DO IT YOURSELF Sheds Part II

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A. Cut shutter to be longer and wider by 2" than rough opening. Make it of plywood or of horizontally butted T&G boards; trim away milled edges at top and bottom trimmed. Half-inch, outside-glued plywood alone will make a stiff shutter, but fasten two squares of 3/8" or 1/4" ply together.

B. Frame it to join several boards or to keep plywood from warping.

1. On a flat worktable, arrange boards horizontally.

2. Fasten with a boxed Z-frame of 1" x 3" boards. This is similar to a door, but locate top and bottom frame boards a good 1" from the upper and lower edges, leaving a lip to slide in the channels.

For Frame:

Build a pair of channels for the shutter to slide in. For greatest security, fasten with screws from inside.

A. Center window or shutter, frame facing out, over rough opening. Tack it on level, setting tack nails through middle of sides. If tacking a glazed, wood-framed sash, drill pilot holes at outer edges of frame, using small nails.

B. Make slides. From a 2 x 4 or by layering scrap plywood (better), fashion two wood strips—in length, 2" more than twice the window's width, 2" wide, and thicker than window frame by 1/4".

1. Fasten one strip to sheathing along bottom of tacked-on shutter, one end even with edge of window, longer end extending out along slide path. Hold a straightedge and carpenters' level under to assure that strip remains straight, and level all. 2. Fasten the other strip 1/4" above window, ends even with lower strip.

C. Put vertical stop blocks at each end of the strips.

D. Cut two keeper boards of 1 "-thick lumber (or 1/2" plywood) as long as strips, but 1" wider.

1. Fasten them atop strips so they hold window in.

E. Remove tack nails; window will slide freely in the frame.

F. Fasten a thin strip of aluminum flashing (like a roof over the top of an upper channel). This will keep water from swelling the wood so shutter binds.

To secure a sliding window or shutter, drill a slightly down-sloping hole through sheathing, through lower edge of window sash or shutter, and into the keeper board. Close window, put a nail into hole, and window will stay closed.

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