Eliminating a Window

I have a window in my kitchen that connects to a semi-enclosed porch....the porch used to be a car port. I can see nothing out the window except the side of my garage. I now want to put cabinets on the wall the contains the window, so I'd like to get rid of it. The exterior wall is brick, so I'd need some way to wall up that opening. It's on the interior of the semi-enclosed porch, so it doesn't have to be flawless. I have this image in my head of windows containing some sort of concrete slabs that contain cast images....have I seen this in garden brick walls? I'm thinking this sort of thing might be easier than trying to brick up the opening with bricks that may not match the existing brickwork. Any hints on what to Google for would be appreciated.

Reply to
Greg Esres
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Any enclosed spaces such as a faux window area will become a home for bugs and such. I'd remove the window completely, then line the rough opening with pretty 2x stock that you can paint to match the house trim. I'd put plywood on the inside, then a layer of foam board for insulation, then another layer of pretty plywood. I'd build some weatherproof shelves on the porch side.You can even kerf the 2x side rails for 2x shelves, that can stick out a few inches if you round off the corners. No matter what you do, it is gonna look like a plugged-up window, but something useful like shelves will make it look acceptable.

Or, you can find some local artisan to make you a custom-sized wall hanging out of concrete or whatever, that mounts directly to the 2x side rails. But make sure there are no little nooks and crannies where stinging things can set up housekeeping- wasps and bees love spaces like that. DAMHIKT.

Reply to
aemeijers

Many communities have outlets (stores?) specializing in cast concrete artifacts for garden walls, yards, whatever. Pay them a visit and you could get lucky and find that they have something in the yard that would work nicely, or some ideas that previous buyers have requested. The ones in our area are quite clever and have hundreds of molds for all manner of concrete art work. The result should look like something that was planned that way, not a cover up. It won't be necessary to match any brick, so a stone surround for the opening would be most acceptable with a cast artifact in the center. No special masonry skills are need, just a bit of careful work. Once closed off, dealing with the interior should be easy as suggested above.

Joe

Reply to
Joe

In the situation you described I would simply take out the window, frame up the opening, use drywall on the inside and your choice of siding on the exterior.

I would not try to hide it from the outside. There was once a window there and now it is no more. Another approach other than the siding is to find shutters that fill the opening or buy them custom made. Then it looks like a shuttered window. Architects often do this for balance on the exterior where no window ever really existed.

Reply to
Colbyt

I would finish the inside like the rest of the walls behind the existing cabinets. I would finish the remaining of the opening neatly and then fill it with shelves, Or, you could finish the porch side with glass bricks, but the shelves could be very useful.

Reply to
hrhofmann

Tromp l'oiel - inside and out-

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'%C5%93il I'd be so tempted to have a window painted with a tasteful peek at a nekkid woman inside.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

Call up the local building inspector. I think the window code restrictions mostly relate to escaping a burning bedroom, but it never hurts to ask. The time to be surprised by some rule is BEFORE you do it.

Reply to
mike

Put one of these in the exterior opening:

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Reply to
Erin Marulli

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