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Recently, a visitor wrote:

Just beginning to remodel our 1983 Double wide. Haven’t read all your posts yet. We need to replace narrow windows with large ones or sliders to outside and new wraparound deck. Have you had luck with either of these projects yourself? great site, I look forward to reading them all!

Here is my response:

Thanks so much for contacting us and for visiting MyMobilehomeMakeover.com

We installed all new windows in our double wide about 7 years ago.  I know that many people have purchased off the shelf windows at Lowes and Home Depot and retro-fitted them in to their mobile homes, but we found excellent double-hung vinyl replacement windows at Ashvillemobilehomes,com.  They have so many of the odd sized windows that are standard to mobile homes that it was much easier to find exactly what we were looking for rather than make due with what they offered at the big box and end up doing a lot of work cutting the opening and trying to fit them.  At this link you will find a bunch of sizes that are standard, but I also think there’s a place on the site or if you call them where you can give them the measurements you need and they can get them for you.  Click on one of the window sizes to see the description of the windows.  They are the kind that pop inward so you can clean them easily and screens are included.  Very, very low maintenance.

We had never done this before and taking our old windows out was a snap.  Putting these new ones in was just as easy.  We also had those nasty veneer window sills that were all dried out and peeling due to exposure to the sun.  Our windows were the old aluminum ones where the storm window was stored on the inside of the window and you just raised it up in the Summer to have access to the exterior window.  Both of which, by the way, were about 1/8 inch think cheap pane glass.

We used Luan floor underlayment sheets to cut and tack in new frames/sills.  Then we laid a 1×4 or 1×6 (depending upon the window and the depth of the sill we wanted) on the bottom so it had a nice, sturdy sill we could set things on.  We used standard door style trim for the framing of the interior window once finished.  Once all the wood and trim is in place, caulk the ever loving heck out of it and paint it nice and pretty.  Voila!  A lovely new window, frame, and sill. Looking back, I wouldn’t recommend using the simple narrow door trim around the windows.  While it worked wonderfully, and it looked just fine and dandy, we have redone our living room window framing since and we used 1×4 wood to frame them and it looks so much more “house-like” and solid using that instead.  In some places, you just may not have room to use something that wide, but if you can, it looks much nicer.  Here’s some pics, click on the images to enlarge:

Window pulls out for easy cleaning

Bedroom window narrow frame and new sill.

New window side framing.

Larger window trim

Larger window framing

Good luck with your project.  Be patient and just make sure you use as much clear caulk as you can justify spending money on when you install the windows.  The trick is to seal them in the frame well so moisture and cold air won’t get in so use liberally, but keep it clean on the edges because it will get all over the siding and gunk all up if you don’t squeegee it off quickly once the window is in.  This excess clear caulk may discolor over time and look unappealing.  If you are going to put shutters around the edges, then not so bad.  But you don’t put shutters on the top and bottom of the window so keep those edges clean!

Take care and thanks again for visiting the site.

The McGees