Plexiglass windows - help!!!

I bought plexiglass for the windows of my coop. I can't figure out how I should use them on the coop. I want the easiest thing possible. I was thinking of just doing removeable windows, like sliding them in and out each day between the outside trim. But i do not know how to use a router and I think I would have to use one to make the appropriate slots on the trim for the window to slide. Does anyone know how I could make the easiest possible window for the coop. And I want to do this ASAP because its been raining a ton and the inside of the coop is getting wet. I just have the chicken wire on it now. Thanks!

You could hinge them
Post a pic of your project

this is where i have the windows now. I have hinges, but i have no idea how to do that. I figured sliders would be easier. Sorry, this is the best picture i have now.

You could make a slider , not that hard. More difficult to explain.

You can do a sliding window without a router. All you need to do is use two pieces of wood to make the groove for the window to slide in.

Here's a quick drawing of how you would do it.


Assume you're looking at the side of the coop, top down. The brown is the coop sidding. The blue is the sheet of plexiglass. Find a piece of scrap wood or plywood that is just slightly thicker than the plexiglass. You want it thick enough to have a bit of extra room so the plexiglass can slide easily and to allow for some swelling/shrinking that may occur in the wood as the weather changes. Too tight and the plexiglass will bind up and be really hard to slide. Cut two strips the height of the window and roughly an inch wide. These are the black bits in the above diagram. Then cut two pieces of the trim wood, again the height of the window about 2 inches wide. These are the red pieces above. Glue the two pieces together with the outside edges aligned, Once dry you can place them on the coop, screwing then down through both pieces of wood and creating the groove for the plexiglass to slide into. Finally you'll want a bit of trim at the bottom of the window for it to rest on in the closed position.

This is perfect! Thanks! Do you think this will hold out the rain fine? That's the only thing I was worried about, was rain dripping in through the sides with a sliding window.

AkChris said:

You can do a sliding window without a router. All you need to do is use two pieces of wood to make the groove for the window to slide in. Here's a quick drawing of how you would do it. Assume you're looking at the side of the coop, top down. The brown is the coop sidding. The blue is the sheet of plexiglass. Find a piece of scrap wood or plywood that is just slightly thicker than the plexiglass. You want it thick enough to have a bit of extra room so the plexiglass can slide easily and to allow for some swelling/shrinking that may occur in the wood as the weather changes. Too tight and the plexiglass will bind up and be really hard to slide. Cut two strips the height of the window and roughly an inch wide. These are the black bits in the above diagram. Then cut two pieces of the trim wood, again the height of the window about 2 inches wide. These are the red pieces above. Glue the two pieces together with the outside edges aligned, Once dry you can place them on the coop, screwing then down through both pieces of wood and creating the groove for the plexiglass to slide into. Finally you'll want a bit of trim at the bottom of the window for it to rest on in the closed position.

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