I used your video as a building guide and I built 3 of these windows for my home office. Built identical ones. They are by far the most effective way to silence the outside noise and still able to see out of the windows. BUT... after a few months I noticed some problems. The Felt Tape has started to come off and the plexiglass has started to crack around all of the screw holes. I have not moved the windows since install and I assume the problems are due to summer sun on them. I custom fit each insert to the exact measurement around the window for an almost too tight fit and I think air can't escape that has caused the felt tape to push out and the plexi to expand. My advice would be to build the frame with 1/4+ inch space and use an extra thick weather stripping instead of the thin felt tape. Also the thickness of the Plexiglass is very important, I used 3/16 in thick and .125 in thinner plexi. Only the thicker 3/16 worked without cracking. The thicker plexi cost me $160 USD per window but was worth it! Go with 3/16 in. or thicker for sound proofing, any thinner does almost nothing. Attaching the plexi to the frame worked with clear adhesive caulk and small screws(pre drilling is needed) but I think using turn button swivel fasteners might be a better option to avoid cracking over the years. One last thing I added that was not in your video was white handles on each side to move them into place. Hope this helps other DIYers out there dealing with outside sound issues in their home office! Update: I forgot to add, the noise reduction was significant, about 10-15 dBA lower when a loud car goes by. That is enough sound reduction to go from people complaining about hearing noise in the background of your zoom call to only a slight whisper that can't be heard. It went from getting distracted every 10mins to not even noticing any road noise all day long. Took be 2 days to build due to paint drying time but well worth it.
Thanks for sharing, very helpful! Interesting note about the plexiglass possibly expanding/contracting due to sun and temp fluctuations, and that causing cracking. I wonder if 1/8” might be just fine, if you used slightly oversize holes with large-head screws? (I forgot the name, but I’m thinking of the kind of screws with broad heads, almost like an integrated washer.)
Thanks for the extra detailed info. I'm planning on doing something similar for our office room but with corrugated plastic (instead of plexiglass) firstly because it's cheaper and second because our issue is more about condensation (single pane outer windows) than noise. Plus we're renting so we don't want to spend a fortune on "renovations" for a place we don't even own.
Don't think anyone's mentioned this yet: Add a short white shoelace/cloth tab to each side when you're screwing in and you got yourself a way to pull the frame out when winter is over
I actually created an internal door for my sliding door that had huge draft coming in during winter months and I found out that the actual foam that was supposed to be blocking the wind from coming was warped and practically gone. I didn't want a huge expense in replacing the sliding door so, before winter started I created an insert just like yours that I placed on one side of the sliding door to block the cold air and it truly held up. I remove it during summer months and it's kept secured and I built it like 6 years ago and it still holding up!
I made some but used pocket hole joints and shrink wrapped the entire frame then added weather strip foam to the edges. It's always good looking at other methods too.
Was the shrink wrap the “glazing”, or was it just a covering for the frame, and you used acrylic for the glazing? If just the shrink wrap, how is it holding up? Is it nice and clear, without any distortion? Did you have any issues with the tension from the shrink wrap bowing the frame inwards?
I had two rewatch this video 3 or 4 times because 1) I'm wondering if this method can be used on an old mobile home, 2) I'M DELIGHTED you like the Beatles, 3) the humor at the end of your video is hilarious with "Daddy!!" and the noise decibels. Very effective video and memorable. I bought my retirement home today, an older mobile home with lots of TLC and costly/timely needed improvements. I'm sure I can learn a lot. I'm a girl, 65 yo with a battery powered drill and guts to a small degree. In other words I need advice, help and knowledge.🤯🙏😵💫😄
A year later, and I wanted to see how satisfied you are with noise reduction? This is a life saver-I was looking at Indow as well, and my BFF said there would definitely be diy options! Thank you for posting.
Still happy with it for the year longer we’re in that house. I have since moved but I made an extraordinarily me for the other window to help with noise as well.
I have had the same crazy noise problems as you. I told my best friend about my crazy plan which consist of ripping the wall down and spray foam insulation wall and adding window inserts like what you have. Then, my friend look at me strangely and said to me that you should sell the damn house. I did exactly what he said sold the house and moved to a more quiet neighborhood. I couldn't be happier. I know it wasn't easy and not everyone can pack up and move. I was having traffic from the diner's parking lots, and live outdoor music from the bar. It was far worst than what you have. Thank you for sharing your idea. I like your idea for insulation of the windows from the cold rather than the noise for me.
