Install Types & Frame Profiles
Florida Flange / Replacement
A Florida flange is a one-piece flange extruded as part of the window or door frame itself — not a separate nail fin clipped or screwed on. It's common on Florida impact units and usually comes pre-drilled for fasteners. It pairs with the Replacement (retrofit) install path: the unit drops into an existing opening and is anchored with a few screws per jamb instead of being nailed to the sheathing on new construction. Plan on a minimum of 3 #8 x 2" screws per jamb, more for larger or higher-pressure openings.
- Flange type: integral (one-piece, extruded with frame)
- Install path: Florida Flange / Replacement (retrofit)
- Min fasteners: 3 #8 x 2" screws per jamb (typical)
- Best fit: existing opening, no fin to slip behind siding
- Shim gap: window + 1/2" at the finished hole
- Because the flange is part of the frame, there's no separate fin to crack, bend, or pull loose — it goes in as one rigid piece.
- Pre-drilled holes set the fastener spacing for you; just confirm count and edge distance against the unit's Florida Product Approval / NOA.
- Retrofit means you're setting into the existing buck or jamb, so the surrounding wall finish (stucco, siding, trim) usually stays put.
- Always bed the flange in sealant and follow the approval's screw schedule — screw count climbs with size and design pressure.
Pros
- Fast retrofit — no need to tear off siding or stucco to tuck a fin behind it
- One-piece flange is rigid and won't crack or peel away like a thin separate fin can
- Pre-drilled holes speed layout and keep fastener spacing consistent
- Ideal for remodel/replacement work in an existing opening
Watch-outs
- Flange sits on the face of the wall, so it's visible and needs clean sealant/trim detailing
- Replacement anchoring (screws per jamb) is only as strong as the existing buck — soft or rotted bucks must be repaired first
- Less forgiving than new construction for getting the unit dead plumb, since you inherit the old opening
- Must verify screw count/spacing against the unit's product approval — pre-drilled holes are a starting point, not always the full schedule