Window wells take a beating. They’re always exposed to the elements, are half-buried in the ground, and may even be affected by shifting, moving foundations. Over time, they can rust or warp and may even become detached from the home. When our homeowner wanted to spruce up her window wells, she called mason Mark McCullough for some help.
How to Replace a Window Well
- Measure and mark the areas you’ll excavate. If there are any fixed items nearby, measure their distance from the window well and match that distance on the other side of the window for aesthetic balance.
- Excavate the ground. If there’s a masonry or asphalt walkway in the way, use a circular saw with a masonry blade to cut across the surface in a straight line. Use the HEPA vacuum to clean up any dust and contaminants that may be released while cutting. Then, use a pickaxe or sledgehammer to break up the surface.
- Rake back any mulch or stone that you’ll be keeping, and lay a tarp down for catching soil. Dig down around the existing window well and unbolt it from the house before removing it from the ground.
- Dig about 10 inches below the bottom of where the old window well was. Fill this space with crushed stone and tamp it to pack it down.
- Measure the window and mark the centerline. Measure the width of the window well from the screw holes on one side to the screw holes on the other. Divide that number in half and measure this distance from the centerline of the window.
- Place the window well in the excavated pit outside the window. Line it up with the marks on either side of the window, and mark the exact locations of the bolt holes.
- Use a hammer drill and masonry bit to drill the mounting holes. Be sure to drill straight so the window well doesn’t shift or warp when it’s bolted.
- Insert the wedge anchor bolts through the screw holes of the window well, using a washer to prevent the nut from pulling through the bolt holes. Align the window well with the holes in the concrete foundation, and insert these anchors.
- Use a ratchet and socket to tighten up the bolts, adjusting the positioning of the window well as you go to ensure it remains level and centered.
- Backfill soil around the window well and tamp it down. If you removed mulch, you can now replace it. If you had to cut through asphalt or concrete, consider a masonry patch or a temporary solution until you’re able to renovate the surface.