This was a great idea! My old restoration-project-of- a-house was built in 1880 so windows are ALWAYS an issue lol. Btw, thanks for not being afraid to show your "miscues". Gives hope to the rest of us. Cheers.
Thank you! A lawnmower rock broke the outside pane of a double pane window. It's an insane amount $ to fix. I was looking for solutions and found your video. I think this is it. The only time I need the double pane is in the winter. I will make one for that window and see how it goes. I'm going to check out the external storms that you built, too. If this goes well, I'll probably do it for other windows starting with the draftiest first.
thanks for you video , following your idea I did it with acrylic 108x48" ( huge window), sealed the join between acrylic and wood frame with silicone and once installed sealed with green glue acoustic sealer , the result was great for high frequency ( loud neighbors, bird chirping) and improve stopping low frequency or impact noise, total cost DYI around $250 ( acrylic sheet with such size are expensive), same size from "Indow insert " would cost between $800-1000, your video help me a lot.
thank you for this video i had told my boys to make something like that but the negative was i have no skills and knowledge of materials so they couldnt’t understand what i was talking about and shirked my idea. thank you for giving me the information to implement what i was trying to get across to my kids. time to rub it in their faces that i have good ideas.
I think you need to use a butter knife or putty knife, I imagine it's kind of a pain. I've seen other windows built for insulating against the cold where they included a handle drilled into the panel - just a simple cabinet pull, maybe one on the right edge and one on the right at a convenient height. It's possible the holes used to drill through the acrylic could decrease the soundproofing qualities? Since the holes would be filled with a screw I don't think it would have a drastic effect, but I don't know.
I'm an idiot and commented while waiting for the video to load - you could just attach the handle to the wood parts of course. Other similar models I have seen didn't have a wood part.
My gratitude for this is off the charts! I've been trying to come up with a solution for my 1915 bungalow with 9 feet of front windows in just my west facing living room (den-the same 9 foot configuration - 2-2' wide flanking a 5'x3' middle window and 😅 more west windows in the DR). Live in So Cal - original glass. The windows easily get to 110-115 degrees in the warm months and radiate the heat inside. Have wood blinds helps a bit- shutters in the future. Concerned about the integrity of the 5'w x 3'h - do you think it will be okay? Seriously again - THANK YOU for this video!
You outlined the wood frame on the acrylic. You then said cut acrylic 1in. shorter all around. Was that 1/2 in. all (1/2 L x H times 2) around that would make it the 1 in.? I have 16 windows, I'd like to diy it too. Can't afford to replace on fixed income.
You can make the frames and line them with clear plastic and double sided tape. After those are set you can replace the plastic with the clear polycrylic or acrylic sheets one by one.
What thickness of sheet of acrylic would you suggest on getting? I'm planning on making these this coming week and I'm not sure what thickness i should get it at that would be good at sound blocking
@@TheCraftsmanBlog Good to know thicker acrylic=more blocking. I wondered if it was the acrylic or the airspace that created the block. Another guy on youtube made some panels using JUST 3/8" acrylic, with silicone tube stripping all around. (installed using suction cup handles).
I love your videos, really well done! I have an old house, 1890, all original double hung windows, and (70s?) aluminum exterior storms. For blocking draughts, I made interior frames and used that heat shrink window film on both sides, and weatherstripping foam around the edge. This worked ok for 2 years, but it was never meant as a long term solution. UV eventually breaks down the film tape, and the plastic starts coming off. I also want to block sound out, which the plastic film doesn't do. I could reuse the frames, and insert glass, however, I never got a perfect seal with the insertion + foam wrap approach. A thin jamb (for the top half) for the window to butt up against (with a weather seal backing) would create perfect air tightness, and allow more tolerance for the frame, since no window is perfectly square and the same as every other one. What do you think of that? Any good idea for how to keep the window pressed against the jamb/seal after it's in place? That's the final piece of the puzzle I haven't figured out, but I'm sure there's a really clever way to do it. Some kind of wedge system at the corners, maybe.
