Replace Old Wood Windows With Clad Wood Windows — Wood In, Clad Out
The old wood windows are rotting outside, but you want wood trim and wood sash inside. Clad wood keeps the wood where you see it and covers it where the weather hits.
If you want to replace old wood windows with clad wood windows, JMB Builders does it across the Twin Cities metro. We measure each opening, order units with a wood interior to stain or paint and aluminum or vinyl cladding outside, remove the old windows, set the new ones in a sill pan, foam and flash them, and trim both sides. Priced per window, quoted from photos within one business day.
- Priced per window, clad windows supplied
- Wood interior, clad exterior
- Full-frame, insert or sash kit
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Old wood windows rot from the outside in: the bottom sash rail, the sill and the brickmould take the water, the paint fails, and the wood goes soft. The inside is usually fine. A clad wood window answers that: the exterior of the frame and sash is wrapped in aluminum or vinyl that does not need paint, and the interior is real wood that you stain or paint to match the house.
There are three ways to do it. A full-frame unit replaces everything back to the studs. An insert sets a new clad window inside the old frame. A sash replacement kit keeps the old frame and puts new clad sashes and jamb liners in it, which saves the most interior trim. We look at the frame and sill at the measure and tell you which one each opening can take.
Interior wood comes unfinished, primed or factory-finished depending on the order. Unfinished wood has to be sealed soon after install so it does not take on moisture. Painting is quoted as a separate line — or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself.
What you supply
- Your pick of cladding color, interior wood species and finish, glass and grilles
- Whether you want to keep your existing interior trim where it is sound
- Photos of each window inside and out and a close-up of a sill and bottom sash rail
What JMB supplies
- In-home measure of each opening and a check of the frame and sill
- The clad wood windows or sash kits, ordered to those measurements
- Removal and haul-away of the old windows or sashes
- Insulation in empty weight pockets, low-expansion foam and backer rod
- Sill pan and flashing tape on full-frame installs
- Interior stops or casing and exterior trim or cladding
- Photos of the finished windows in your job folder
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Full-frame vs. insert vs. sash replacement kit
- Window size and style
- Interior wood species and whether it comes unfinished, primed or factory finished
- Cladding color and glass package
- Rot in the sill, jambs or framing
- Staining or painting the interior wood, quoted as its own line
- Matching an existing interior casing profile
Send a close-up of the worst sill and bottom rail. Tell us if you want to keep the interior trim.
How long it takes
Sash kits and inserts: two to four a day. Full-frame clad units with new exterior trim: one to three a day. Interior finishing is scheduled after install.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Full-frame clad window
Old window out to the studs, the opening repaired, a new clad unit set in a sill pan and flashed. New trim inside and out. The fix when the frame or sill is rotted.
Clad insert
A new clad window sized to fit inside the old frame. The interior casing and stool stay. Works when the frame is sound and square.
Sash replacement kit
New clad sashes and jamb liners in your old frame, keeping the most original wood. Only for double hungs whose frame and sill are sound.
Replace Old Wood Windows With Clad Wood Windows — Wood In, Clad Out: questions, answered
What is a clad wood window?
A wood window with the outside of the frame and sash covered in aluminum or vinyl. The cladding sheds water and does not need paint. The inside is real wood that can be stained or painted to match your trim.
Should I repair my old wood windows or replace them with clad?
If the rot is limited to a bottom rail or a sill nose, repair is usually cheaper. When several sashes are soft, the sill is gone and the frame leaks, replacement costs less over time. We look at each window and tell you which ones are worth saving.
Can I keep my original interior trim with clad replacement windows?
Often yes, with an insert or a sash replacement kit. Both leave the interior casing and stool in place. A full-frame install needs new trim, which we can mill or pick to match what is left.
Does the wood inside a clad window come finished?
It can come unfinished, primed or factory stained or painted, depending on the order. Unfinished wood needs to be sealed soon after it goes in so it does not absorb moisture. Staining or painting is quoted as its own line.
Do clad wood windows need maintenance?
The cladding outside needs washing and a check of the caulk joints now and then. The wood inside needs its finish kept up, especially at the bottom rail where condensation sits. Keeping indoor humidity reasonable in winter helps the wood last.
How long does it take to replace wood windows with clad windows?
Inserts and sash kits run two to four a day; full-frame units run one to three a day. The order comes first, and clad wood windows often have a longer lead time than vinyl. We give you the date when the order is placed.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All windows pages
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Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: