100 Year old windows- how to deal with?
We’re working on a 100 year old house in the Kansas City Missouri area. The house has its original single hung windows with some nice muntins in the upper sashes. These windows are (of course) weird sizes. Most are around 32″ wide by 72″ high. Most of them have the original single pane removeable storms.
The problem is that water and age have damaged most of these windows pretty badly with various degrees of rot and decay in the sills, sashes, and muntins. Most are fairly operable, however. The glazing is also pretty bad with all.
We’re in the initial stages of defining a work scope to deal with the entire exterior of the house and need some advice with the windows. We plan on removing all exterior siding and replacing. When this happens, we also plan to deal with the windows. The interior of the house is done (with the exception of trim around the windows) and so we want to minimize plaster damage and disruption.
What are some ways to deal with the windows? The most obvious (and tedious?) method is to somehow repair the windows. However, I am afraid of the labor and skill required. A carpenter freind of mine suggests sash replacement, but I’m worried about the viability of the window jambs, heads, and sills. My current leanings are to window replacement.
Any comments or suggestions? Valuable experience. What are the cost/benefit ratios of each approach? Any vendors or mfrs I should look at?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Robert Asher
Replies
Hi, Robert-
Sounds like you're not married to the idea of keeping the old windows. In my opinion, even without seeing your windows, the R&R costs for dealing with the old windows and the long run upkeep of them will far override the cost of replacing them now. Basic window replacement can be done at a reasonable cost with vinyl window units that have insulated glass and are virtually maintainance free; you can go up from there in cost in terms of appearance. It all depends of course upon your budget and aesthetic requirements.
Ken Hill
What does the customer have to say? Do they want the old windows or not? I have had projects here in the northeast where we have removed 175 year old windows, reworked them as needed and reinstalled them in a new addition on the same house (this customer wanted her old windows).
I have had some success with some epoxy consolidants on window that were not too badly damaged. Abatron is the company that made the product I used, we simply removed the worst of the rotted wood, drilled some small holes in the rest, painted on the consolidant, and when cured, filled what was missing with automotive body filler (bondo). I can't say if it will last 175 years, but 5 years later and not one complaint or problem.
Bill
Abatron also make a filler that is compatible with their "consolidator", you can even apply it while the consolidator is still wet..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Our 100 yr old house had big double-hungs that were falling apart and had leaked badly into the sill (they are also totally out of square). We took them out, repaired, patched and painted the sills and jambs, and then popped in Anderson double-glazed replacement sashes. That was five years ago and everything has been warm and tight since then. I'm slowly replacing all the rest of our windows. HOWEVER, if I had any unusual windows, I would take the time and $$$ to restore them. It would certainly pay off in the value of the house.
For valuable, unique windows, I lean to restoration with Abatron or the Minwax product. Restoration is not cheaper than replacement, because labor is high. Many of my customers are willing to pay the load to restore because they have the old wavy glazing and details in the muntins that are lacking in newer sashes.
New windows are necessarily going to last longer than restored older ones. The wood nowadays is so poor that it is more prone to early death by rot. restored windows are not going to be as tight against the weather as new ones though. Your craftsmen and customer both need to be full of patience for restoration to come out right.
Did someone say vinyl? Was that a bad joke?
All of us old dinosaurs aren't dead yet...
I've worked on old windows and I can tell you that they are demanding in patience and time, however, you need to consider the fact of age. Yes it does take a hell of a lot of time, but these days restoration does pay. Sometimes even grants and funds are available for such time-consuming projects. If not, there are those that say that accurately restored projects are worth more money on the right marketplace. Richard James Tolzman
From what you described, you got more than just window sill's to replace, hehehe, go ahead, get started, the decay, termite damage is going from the mudsill all the way to the rafters. no turn left unstoned