Also, since they are interior windows, I'm not sure I want to use putty (on the outside of the glass), or should I still do that? Seems hard and messy. What about tacking in some trim? Or, since I can dissemble the frame, simply route a channel for the glass to slide into?
My 1885 house is in a northern climate. I'm half way through a major, DIY kitchen reno and I'm in the midst of rebuilding the three 34"x72" window frames and restoring the sashes. The original setup was (original wood) exterior storms (4 lites each) but seeing that my house is on a slope, the kitchen is 2 stories up on the window side, and I'm getting older so I really don't want to be installing/uninstalling the storms every year on 20' ladder, I thought about coming up with an interior storm. Would a storm like this work when weather sealing is the concern?
Nice simple construction and a perfectly functional end product👍 Wish you had gotten those corrugated nails to work! I see them all the time working on old trim work and I honestly had no idea they were still manufactured.
Wow, thanks SO much for this! I’d been looking at commercial versions (I actually know one of the founders of Indow from a past business life), but they’re entirely out of the question price-wise. This approach would be very do-able though, and it seems like a manageable project as long as I don’t try to do the entire house :-) What do you think about foam tape or perhaps that hollow-bead rubber weatherstripping instead of felt? I’m thinking something with a bit more compliance might be more forgiving in dimensions or out-of-square. (But otoh, the felt gives a very tidy look…) (New subscriber! 👍😁)
Why did you choose to use polycarbonate instead of acrylic. I believe Indow uses acrylic. Also, curious about the felt as an insulator/noise reducer. Do you think it’s better than a mid density foam?
I had brand new Marvin windows installed from the frame up. But I still feel a bit of cold and draft around the inside of the windows. What went wrong there? Is it the windows or the install method? Or just that my house lost it’s insulation?
Could use some advice on using laminated glass. pros and cons other than having to pre drill holes. cost is about the same compared to plexiglass in my area.
I am going to be making this type of storm window for a little house I rent. I wanted to spend as little as possible since it’s not my house so I plan on using heavy plastic from a role. I hope it works okay.
Great video Scott! This beats $15-20k on new upgraded windows that will never pay themselves off in energy efficiency in the cold winters we have here in Canada. What are your thoughts of using vinyl board like a 1” x 4” and ripping it to size? Also, i didnt see if you said how thick, I’m presuming 1/8”?
Thanks for posting! One recommendation: get rid of the background music so people can hear the before and after of the noise (or at least pause it in those parts of the video).
Would have been nice if the music could have been turned off so that we could hear just how well they blocked out the traffic noise but I guess we'll have to take your word for it.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Seeing as this is a rather mundane claim and that the content creator is not selling a product, I’m comfortable taking his word for it. I agree with you though, having a decibel meter before and after would be enlightening. All in all, I appreciate this video. Thank you, The Craftsman Blog.
Hi Scott I have been studying your excellent video on diy exterior storm windows when I came across this video. Which do you prefer, the interior or exterior storm windows, or combination of both? I am also on a busy road and am interested in this. Thanks.
My preference is exterior storms because they protect the prime window, but sometimes an interior one is more cosmetically desirable or all that’s allowed by the historic district. Interior storms are also MUCH easier to install for 2nd and 3rd story windows!
That link on amazon to thr polycarbonate sheets is broken. Id love to make these for my 1892 house in Central FL but am having a hard time finding decent $ 1/8 acrylic for 48x32 windows. Any recommendations? I need to do 8
Looks good. I have a couple of questions. Where did you get that big of a sheet of polycarbonate? Why didn’t you just line the edge of the polycarbonate up with one of the sides of your frame and then mark the other sides when you were cutting it? Did you not attach the storm window to the window frame some how?
My company uses polycarbonate to board up window openings while we restore the sash so we had some leftover that fit my needs. You could line up the edges but I wasn't certain that they were cut perfectly straight to begin with so I felt it was better safe than sorry to make all my cuts fresh.
Noise is a huge issue for me. I recently purchased a house in a quiet street and to win it, I had go over the asking price (as you would normally do in sellers market). That said, I need to replace every single windows in my house. I read that new windows do not need storm windows to perform well energy-wise because of the Low-E technology they have incorporated in their builds. Would it be an overkill to have both storm and low e windows?
