In an early (2012) video, Matt Risinger gives us a nice take on building windows on site – part of the renovation of a 1940s home, for which the architect specified some old-school wood windows to be built on site. Some great carpentry design here. Matt’s head carpenter, Bill Wood, is doing what all good carpenters should: Thinking forward about what the water will do, and solving drainage issues not only with flexible flashings and metal sill pans, but with the arrangement of the wood itself – the window pieces, trim and siding. The “sacrificial nose piece” is an excellent way to think long term. Maintenance will be required in any exterior environment, but no need to rip out the entire window when the elements have their day. (And they will. What is it that Steve Baczek says? “Mother Nature always wins.)

In the next video below, Jake Bruton gives us his take. Jake is doing these five years after Matt’s installation, so he has new materials available. In this case, he’s handling the tricky waterproofing details with a liquid-applied flashing.