows... keeps a lot of water off. Also, your flashing on the bottom needs a ridge and bending it back towards the house will pull the water straight in to the wall. Just my experience with old wood windows in wet mountain areas. Also, the reason the windows are wider on top is to provide a way for water to get out of the frame if it penetrates the frame. Sealing them tight prevents the drainage. I usually add a wee pilot hole to let them breath from the bottom. Nice attempt!

[@susanconklin4945]

Do you know of a video showing this? Asking as I have 6 large gable windows. I’m out in the middle of nowhere (off grid property) and window makers have not beers enthusiastic about measuring and making windows

[@aftech7268]

You could have just spent the extra dollars on treated wood and a good primer and paint it will save a lot in the long run

[@brntuk]

One little point two years after the event! Before priming the wood, use shellac or knotting on the knots. In summer the resin around those knots warms up and with movement breaks through the paint film causing the start of the deterioration of your wood. A little shellac on the knots a half hour before you prime stops this. An even better solution than using primer, undercoat etc. is to use microporous paint which still allows the wood to breathe. You only need 2 coats of microporous rather than 4 for a conventional paint system and then when you come to repainting in 5 - 10 years you just wash down the microporous system and paint, rather than the labour intensive sanding/undercoating, sanding gloss system. You can get microporous paint in white so it doesn't look too different to the norm.

[@junkmail4613]

19:59 instead of pulling the caulk gun, if you were to PUSH IT, you would push the caulk into the joint (so no cavities, where there'd be pull-out) and have minimal waste, and a nice "cylindrical profile" with LEAST WASTE pushed aside.

[@theovannieuwenhuizen5756]

Neat idea! But how would you change out a broken window? Where I live the double glazing is usually mounted floating. So it's not touching the frame. It's supported in a few places at the bottom. In and outside are taped with compression tape. So the glass pane is floating in the frame. The glass is then framed with battens and the voids chalked. The chalking is what holds the glass pane in place and let's the wooden frame expand and contract with seasonal changes. Let me know what you think.

[@juginstr1019]

GOOD JOB!.THANK YOU.

[@watchtheskies]

If you are only screwing the corners together (ie no glue) I would definitely paint the end grain on the end of each piece before constructing the window

[@indahpratiwi4308]

How come?

[@utubeape]

@@indahpratiwi4308 because water seeps into the join

[@pwntagerz]

Really cool video!

[@roydesignedthat]

Nice craftsman/lady ship! BestRoy

[@cathexis1325]

Great job!

[@tinvy8291]

Thank you going to try this out because it’s so expensive to have custom windows made

[@papaul7470]

Great video!

[@lawrencescott943]

How are the windows holding up? Any moisture or thermal issues? How about a follow up video!

[@CaitlinEverettStuff]

Hey! How have these performed so far? If you were going to do anything differently, what might it be? THank you for such a great video!

[@JDlupin]

Well I was not expecting to come here and see him, that is so cool, what a small world

[@MichaelSmith-nk4yq]

Great video, not only did I pick up some great tips, but I also learned how not to do some things. Thanks for sharing, I hope your video goes on to help many others. Btw, is there anything you would do differently?

[@daranddavies7388]

Would really love to see how these are holding up five years from now. They look great - but the only way these would work in a dry climate. In a wet climate or exposed area they will not last more than a few years.

[@augustlongpre64]

What problems would a wet environment create? And how might one address them?Thanks

[@tiytinyityourself7733]

To summarize the cost, it was about $575 total: $500 in custom double pane inserts, $25-30 in wood, $10 in paint, $20 on the casement hardware, and we used leftover screws and flashing but that could have been another $30. One thing we didn't mention in this video was that we originally thought we were going to make our own double pane inserts to save even more money and learn some more. But getting 10 pieces of custom glass and a bunch of rubber desiccant spacer (super spacer is a product that looked the best) would have been more expensive, not vacuum sealed, and could have eventually had condensation issues.

[@micahpdiamond]

How much time did you end up spending on building them?

[@cskye6529]

Condensation issues are overblown. Maybe you can make removable interior storm windows for the winter.

[@sriniwass]

Could you please post the source of the custom window inserts? That's an insanely cheap price.

[@yichaoli7661]

​@@sriniwass I want to know the company too!

[@khandam7709]

good job, If your desing is flexible you can get good used windows for about the same price. lowes and HD often clearnce out windows as well. saw 6 windows at lowes today 32x38 for $32 each

[@laurieparis2203]

Very clever!

[@stephenwatson1873]

Interesting project, How will you change the double glazed unit when it gets condensation between the 2 panes of glass?

[@michaeljohnson1006]

when I just converted some frames to double glazing. I used external beeding with a slope under the bottom beeding ( like a mini window will) and a gap to drain any water out.. The main problems with wood is the channel's fill with water and make the double glazed unit fail.. You can drill drainage channel's out of the lower frame as well.. Yours looks good though, but I would worry about water getting in, can you drill some hole's some how?

[@pistolpeds]

@michael johnson: You obviously put a lot more thought into servicing, watershed and longivety that they did. Let's hope they never build a wooden boat without doing a bit more research.

[@juancortes5876]

Great video thank you

[@MindBodySoulOk]

Look at the prices! Wow I remember those days; the good ole days.

[@blakefl8623]

What company did you buy the glass from?

[@attilabodi826]

Great job.

[@foxtrot1666]

Would have been cool to use Trex composite decking for the frames.

[@TimG...]

Thanks for the great video! Have you done a follow-up yet?

[@swatisquantum]

Whoaaa... window making! I’ve been wondering this for so long. This is exactly what I pictured. You guys added so many cool details. Props!

[@lu845carpenter]

BEST video ever

[@coolhluke8089]

I think I'm going to fill that groove with silicone so it doesn't leak but I like that design. As far as being able to replace the glass I think I'll change a little bit of the design there as well. But all-in-all this was very thank you

[@MohamedAli-eo6nb]

Thank you for your expertise. But How would you protect the frame wood from rain water in the long future?

[@someonespadre]

Paint

[@JR-gc8el]

Wouldn't using an all silicon caulking be better to seal the windows?

[@Highintensityhealth]

Is this Mic The Vegan?? Good video!

[@paulg444]

Very interesting, but maybe a discussion about your window headers could help. I didnt see how the roof above was supported over those 3 window bays.

[@Ohm51]

This is a stellar video, but I'm a little concerned that you left no allowance for the full 3/4" pane plus paint ... and there it is ... the panes didn't fit. What do you think the final cut width result that was needed for glass allowance plus paint? Cutting that notch an extra 1/8" or 1/16"? Too tight and it won't fit (I'd also be a bit concerned for any thermal expansion and contraction) ... too loose there might be fitment problems or the glass rattling in the wind.

[@RobHarding]

Finally a DIY window video that actually shows really clearly how to do it!

[@TheoSmith249]

samurai carpenter does a nice vid too

[@marcogarcia5051]

What happens if one window breaks how do you replace it? Do you have to take off the whole frame?

[@eddiet3026]

Can you provide the name of the custom glass company?

[@vintagelife5195]

How they holdin up? They fog inside?