If you’re thinking about replacing your windows, look into laminated glass. It’s used in hurricane coastal regions but it also DRASTICALLY reduces outside noise.
Great Video! I'm about to order some Indow inserts for my bedroom windows, but I'll probably look to do this on a few other windows to save some money. I have two questions; why didn't use apply a thin layer of silicone around the edge to create a better seal? Can you do another video of the noise reduction with the window inserts?
wow i always like your ideas with dealing with windows. Did you see a big difference in reducing the noise or was minor? Im for sure going to try this out since it seems simple. Thanks for the idea!
Great video! Curious what the estimated cost is per window? I realize each window is different sizes but I’m just curious what that one window you did cost?
amazing DIY guy, he is a real scraper, I dont know how he was able to build those windows with only 4000 square feet of shop space and $100k of tools and materials !
I love the idea, but I checked Lowe's and Home Depot's sites, and it looks like sheets of clear plexiglass large enough to cover my 36"x60" windows would be about $100 a pop. Yikes! I didn't realize plexiglass was so expensive! I don't see myself spending $1200 on plexiglass for a DIY project, so I guess I'll stick to the cheap but effective saran wrap kits. They're kind of a pain to put up each year, but it only costs about $15 for my whole house.
I’m trying to get an impact window put in for my grandmas living room old unsafe window in Florida. These sick greedy contractors won’t even look at you if you are not spending $10,000. Then you need a permit from these people who won’t even give you the time of day. I will now just add a storm window on the interior ledge.
You wear no mask - No ear protection - The felt strip is acts as a filter material and is not amn airseal - there is no air seal between the plastic and the wood - you cut 4 sides of the plastic and could have just measured from the 2 factory sides and cut only 2. There are better designs out there for DIY windows - similar but much better
@@TheCraftsmanBlog I really appreciate you taking your valuable time and energy to make this video. My husband and I never thought to make interior storm windows in our old house and this video was super helpful. Good enough to make an internet troll so jealous!
I used your video as a building guide and I built 3 of these windows for my home office. Built identical ones. They are by far the most effective way to silence the outside noise and still able to see out of the windows. BUT... after a few months I noticed some problems. The Felt Tape has started to come off and the plexiglass has started to crack around all of the screw holes. I have not moved the windows since install and I assume the problems are due to summer sun on them. I custom fit each insert to the exact measurement around the window for an almost too tight fit and I think air can't escape that has caused the felt tape to push out and the plexi to expand. My advice would be to build the frame with 1/4+ inch space and use an extra thick weather stripping instead of the thin felt tape. Also the thickness of the Plexiglass is very important, I used 3/16 in thick and .125 in thinner plexi. Only the thicker 3/16 worked without cracking. The thicker plexi cost me $160 USD per window but was worth it! Go with 3/16 in. or thicker for sound proofing, any thinner does almost nothing. Attaching the plexi to the frame worked with clear adhesive caulk and small screws(pre drilling is needed) but I think using turn button swivel fasteners might be a better option to avoid cracking over the years. One last thing I added that was not in your video was white handles on each side to move them into place. Hope this helps other DIYers out there dealing with outside sound issues in their home office! Update: I forgot to add, the noise reduction was significant, about 10-15 dBA lower when a loud car goes by. That is enough sound reduction to go from people complaining about hearing noise in the background of your zoom call to only a slight whisper that can't be heard. It went from getting distracted every 10mins to not even noticing any road noise all day long. Took be 2 days to build due to paint drying time but well worth it.
Super helpful comment. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for sharing, very helpful! Interesting note about the plexiglass possibly expanding/contracting due to sun and temp fluctuations, and that causing cracking. I wonder if 1/8” might be just fine, if you used slightly oversize holes with large-head screws? (I forgot the name, but I’m thinking of the kind of screws with broad heads, almost like an integrated washer.)
Kevin Bailey Real Estate. I was planning on using 1/8" acrylic instead of plexiglass. How would the acrylic compare to plexiglass re sound-proofing?
Thanks for the extra detailed info. I'm planning on doing something similar for our office room but with corrugated plastic (instead of plexiglass) firstly because it's cheaper and second because our issue is more about condensation (single pane outer windows) than noise. Plus we're renting so we don't want to spend a fortune on "renovations" for a place we don't even own.
