basement replacement windows- short & wide?

[pybyr]

My house dates from the 1840s and the original basement windows are four lites in a sideways row, with a rough opening of about 15 inches high and 38 inches wide. The originals, or even more so their surrounds, are more like strainers than weather-tight, so it's time to do something about them.

In replacement windows (checking with local home supply places, chains, internet, etc), I am not finding anything other than shorter-width ones around 32 inches max. Those, plus the "filler" to bridge the voids to the granite foundation, are going to look like ______ on the front of the house.

Budget, unfortunately, is a consideration.

I'd welcome treated wood or an engineered composite over vinyl- just have a low opinion of vinyl unless I could find some of good grade (but see budget, above).

Any suggested manufacturers, distributors, etc., that I should check?

Thanks!

 

[gzecc]

If you don't need opeining windows, have you thought about installing glass block?

 

[jharkin]

What is the end goal? If its just to reduce infiltration and the basement is unfinished I wouldn't spend money on an entirely new window (in general I lean against replacing windows at all unless the originals are rotten beyond repair).

I have similar 4 lite windows in opening between granite slabs, albeit a bit smaller. Mine were not in great shape either so I and rebuilding them one at a time. The sashes I re-glazed and repaint, then I repaint the frames (using abatron filler in any rotten spots first). When I put them back in I used cheap vinyl v-seal weather strip to tighten them up. I use window plastic over them now but one of these days I will buy a sheet of plexiglass from the hardware store and cut a custom storm panel to fit where the screens go.

All of this is under $100 in materials for 3 windows. They are not perfectly air tight but I'm not too concerned - I have a natural draft boiler that needs to pull makeup air from someplace and Id rather its through the window cracks than trying to suck damp air through the gaps in the foundation stones.

 

[billb3]

I have an older house and ran into the same trimming out problem having to put standard 32x14 into a slightly larger opening.

I made one custom of wood and plexiglass, but for the price of the vinyl ones and time involved I did most of the others with the ones with the windows that slide sideways. Trimmed out and painted white they look OK. If I had it to do again and if I replace the custom one I made I won't do sliders again as the tracks are always full of crap.

 

[pybyr]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Glass block is a neat material but would look out of place on a VT Greek Revival farmhouse; I second the comment above about sliders getting crud in the tracks (have those in the back of the cellar that shows less)

The sashes are indeed in a lot better shape than the surrounding frames;

I have a secondhand sheet of 1/4 plexi that is a bit tattered but would be adequate.

Perhaps I should look at taking the existing sash, removing the putty and glass, repainting, then making a "sandwich" with the plexi and building new mount frames around them.

Found a couple of places that may make vinyl units in sizes and proportions closer to what I need- just need to find out the costs- the ongoing juggle of finite time and finite money...