With proper maintenance, those old windows were meant to last forever. After all, they are composed of three simple components: wood, glass and putty. Some would even say that modern technology has made replacement windows more complex, and when something fails, it is harder to repair — if you can even find the parts.
Even the pulleys, ropes and weights in vintage windows can be relatively easy to repair. While it might seem wise to just say, “Out with the old and in with the new,” there is still a lot to be said for maintaining these parts of older homes with “original equipment.”
We’ll share the essential cosmetic refinishing, without addressing the mechanical parts that assist with the raising and lowering of double-hung windows, but there are some great YouTube videos that can be followed if your project goes that far.
As with most home improvement projects with older homes, one of the first cautions is watching for lead paint. As the putty and paint is removed, there will be a lot of debris, and if it contains lead, proper precautions must be taken to ensure that lead paint and dust is not left behind to contaminate soil or air. Proper personal protection masks, gloves, clothing and drop cloths must be in place any time work is done on vintage homes.
For the best results, the entire sash should be removed to properly strip the finish and glaze putty. However, the sashes can be left in place if the window stops and parting bead are still in good condition and the window is mechanically working as desired. Removing window stops and parting bead is more advanced and should be handled with care.
Chances are the glaze putty around the windows will be cracked and missing in some places. The glaze can be removed with a chisel and putty knife, but try to keep from breaking the window glass. There will be window points in place every few inches, and all of them should be removed and replaced, as well, to get a good, firm seal and to hold the glass in place while new glazing putty is put around the window.
Old paint and rotten wood should be removed. Epoxy can be used to repair small areas where rotten wood has been removed, but large areas will require replacement of entire boards.
Paint can be scraped off with wire brushes, paint scrapers, heat guns and sandpaper. Due to the small areas and multiple trim pieces that form the frame for the windows, much of the paint removal and sanding will have to be done by hand if the sashes are left in place. If the sashes are removed and the windows can be refinished in a workshop, electric orbital and vibrating sanders will make quicker work of the paint removal. Note that sandpaper can scratch the glass. It is important to clean the glass and put masking tape over the glass before the sanding starts.
Even if you are not removing the sashes from the frames, it is still the best practice to remove the window hardware, such as the locks and handles that are grasped for raising and lowering the sashes. Another often overlooked step is to plan your work so you can have your window back in working order by the end of the day, even if that means you can only finish one window each day until the project is completed. Most people want their windows to be able to firmly close before retiring for the night.
As with many DIY articles, most of our time has been spent on prepping the window for finishing, rather than on actually applying the finish. When it is time to apply the paint or stain, start with the window partially open and paint from the top of the window to the bottom. Be especially careful not to paint so tightly where the sash meets the frame that the window is glued in place by the paint. Use a 1 1/2-inch angled brush, and take your time. The jury is still out on whether masking the glass before painting is better than scraping off any wayward brushstrokes with a razor blade after the painting is complete.
Sources:
1. Thecraftsmanblog.com.
2. Familyhandyman.com.
Written by Bill Smith
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