Hello, All!
My father-in-law is in the “I can fix it all” home improvement biz and has run across a family that is slowly restoring an old house that they live in. Many of the sashs are damaged, painted over, etc and he is looking for a source to replace them. Whether it is a person with an inventory of old window parts, or it is one that remanufacures “antique” or “historically accurate” parts does seem to matter.
Just to make it more fun I have no idea who made these windows. There are no markings that he can see.
Thank you for your help!
G.O.
Replies
If cost is NO OBJECT and you are in Northern California (you didn't mention where you are) then you might try looking the the website for Wooden Window, Inc, in the Bay Area of California. http://www.woodenwindow.com/about.html
Beautiful work but you'd better figure on $1500/window.
NotaClue
Unfortunately, we are just north of Philadelphia. Thank you for responding though
I've checked into most of the manufacturers, large and small, for old house windows. You can see a bunch of them at Clem Labine's websites, traditional building and period homes.
But none worked for me. Without a pic, I have no idea what it is that your FIL's trying to reproduce. They may be ordinary. They may not. If you can't find something, custom is the way to go. A lot of the manufacturers, such as midwest architectural, will make whatever you spec, but you're gonna have to pay for it.
SHG
http://www.oldhousejournal.com/index.shtml may be a help to you in their ads and classifieds.
If your FIL can provide accurate scantlings and a section of the mould to copy for the sashes he wants replaced, I can possibly help with some recommendations. E-mail me through my profile if he'd be interested. Below is a stain-grade storm window as an example.
View Image
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Gerick,
I was going to tell you that you should go to a local mill and have them made.
And then I noticed that you live just down the road.
You should call Bill McCarthy from Riegelsville. I have not had the fortune of working with him, but he is very highly recommended. If he asks for a referral, tell him I am an old friend of Doug Law. I think his number is (610) 346-8279. Here is some info from the web on a show he did:
Window Sash Making, A Demonstration with Bill McCarthy
Saturday, October 30th and Sunday, October 31st
at the Windsor Municipal Center on Union Street, Windsor, Vermont
from 10 am and 2 pm both days.
Bill McCarthy, founder and owner of Restoration Millwork, Riegelsville, PA, has been supplying custom architectural woodwork for restoration and new construction since 1975. He has restored and has in use many specialized 19th-century woodworking machines and hand tools. He has furthered his keen interest in industrial history and the history of technology through serving as a Trustee of the American Precision Museum and is one of the leading forces behind the museum's annual Model Engineering Show.
Bill will set up his mid19th-century joiner's work bench with end vise and bench dogs and his array of historic hand tools to conduct demonstrations in crafting a window sash by hand. The Demonstration is free with $6.00 admission to both Museum and Model Show.
If he is not available, try:
Dykes Lumber
15 South Sixth Street
Easton, PA 18042
(610)250-0600
Fax(610)250-0820
Dykes Millworks
610-559-1054
Ask for Lou Lenygyl and tell him I sent you.
carpenter in transition
Hi Gerick,
I am part owner of a a century old building here in Baltimore and
in the area I am converting into my loft has old 12 over 12 and 9 over 9 wood sashes. Some are badly damaged with rotted out areas.
I am slowly restoring by repairing rotted areas with epoxy then reglazing and painting. It is laborious but I love the old sashes.
Here are some sites about sash restoration.
http://www.houseinprogress.net/archives/000235.html
http://www.rotdoctor.com/
All size epoxy kits
jgreer.com
Hope this helps,
Tom
Tom ---
Saw your response and had to write. I am currently starting the renovation/restoration of a 1923 Craftsman style bungalow and am undecided what to do about the windows. I love the idea of restoring them, but was curious what if anything you did about "weatherstripping". When the wind blows here, South Dakota, during the winter its almost like sitting outside. Mine are doublle hung sashes with single lite bottoms and vertically divided lite uppers.
Thanks.
Hi Teal,There are ways to add weatherstripping for old sashes.
Right here in my town is a company that usually has a full page ad in Fine Homebuilding called-
Resource Conservation Technology Inc.
2633 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
USA
tel: 410-366-1146
fax: 410-366-1202 They sell weatherstripping that can be retrofitted to old windows and doors using a router with a special fitting to make a groove for the seals.I'm in a fairly mild climate compared to yours in S.D. you might
want to consider doing storm windows as well.
I've heard there are ways to do double insulated glass in old sashes but I don't know anything about it. Probably very expensive.But I definitely think that restoring those beautiful sashes will be worth it. That kind of original detail is very valuable and key to the look of the house style.I purchase my epoxy from JS Greer and sometimes from listers on Ebay,
where I found a good deal on epoxy putty, which is really just epoxy with filler added.But with rotted wood you just want to remove the loose damaged wood, then consolidate what remains with a fairly thin epoxy mix that soaks into the fibers, then use epoxy putty to fill what is missing. The epoxy will be stronger than the wood of course.
You could also consider using epoxy paint for a really durable finish.Good luck!Tom