How to re-centre awning window?

[tigerzen]

I have a wooden frame awning window which rubs along one side, the other side has a clearance of at least 6 mm. While I could hand plane the rubbing side down I'm not sure that is the best approach here. Are there any other remedies I can use to "centre" the window in its frame.

[Jewelleryrescue · Accepted solution]

Hi @tigerzen 

With out  a photo of your awning I am thinking you awning has hinges at the top.

Possibly you  can  tap  or gently lever the  jambing side a 1mm or two on  its hinges

Or check to see if the hinges have unscrewed and are a little loose.  Tighten screws  after recentering the  awning.

Hope this leads you to success,

[MitchellMc]

Hi @tigerzen,

As @Jewelleryrescue mentioned, it sounds like a few images of the gaps and hinge mechanism would really assist our members in formulating helpful replies. Let me know if you need a hand uploading them.

I suggest it would be worth closely examining the frame to determine the cause of the rubbing. Has the frame moved over due to loose fixings? Has it had water damage and swelled? Was it just incorrectly installed in the first place? Would moving it over 3mm alleviate the issue? I think the only reason I would not be planing down that side would be if there were loose fittings that could be tightened or if moving the whole frame over was an option, as it was installed incorrectly. 

Provided the window is otherwise functioning correctly, I see no reason you cant plane down the side that is rubbing.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[tigerzen]

Thanks all for replying, my best guess as to what has happened is that there has been some settling of the house and the window frame has become slightly parallelogram rather than rectangle whereas the window is still rectangular in shape. It rubs only at one point near the bottom of the window and is enough to infuriate. Hinges are at the top and resemble a scissors like action when they open.

[MitchellMc]

Provided it's just a couple of millimetres that is required to be removed in that one corner, it sounds like a quick buzz with an electric sander or removing timber with a hand planer is the way to go, @tigerzen. 

Mitchell

[tigerzen]

Thanks Mitchell, I guess my only concern is that one side has almost 10 mm clearance but ultimately a quick buzz may be the quickest solution.

[MitchellMc]

6mm clearance is one thing, but if it's actually 10mm clearance, that would push me more towards re-aligning the window by packing out the hinges @tigerzen. If you pack out the hinge on the offending side with a 3mm piece of timber, it should tweak the window back towards the other side and even out the 10mm gap between the two sides.

Mitchell

[tigerzen]

Thanks Mitchell I will try that, will a bit of masonite do the job or does the packer need to be made of something harder?

[MitchellMc]

Masonite will do the job, @tigerzen.

Mitchell