Updated: June 9, 2023
Published: Dec. 6, 2021
On a new home under construction, the window installation process is different than when replacement windows are installed. The types of windows are often different, too.
When a home is built, the original windows have a nail fin—a mounting flange with nail holes that is set back from the edges of the window frame and nailed to the exposed studs to secure the window to the opening. (Refer to the bottom left quadrant in the below image.)
It’s sealed to the framing of the home and tied into the flashing, then the nail fin is covered with whatever stucco, siding or other material is used on the home’s exterior walls.
