Tim,

I like the Tyvek suite of flashing products and the butyl is certainly preferable to asphalt tapes.

I am not a fan of wrapping the Tyvek in the home but I know it is the more "specified" new construction application. You can wrap the Tyvek to the outside and be just as, if not more, water tight.

The ProFinish is a good, solid window. Not my favorite and probably not as good as some of the other premium units but still very good.

Thanks for the response!

So, do you caulk/nail in the windows first, then place the butyl tape, then tyvek over?

Do you prefer any other vinyl windows over the ProFinish line that is reasonably close in pricing?

Thanks so much!

Flex wrap the sills, bedding bead of sealant on the back of the flange and RO, set window, shim/square/plumb and nail off, straight flash the jambs and head, wrap tyvek over the top, seal with tyvek tape on sides, skip tape head, try to tuck tyvek on bottom under the flex wrap.

Done and done.

The ProFinish is okay. I prefer HiMark, Soft-Lite, Sunrise, and Affinity but I am not sure where you are located and if they are available. The great thing about Simonton is that you can get it anywhere.

windowsonwashington-

Have you seen the Simonton Brickmold series? Do you have any thoughts? I'm comparing them to ProFinish Contractor.

I visited ABC supply (I think its national) and they offered "Ellison" windows in addition to Simonton. Do you have any experience with that brand? Their brickmold offering looked very nice.

Thanks so much for your help!

Never heard of Ellison, but I know that ABC sells several lines. Simonton is a solid company and product, and is widely available. Depending upon where you are located, you may have access to some of the better performers as well. Softlite/Gorell, Sunrise, and HiMark/Okna all have some type of offering either through distribution (like ABC, Allied, etc), or through dealers that will sell DIY.

When people mention soft-lite on this site, are they referring to "Soft-lite" windows (www.soft-lite.com) or Gorell's "Soft-lite" (www.gorell.com)??

Very confusing!!

I can get my hands on Sunrise windows, but they appear to be quite a bit more $ than Simonton Profinish Contractors. Is the price difference worth it?

Thanks!

On Softlite: Same company, different product lines. They are all pretty good however. Their top 3 offerings: Elements, Imperial LS and Gorell 5300 are the best choices, but all of their lines are above average at worst.
On the price difference between Sunrise and Simonton, whether or not it is worth it depends on how much that difference is, as well as your priorities for the project.I would say that the Sunrise is better quality and performance, however again, those other factors will determine whether or not it is worth the premium. I will say this, it is always my recommendation to buy the best product that fits within your budget, assuming that it is a fair deal.