# Cedar shingles under window question



## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Nverlost said:


> His response was that "I've been doing this for 30 years and that's the way it's done".


Welcome to the forums Nverlost.

You're right and he's wrong. 

15 of my 30+ years have been all about Cedar and I've NEVER seen it done like that (even by the worst of the worst hacks that I know).

I don't know what else to say other than that you hired the wrong guy for this project.


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## Nverlost (Jul 4, 2017)

Thank you! I've already had to replace, mud and paint the interior sheetrock once and since I took this picture (4 months ago) we're already seeing water work its way in. Again, thank you!




kwikfishron said:


> Welcome to the forums Nverlost.
> 
> You're right and he's wrong.
> 
> ...


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Nverlost said:


> Thank you! I've already had to replace, mud and paint the interior sheetrock once and since I took this picture (4 months ago) we're already seeing water work its way in. Again, thank you!


I'm not saying that what you posted in the pic is a LEAK. 

If all of the prep work behind of the siding is correct than your guy's detail is just fine (It just looks BAD and in no way is commonplace).


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

If that window was re-installed it was not done right. There is tar paper behind that junk so the water would come out.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Seeing cedar installed sideways is a new one to me.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

QUOTE;Nvrlost - Any advice on if it's a legit fix or I need to get him back out here is appreciated!
*********************************
NO, you don't want him back on the property. 

What I would do is contact him and request the remainder of the bundle of shingles you paid for so the people on this form that do that kind of work can advise you on how to correct that slob job.


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## NotyeruncleBob (Mar 9, 2017)

It looks to me like there should be a window sill there. 
Your guy didn't have one and didn't know how to make one so he just tacked in the cutoffs rather than climb down the ladder and go to the lumberyard. Wrong, wrong WRONG!!!
Hire a carpenter, not a roofer to do carpentry.


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## NotyeruncleBob (Mar 9, 2017)

Sorry to sound so harsh above, but that really is a travesty. My guess is that the window sill that was once there had a water issue and rotted. When a house is shingled, the carpenters will try to set the courses (rows) so that they end exactly at the bottom of the window sill. That's why I think there was originally a window sill there. 
You'll need to have that water leak addressed first. No matter what you do it won't matter if it keeps leaking. It might just be at the sill, but since you just had a bunch of shingles replaced I'm guessing the flashing around that window isn't quite doing the job. Most likely you'll have to pull the trim and some of the shingles around the window to reflash it.


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

Re the odd window trim, what does the window trim on your other windows look like?


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## Davejss (May 14, 2012)

Everything about that repair is wrong.


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## Nverlost (Jul 4, 2017)

ChuckF. said:


> Re the odd window trim, what does the window trim on your other windows look like?


Below is a pic of some other windows on the property. Reluctantly I had the same roofer came back out over the past week and try to at least fix the row of shingles directly under the window (although he kept saying it was the correct way :wacko. Looks like he just replaced that horizontal row with aluminum flashing - aesthetically it does look better I guess. I realize the window would have to come out for this to be the right fix but that may be a couple years down the line. Little to no sill and the trim is starting to go.

Thanks to all for their advice and input on this!


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

That's somewhat better than what they did the first time. The color is a good match. 

It looks to me like this window should have been finished like the others, with that vertical striped stuff. I can't tell if those are separate boards or some kind of vertical beaded siding, but what you need is some of that stuff put under this window. You don't need to remove the window to put matching stuff there, you can either remove the narrow strip remaining, or flash and butt up to what is remaining, and run it all the way down like the other windows.

If the window they worked on is on one side by itself, the repair won't look too bad and you might let it go. If the window they worked on is on a face with many others done the old way, it will stick out. The nails they used will likely rust too. 

If you want to get it done right you have to find someone else, and insist that they find that same material that you have under the other windows. That should be your starting point with the next person that works on the house, -can you match this stuff? This is not a big-construction company job, it's more of an old-time craftsman-handyman job, and those guys are hard to find.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

The tin or shingles under the window is what we see.

A truly leak proof window depends upon what is under the shingles starting from the top down and extending 6 - 8" below the window. Sadly very few modern window installations are 100% properly done.


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