Don't think anyone's mentioned this yet: Add a short white shoelace/cloth tab to each side when you're screwing in and you got yourself a way to pull the frame out when winter is over
I actually created an internal door for my sliding door that had huge draft coming in during winter months and I found out that the actual foam that was supposed to be blocking the wind from coming was warped and practically gone. I didn't want a huge expense in replacing the sliding door so, before winter started I created an insert just like yours that I placed on one side of the sliding door to block the cold air and it truly held up. I remove it during summer months and it's kept secured and I built it like 6 years ago and it still holding up!
I made some but used pocket hole joints and shrink wrapped the entire frame then added weather strip foam to the edges. It's always good looking at other methods too.
Was the shrink wrap the “glazing”, or was it just a covering for the frame, and you used acrylic for the glazing? If just the shrink wrap, how is it holding up? Is it nice and clear, without any distortion? Did you have any issues with the tension from the shrink wrap bowing the frame inwards?
I had two rewatch this video 3 or 4 times because 1) I'm wondering if this method can be used on an old mobile home, 2) I'M DELIGHTED you like the Beatles, 3) the humor at the end of your video is hilarious with "Daddy!!" and the noise decibels. Very effective video and memorable.
I bought my retirement home today, an older mobile home with lots of TLC and costly/timely needed improvements. I'm sure I can learn a lot. I'm a girl, 65 yo with a battery powered drill and guts to a small degree.
In other words I need advice, help and knowledge.🤯🙏😵💫😄
That is so cool! I'm going to try this in my home in Nevada where the winters can get nasty! Will block the wind too! thank you!
A year later, and I wanted to see how satisfied you are with noise reduction?
This is a life saver-I was looking at Indow as well, and my BFF said there would definitely be diy options! Thank you for posting.
Still happy with it for the year longer we’re in that house. I have since moved but I made an extraordinarily me for the other window to help with noise as well.
I have had the same crazy noise problems as you. I told my best friend about my crazy plan which consist of ripping the wall down and spray foam insulation wall and adding window inserts like what you have. Then, my friend look at me strangely and said to me that you should sell the damn house. I did exactly what he said sold the house and moved to a more quiet neighborhood. I couldn't be happier. I know it wasn't easy and not everyone can pack up and move. I was having traffic from the diner's parking lots, and live outdoor music from the bar. It was far worst than what you have. Thank you for sharing your idea. I like your idea for insulation of the windows from the cold rather than the noise for me.
This was a great idea! My old restoration-project-of- a-house was built in 1880 so windows are ALWAYS an issue lol. Btw, thanks for not being afraid to show your "miscues". Gives hope to the rest of us. Cheers.
Thanks! Nothing ever goes exactly to plan but reality is what it is. If you’re not improvising then your likely not working on an old house project!
Thank you! A lawnmower rock broke the outside pane of a double pane window. It's an insane amount $ to fix. I was looking for solutions and found your video. I think this is it. The only time I need the double pane is in the winter. I will make one for that window and see how it goes. I'm going to check out the external storms that you built, too. If this goes well, I'll probably do it for other windows starting with the draftiest first.
thanks for you video , following your idea I did it with acrylic 108x48" ( huge window), sealed the join between acrylic and wood frame with silicone and once installed sealed with green glue acoustic sealer , the result was great for high frequency ( loud neighbors, bird chirping) and improve stopping low frequency or impact noise, total cost DYI around $250 ( acrylic sheet with such size are expensive), same size from "Indow insert " would cost between $800-1000, your video help me a lot.
Me. What is the thickness of your acrylic?
I have been looking for a relatively easy interior storm DIY and this is perfect. I will check out the links, thank you for posting them.
Glad to hear it!
Clever! Thanks for the demonstration.
This is EXACTLY what my windows need
thank you for this video i had told my boys to make something like that but the negative was i have no skills and knowledge of materials so they couldnt’t understand what i was talking about and shirked my idea. thank you for giving me the information to implement what i was trying to get across to my kids. time to rub it in their faces that i have good ideas.
Ha ha ha! Hope they enjoy making the storms as much as you enjoy rubbing the idea in their faces!
You are too tooo funny! Love this idea. Will have to try it, but with pocket holes.
Thanks!
That's a heck of a shop.
Thanks! It’s been growing for 9 years now along with my business.
