De-Fedderizing A Fedders Building

I’m the proud owner of a recently purchased “Fedders building”, and would like to do what I can to make the exterior less generic and unappealing. Along these lines, I’m wondering if anyone has had experience removing and replacing Fedders a/c cutouts, and if so, what they used to fill the resulting voids. The obvious route would be to just install brick, but I’d like to attempt something more creative, if it’s practical. Would windows look weird? Any other thoughts? Thanks!

eperry60

in Exteriors 9 years and 9 months ago

5

Please log in, in order to post replies!

5 replies

Newest Oldest

soundhoner | 9 years and 9 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4939 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4928 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "185056"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(10) "soundhoner"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$B.MX0wo9RmF5R6Z7AhcVRbEkIHWysR0"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(10) "soundhoner"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(16) "okadat@gmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 13:28:03"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(10) "soundhoner"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(185056)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

I’m convinced an enterprising architect or contractor could make a business / speciality “de-Fedderizing” (or de-Friedrichting as the case may be) buildings in our neighborhoods…

slimc | 9 years and 9 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4938 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4937 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "177080"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(5) "slimc"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BRwHbpsTCIzijIQaF3RE5jEha/vxZh/"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(5) "slimc"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(21) "slimchancey@yahoo.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(20) "/forums/users/slimc/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2013-06-24 17:25:15"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(45) "1725546075:$P$Bkb3cmBuZPrPksim3f2NiwCwWyp8eC0"
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(5) "slimc"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(177080)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Custom-made hanging window boxes on all windows, as large as can be supported with lightweight potting mix, planted with trailing vines and flowers.

barney | 9 years and 9 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4934 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4940 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "39809"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(6) "barney"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(6) "barney"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(21) "lintzrachel@yahoo.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 13:50:23"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(6) "barney"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(39809)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Congrats! So where will the AC units go then, in the windows? What is the rest of the facade? Is it that fake brick common to Fedder buildings? I kinda think anything you do to those little squares isn’t gonna match and is gonna look weird so I say go whole hog and redo the whole facade in some sort of quality material. Modern wood siding would be cool! Anything so long as it’s not fake – fake brick, fake wood, fake stone, etc.

Augustiner | 9 years and 9 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4939 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4941 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "45573"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(10) "Augustiner"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$B34SD8yEA6Hi8EPJJfH83mCf4GZmmP0"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(10) "augustiner"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(18) "flo@flat-peach.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(32) "http:///forums/users/augustiner/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 13:35:10"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(6) "August"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(45573)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

You could put in bigger windows. Maybe some offset wood slats – like a partial (modern) wood siding

haturondecatur | 9 years and 9 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4938 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4942 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "181770"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(14) "haturondecatur"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BkQj9XES6zv58OMrGc0amWlsOrWyLx0"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(14) "haturondecatur"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(21) "jefzaborski@yahoo.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:08:43"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(14) "haturondecatur"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(181770)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Nice! I’d do steel and wood porches on the front facade, along the lines of the cast iron balconies you see in the french Quarter in New Orleans, or something more buttoned up like the mashrabiya oriel windows they do in the middle east. You’d add living space and a bit of a buffer if you want to add glazing but don’t want to put on a show for the neighborhood. The beauty of Fedders buildings is that they present a neutral canvas ready for some definition and elaboration.