What is this called and how can I replace it?

[CaptainAmerica]

So I have looked all around and cannot figure out what this is called and if there is anything special I need to do after I remove it while updating the exterior. It is an absolute eye-sore and I want to replace it with something that is flush with the brick. I am just unsure if there any major structural endeavors I will pursue in changing this over to something a little different. I will be installing engineered wood around the brick. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

[Nestor]

Well, to my knowledge, there is no word for a thing like that other than a "window frame on steroids".

I'm thinking that that window may have been installed after the house was built, and so it may have been necessary to support the ceiling joists over the window, and that's why that "window frame" is so robust.

What's under that thing? That is, what supports it?

Also, can you tell if that lumber is solid or it's hollow and just made of boards?

[mrcaptainbob]

YIKES! Now that does look sturdy! Well, at first glance, anyway. Judging by the airgap at the top of the two side posts where they meet the soffit I'd be inclined to say they are not structural. Not to mention the horizontals. Their installation is not at all vertically structural. Can you pull away any of the molding around the outside of the window and get a feel for how it looks in there? It does appear that whole frame is only there as spacer and nail edge covering... any evidence of how it's fastened? Nail heads or anchor screws that might have a tell-tail edge under the paint?

[Nestor]

Mr. Captain Bob:
We both missed the middle picture.

It can't be structural because it's not resting on anything solid. In the middle picture you can see that the bottom of that frame is off the ground.

Captain America:

To address your question, I think if anyone in here had ever seen a window frame like that before, they'd have posted by now. I think your best bet to find out how to remove it would be to e-mail your photos to the Installation Managers of some of your local window companies. If any of them have seen this before, they'll e-mail you back. If none of them have seen it before, you're likely to see a few curious Installation Managers snooping around your window trying to figure out what the heck they'd do if you were wanting that window replaced.

You realize that unless you replace the window with a larger one, you're going to have to replace this wood with something of similar width to fill the space between the existing window and the edge of the existing brickwork, and the new gameplan might end up being just as hard to look at as what you have now.

PS:
If you change your mind and decide to keep it, you need to paint the BOTTOMS of the two side pieces with an oil based paint. If you look at the bottom of the right side piece in your middle picture, you'll see that the sidepiece has several splits in it at the bottom that you don't see at the top. That's because rain water is getting absorbed into the end grain at the bottom of those two side pieces (whereas the tops are kept dry by the roof overhang) and repeated wetting and drying causes wood to split at it's end grain. Painting the bottoms of those two side pieces with an oil based paint will prevent absorption of water into the wood end grain, and that will prevent further splitting of those two side pieces at their bottoms.

If you want to know more about what's happening and why, read my post in this thread:
Porch project

[HayZee518]

It looks like a window casing, but of a size that includes the thickness of the brick and the inside sheetrock. If merely decorative, there may be a jack stud on each side fastened to the framing lumber that makes up the wall.

[Nestor]

It's 5:45 AM where I live, and I haven't gone to bed yet.

WTF are you doing still up at this hour?

[HayZee518]

sleep? is that what it's called! I sleep all wierd hours of the day. 3 hrs and I'm good to go, most times. I had a dj job last night so I was all wound up. I corked off about 5am my time [ east coast]