Great vid, love the idea. One question though. How do you get them out? I didnt see you add any kind of tab or knob to pull them free when needed.
I think you need to use a butter knife or putty knife, I imagine it's kind of a pain. I've seen other windows built for insulating against the cold where they included a handle drilled into the panel - just a simple cabinet pull, maybe one on the right edge and one on the right at a convenient height. It's possible the holes used to drill through the acrylic could decrease the soundproofing qualities? Since the holes would be filled with a screw I don't think it would have a drastic effect, but I don't know.
I'm an idiot and commented while waiting for the video to load - you could just attach the handle to the wood parts of course. Other similar models I have seen didn't have a wood part.
Would you make a video showing the noise levels ( free db reader apps are all over the app store or play store ) without and with the inserts?
Excellent video,
My gratitude for this is off the charts! I've been trying to come up with a solution for my 1915 bungalow with 9 feet of front windows in just my west facing living room (den-the same 9 foot configuration - 2-2' wide flanking a 5'x3' middle window and 😅 more west windows in the DR). Live in So Cal - original glass. The windows easily get to 110-115 degrees in the warm months and radiate the heat inside. Have wood blinds helps a bit- shutters in the future. Concerned about the integrity of the 5'w x 3'h - do you think it will be okay? Seriously again - THANK YOU for this video!
what is the spacing between ea screws and is that enought to keep it air and sound tight?
Is the insert easy to pull out once it’s in place? Do you just grab the frame? Is there a special screw needed if it is acrylic?
I died, that was hilarious when the music abruptly cut.
This is awesome, Scott! Considering making some exterior and interior storms for one of my clients, and this looks doable!
Very doable and pretty darn effective for the cost!
You outlined the wood frame on the acrylic. You then said cut acrylic 1in. shorter all around. Was that 1/2 in. all (1/2 L x H times 2) around that would make it the 1 in.? I have 16 windows, I'd like to diy it too. Can't afford to replace on fixed income.
You can make the frames and line them with clear plastic and double sided tape. After those are set you can replace the plastic with the clear polycrylic or acrylic sheets one by one.
Looks nice. I'm sure you are also getting some insulation benefits as well.
Definitely good insulation. Way better than insulated glass could ever achieve!
how thick is the acrylic glass and where did you buy it?
What thickness of sheet of acrylic would you suggest on getting? I'm planning on making these this coming week and I'm not sure what thickness i should get it at that would be good at sound blocking
1/8” worked well for me but 1/4” would do some serious sound blocking.
@@TheCraftsmanBlog Good to know thicker acrylic=more blocking. I wondered if it was the acrylic or the airspace that created the block. Another guy on youtube made some panels using JUST 3/8" acrylic, with silicone tube stripping all around. (installed using suction cup handles).
I love your videos, really well done!
I have an old house, 1890, all original double hung windows, and (70s?) aluminum exterior storms. For blocking draughts, I made interior frames and used that heat shrink window film on both sides, and weatherstripping foam around the edge. This worked ok for 2 years, but it was never meant as a long term solution. UV eventually breaks down the film tape, and the plastic starts coming off. I also want to block sound out, which the plastic film doesn't do.
I could reuse the frames, and insert glass, however, I never got a perfect seal with the insertion + foam wrap approach. A thin jamb (for the top half) for the window to butt up against (with a weather seal backing) would create perfect air tightness, and allow more tolerance for the frame, since no window is perfectly square and the same as every other one.
What do you think of that? Any good idea for how to keep the window pressed against the jamb/seal after it's in place? That's the final piece of the puzzle I haven't figured out, but I'm sure there's a really clever way to do it. Some kind of wedge system at the corners, maybe.
Also, since they are interior windows, I'm not sure I want to use putty (on the outside of the glass), or should I still do that? Seems hard and messy. What about tacking in some trim?
Or, since I can dissemble the frame, simply route a channel for the glass to slide into?
My 1885 house is in a northern climate. I'm half way through a major, DIY kitchen reno and I'm in the midst of rebuilding the three 34"x72" window frames and restoring the sashes. The original setup was (original wood) exterior storms (4 lites each) but seeing that my house is on a slope, the kitchen is 2 stories up on the window side, and I'm getting older so I really don't want to be installing/uninstalling the storms every year on 20' ladder, I thought about coming up with an interior storm. Would a storm like this work when weather sealing is the concern?
