How to Replace a 60 Inch Window With a French Door

Remove the window. Remove any window treatment first. Cut along the back and sides of the windowsill and the piece of trim below and under the windowsill with the utility knife. Usually there will be caulk at the corners and edges. Insert a putty knife under the trim and pry upward enough to create a gap. Use the prybar to remove the trim piece.

Tap upward on the underside of the windowsill. If it is well attached, you should be able to see the location of the nails. Use a nailset and drive the finish nails deeper through the wood. This will allow you to lift off the windowsill without damaging the drywall on the sides. Remove any trim around the outside of the frame using the same techniques.

Cut, pry, use the nailset and remove the inside framing using similar techniques to expose the window attachments. Unscrew the window from the studs using a screwdriver. Have a person stand outside the window. In some cases, the window will tip out at this point. It may be necessary to remove the exterior trim by cutting the caulk and prying the boards away. Your window may have screws along the front face of the house as well. Remove the screws. Press against the top inside corners of the window frame to push the window out.

Remove a poorly installed window. If your window doesn't have screws, you may need to cut the window out. Remove any window pieces you can including screens and set them aside. Wear protective goggles and gloves in case the window breaks. Tape across the window in an X pattern to help control broken glass.

Cut between the window attachment brackets and the rough-in studs around the window using a reciprocating saw. Try not to saw into the studs; just cut the window fasteners, whether they are nails or screws. Cut along the top, sides and then the bottom. Remove the window by pushing the top corners out. The second person receives the window from the outside. Cut any jutting nails or screws emerging from the studs above or on the sides of the window frame.

Place a metal straightedge against the drywall. Line up the straightedge with the cut vertical drywall from the window. Drag a utility knife down the straightedge to cut through the top layer of drywall paper. Mark the top of the baseboard. Repeat for the second side. Measure 1 1/2 inches to the left of the left side baseboard mark and use a rotary tool with a saw blade to cut the baseboard. Measure 1 1/2 inches to the right of the right side baseboard mark and cut the baseboard. Remove the baseboard between your cuts. Cut the drywall with the utility knife that was under the baseboard.

Cut through the drywall along your utility knife cut lines. Hold the knife shallow at 30 degrees if you are uncertain whether there is wiring below the window. Cut just the thickness of the drywall and remove the drywall. If you find wiring, turn off the electricity to the room and outlet. Locate the closest outlet to the left and right of the window. Unscrew and loosen the wire from both outlets.

Move a stud finder to the left of the window. Mark the first stud you reach. Move the stud finder to the right of the window and mark the stud. Make a vertical cut of the drywall down the center of the left and right studs. Saw and remove the drywall between the studs. This means removing the drywall over the window area as you must gain access to the studs above the window to reroute the wire inside the wall.

Drill horizontal 1/2-inch-wide holes through the cripple studs above the window. Measure and cut your new wire so that it will be several feet longer than you need. Twist the ends of the new wire to the ends of the existing wire at the outlet furthest away from the window. Wrap the splice with electrical tape. Pull the existing wire toward the window. This will pull the new wire into the old wire's position. Pull through until you are 24 inches from the end of the new wire. Knot the new wire to block it from pulling further. Remove the tape and untwist the wires.

Thread the new wire up and over and down the window using the holes you drilled. Attach the new wire to a shortened section of the existing wire by twisting the wire and taping. Pull on the wire from the closest outlet box. Pull away from the window. Pull the new wire into the box. Untape and separate the wires. Cut the new wire ends to fit into the box comfortably. Strip 3/4 inch of the insulation off the wires. Curl the wires around the posts on the outlet and tighten the posts with a screwdriver. Repeat for each outlet. Turn on the power and check your outlets to make sure they are working.

Cut the exterior siding from the inside framing of each side of the window down to the floor plate. Use a masonry saw for brick or stucco. Use a circular or reciprocating saw for siding, wood, metals or other materials. Cut through the studs and framing beneath the window with a reciprocating saw. Cut the bottom plate.

Apply doorway flashing material along the threshold and 1/4 the way up each side of the rough opening. This material usually has an adhesive back and comes on a roll. Wrap building barrier paper from the outside around and over the inside studs. Staple in place. Cover all of the exposed wood. Screw a drip edge to the underside of the header on the outside of the opening to help carry water away from the brick molding. Apply a bead of silicone along the outside edges of the paper along both sides and the top edge.

Insert the door into the opening from the outside. Shim with wood shims in the gap between the frame and the rough opening even with each hinge. Use three sets of shims on each side. Insert the shims with the taper toward the door. Two shims overlap to create a snug fit. Check the level of the door and maintain a 1/8-inch gap between the door and the frame. Screw through the frame, shims and into the rough studs. Remove two screws from the top hinge and screw long anchor screws through the holes.