On Fri, 29 Aug 2003 15:51:19 +0000, bb wrote:

On Fri, 29 Aug 2003 07:19:16 -0700, "Lloyd Sumpter"
wrote:


I think that's the $50 question: should I pull the frames off or just
caulk around the edges? (and if I need to pull the frames off, how do I do
that?)

Without a doubt, pull the frames off and redo the whole thing.
Exterior caulk jobs are cosmetically horrible, and rarely solve the
problem for very long.

Removing the frames is the biggest headache. It depends on what it
was bedded with in the first place. If it happens to be something
along the lines of 5200 you will need to gradually cut the frame free
with a razor knife or some similar tool. Then you need to clean all
the old bedding off of all the pieces.

You have a choice of rebedding with a 5200 like product, or a silicone
sealer. With either product I'd suggest using tape about 3/16" around
the exterior frame so you get a nice finish line. With 5200, when you
reassemble the whole mess, it's done, there's no adjustment. Silicone
stays much more flexible. If the frames are designed so you can
gradually tighten them down, if you use silicone, you leave them a
little loose at first, then after the silicone cures, tighten them the
rest of the way to finalize the seal. Silicone tends to act more like
a gasket whereas 5200 is more like a glue.

Keep plenty of rags, paper towels and solvent available, especially if
using 5200.


Thanks a lot for the input - just what I was looking for!

Sounds like I'll be pulling the frames off and using silicon. At $20/tube,
I'll guess Catalina didn't use 5200 to seal the windows, so I should be OK
there. I assume you remove the frames from the inside? I don't see any way
to remove the outside flanges (they stay there, or do they get
removed/recaulked/refitted as well?)

Lloyd - off to buy some silicon...