How much smaller than your window measurements did you make the inserts?
Great job
This is some really great content! Count me in as a new subscriber.
Nice simple construction and a perfectly functional end product👍 Wish you had gotten those corrugated nails to work! I see them all the time working on old trim work and I honestly had no idea they were still manufactured.
I really don’t know how the old timers did it. I wailed on those things and they never made a dent in the wood!
Excellent!
They look great, did you do a decibel test to see how much the windows reduced the decibel levels.
I did not. I really should have. It was noticeable but I can’t quantify how much the reduction was.
this is so amazing
I am looking to build something like this exactly! Thank you
Wow, thanks SO much for this! I’d been looking at commercial versions (I actually know one of the founders of Indow from a past business life), but they’re entirely out of the question price-wise. This approach would be very do-able though, and it seems like a manageable project as long as I don’t try to do the entire house :-)
What do you think about foam tape or perhaps that hollow-bead rubber weatherstripping instead of felt? I’m thinking something with a bit more compliance might be more forgiving in dimensions or out-of-square. (But otoh, the felt gives a very tidy look…)
(New subscriber! 👍😁)
Why did you choose to use polycarbonate instead of acrylic. I believe Indow uses acrylic. Also, curious about the felt as an insulator/noise reducer. Do you think it’s better than a mid density foam?
Great video
Just curious if you considered Tilt and Turn windows? They are much better for insulation no?
How thick was the plexiglass?
I was wondering how you take them out??
How do you ever remove the insert?
Does it actually block a lot of sound? (Does it completely block?)
I had brand new Marvin windows installed from the frame up. But I still feel a bit of cold and draft around the inside of the windows. What went wrong there? Is it the windows or the install method? Or just that my house lost it’s insulation?
Could use some advice on using laminated glass. pros and cons other than having to pre drill holes. cost is about the same compared to plexiglass in my area.
I am going to be making this type of storm window for a little house I rent. I wanted to spend as little as possible since it’s not my house so I plan on using heavy plastic from a role. I hope it works okay.
Good choice!
This is genius. To answer @nobones Aboutit below, I would add a handle, too, to pull them out. Easy enough.
Great video Scott! This beats $15-20k on new upgraded windows that will never pay themselves off in energy efficiency in the cold winters we have here in Canada. What are your thoughts of using vinyl board like a 1” x 4” and ripping it to size? Also, i didnt see if you said how thick, I’m presuming 1/8”?
I used 1/8” but 1/4” works as well.
Do you ever have a problem with it building up fog or water?
Im wondering where is a good place to get acrylic home depot and lowes seem to be stupidly expensive
Do you feel like this made a pretty big difference in the coldness of the room in the winter?
It did make a big difference!
OMG use a respirator if you are going to spray the paint on. Basic health is important!
What percentage reduction of sound did the interior windows accomplish?
In an unscientific way I would say about 30% or so.
@@TheCraftsmanBlog how thick is the polycarbonate?
Thanks for posting! One recommendation: get rid of the background music so people can hear the before and after of the noise (or at least pause it in those parts of the video).
Would have been nice if the music could have been turned off so that we could hear just how well they blocked out the traffic noise but I guess we'll have to take your word for it.
Touché
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Seeing as this is a rather mundane claim and that the content creator is not selling a product, I’m comfortable taking his word for it.
I agree with you though, having a decibel meter before and after would be enlightening. All in all, I appreciate this video. Thank you, The Craftsman Blog.
Hi Scott I have been studying your excellent video on diy exterior storm windows when I came across this video. Which do you prefer, the interior or exterior storm windows, or combination of both? I am also on a busy road and am interested in this. Thanks.
My preference is exterior storms because they protect the prime window, but sometimes an interior one is more cosmetically desirable or all that’s allowed by the historic district. Interior storms are also MUCH easier to install for 2nd and 3rd story windows!
@@TheCraftsmanBlog thanks!
That link on amazon to thr polycarbonate sheets is broken. Id love to make these for my 1892 house in Central FL but am having a hard time finding decent $ 1/8 acrylic for 48x32 windows. Any recommendations? I need to do 8
Lowes
Any way to make these that will fit a windows with blinds?
