Window sashes
A double-hung sash, restored in the shop or on site
Most of the old windows we see aren't worn out. They're painted shut, the putty has gone, a cord has snapped and the paint has let water into a joint. All of that can be repaired with the original wood and, where it's sound, the original glass.
We bring the sashes to the shop between late fall and spring, and work on the outside of the house when the weather allows.
Sashes freed, repaired and hung on new cord
Cracked panes replaced, sound glass kept
Weatherstrip fitted so the sash closes snugly
Wood storm sashes repaired and painted
Before paint
What gets done to the wood first
Labor on an old window is mostly preparation. Here is the list we work from on every sash.
Probe and map
An awl and a moisture check find soft wood before any scraping, and each sash gets a written list.
Rails, stiles and the sill
Meeting rails and joints
Wet-scrape and vacuum
Loose paint comes off wet and goes straight into a HEPA vacuum. No dry sanding, no heat guns, no open flame.
Plastic and drop cloth under every window
A cleaning check at the end of the day
Repair the wood
Joints re-glued and pinned, rot cut out and replaced with matching wood, small gaps filled.
Splices cut to the profile
Epoxy only where a splice can't go
Reglaze
Old putty out, glass bedded in new putty, and left several days to skin over before it's painted.
Sound glass kept
Putty painted onto the glass edge to seal it
The shop schedule
One window, over a few weeks
Days are working days for the sash. The calendar is longer because putty and paint have to cure between them.
Step 1: Day 1: Visit and estimate
We probe the wood, count panes and write the hours for each window. The estimate arrives in writing.
Step 2: Day 2: Sashes out
Sashes come out, labeled by window and position. A temporary panel closes each opening.
Step 3: Days 3 to 5: Scrape, repair, reglaze
Paint stripped wet, joints repaired, glass bedded in new putty.
Step 4: Days 6 to 10: Cure and prime
The putty skins over, then primer goes on all sides, edges and the glass seal.
Step 5: Days 11 to 14: Paint and rehang
Two coats, new cord and weatherstrip, then the sash goes back in and gets tested.
What goes on
Paint and putty, in plain words
Primer on bare wood
An oil-based primer on all bare wood, including the edges nobody sees.
Two coats of premium paint
Exterior-grade paint in the sheen you choose; we'll show you the data sheet for any product on request.
Linseed-oil glazing putty
The same kind of putty the windows were glazed with originally, painted onto the glass edge to seal it.
About sash work
How long does a window take?
Working time is roughly a day to a day and a half of labor per window, spread over a few weeks, because putty and paint need days to cure. Your estimate lists hours by person.
Will the window be weathertight afterward?
A sash that closes snugly with weatherstrip is tighter than one that's painted shut, and a storm window adds a second layer. We don't quote energy savings.
What does the warranty cover?
Our work: the glazing, the repairs and the paint. It doesn't cover new rot elsewhere or a window we weren't asked to touch. Terms, limits and exclusions are in your written warranty.
Do you replace windows?
No. If a sash can't be saved, we'll say so and tell you what a replacement should keep: the proportions, the muntins and the wood.
Have a window that won't open?
Send a photo by text, or ask for a visit. We'll write down the hours before anyone touches a sash.