If you relocate the blinds outside the window well then yes. Usually installing the blinds just above the window on the head casing works.
Looks good. I have a couple of questions. Where did you get that big of a sheet of polycarbonate? Why didn’t you just line the edge of the polycarbonate up with one of the sides of your frame and then mark the other sides when you were cutting it? Did you not attach the storm window to the window frame some how?
My company uses polycarbonate to board up window openings while we restore the sash so we had some leftover that fit my needs. You could line up the edges but I wasn't certain that they were cut perfectly straight to begin with so I felt it was better safe than sorry to make all my cuts fresh.
@@TheCraftsmanBlog Thanks for the response. Love your work.
Noise is a huge issue for me. I recently purchased a house in a quiet street and to win it, I had go over the asking price (as you would normally do in sellers market).
That said, I need to replace every single windows in my house. I read that new windows do not need storm windows to perform well energy-wise because of the Low-E technology they have incorporated in their builds. Would it be an overkill to have both storm and low e windows?
If you’re thinking about replacing your windows, look into laminated glass. It’s used in hurricane coastal regions but it also DRASTICALLY reduces outside noise.
Great Video! I'm about to order some Indow inserts for my bedroom windows, but I'll probably look to do this on a few other windows to save some money. I have two questions; why didn't use apply a thin layer of silicone around the edge to create a better seal? Can you do another video of the noise reduction with the window inserts?
Good call on the silicone for air sealing! I’ll add that the next one. And the noise comparison is a great idea.
wow i always like your ideas with dealing with windows. Did you see a big difference in reducing the noise or was minor? Im for sure going to try this out since it seems simple. Thanks for the idea!
Seems to have made a big difference in sound for me.
Great video! Curious what the estimated cost is per window? I realize each window is different sizes but I’m just curious what that one window you did cost?
Rhonda you could use the window film or insulation plastic instead of acrylic
Nice and simple. I dig! A big piece of polycarbonate is pretty pricy at the big box stores. Do you know something I don't? 😅
I found a sheet of acrylic that would fit this for $58 and that should perform about the same as a sheet of polycarbonate for around $110.
amazing DIY guy, he is a real scraper, I dont know how he was able to build those windows with only 4000 square feet of shop space and $100k of tools and materials !
It’s actually 19,000 square feet of shop space but thanks for playing.
I love the idea, but I checked Lowe's and Home Depot's sites, and it looks like sheets of clear plexiglass large enough to cover my 36"x60" windows would be about $100 a pop. Yikes! I didn't realize plexiglass was so expensive!
I don't see myself spending $1200 on plexiglass for a DIY project, so I guess I'll stick to the cheap but effective saran wrap kits. They're kind of a pain to put up each year, but it only costs about $15 for my whole house.
I’m trying to get an impact window put in for my grandmas living room old unsafe window in Florida. These sick greedy contractors won’t even look at you if you are not spending $10,000. Then you need a permit from these people who won’t even give you the time of day. I will now just add a storm window on the interior ledge.
Skip the music. Competes with your voice over
Except for the noise on the inside.
Save your lungs and wear a mask in that spray booth
the music is too loud
you have commited the cardinal sin of layering music over talking
yes, and where is the comparison noise from outside, I was waiting for that
Crap. I’m gonna have to do this.
Where is your mask!!!
On my desk. I know, I know!
You wear no mask - No ear protection - The felt strip is acts as a filter material and is not amn airseal - there is no air seal between the plastic and the wood - you cut 4 sides of the plastic and could have just measured from the 2 factory sides and cut only 2. There are better designs out there for DIY windows - similar but much better
Could you post some of them here perhaps?
I’d love to see them as well. Especially if RCPMAC has his own vastly improved designs.
@@TheCraftsmanBlog I just laid out the vast improvements in my original comment. Just implement it.
@@TheCraftsmanBlog I just gave you the specifications. If you can’t handle a reasonable critique you shouldn’t be making these videos.
@@TheCraftsmanBlog I really appreciate you taking your valuable time and energy to make this video. My husband and I never thought to make interior storm windows in our old house and this video was super helpful. Good enough to make an internet troll so jealous!
That was at least a 50$ piece of Polycarbonate ! You're going to need premium wood. Way to expensive