Working Windows: A Guide To The Repair And Restoration Of Wood Windows

by Terry Meany

Overview

This definitive book covers the operation, care, repair, and restoration of all kinds of wood windows, along with chapters on weather-stripping, repainting, and refinishing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781599213118
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	04/15/2008
Edition description:	Third Edition
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	1,122,393
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

Terry Meany has repaired thousands of windows in the Seattle area, earning him the nickname "Mr. Window."

Table of Contents

Foreword   Rick Sever     viii
Preface     ix
Acknowledgments     x
Introduction     xi
Double-Hung Windows
The Basics     1
The Details     1
Typical Problems     4
Weather Stripping     4
Pulleys     7
Sash Pins     9
Problems and Problem Solving     11
Opening the Window     11
Removing the Stops     18
Windows Nailed Shut     21
Reinstalling the Stops     22
Replacing the Ropes     23
Lower Sash Rope Replacement and Pocket Covers     24
Installing the New Rope     29
Removing Both Sashes and Replacing the Parting Beads     34
Sash Controls     39
Parting Bead Dimensions     42
No Pocket Covers     43
Exterior Casings and Brick Molding     45
Drilling Access Holes     46
Duplex Pulleys     50
Removing Interlocking Weather Stripping     52
Weather Stripping Reinstallation     56
Alternatives to Pulleys, Weights, and Ropes     59
Casement Windows, Awning Windows, Hopper Vent Windows
TheDetails     61
Getting Them Open     62
Removing the Hinges     63
Weather Stripping     65
Awning Windows/Hopper Vent Windows     66
Fixed Windows
The Details     67
Fixed Single Sash     68
Double-Hung Fixed Windows     70
Repairs, Refinishing, Repainting, Weather Stripping, Redemption
A Short Introduction     71
Safety Considerations     72
Respirators and Masks     73
Safety Glasses     75
Gloves     76
Ear Protectors     77
Disposable Tyvek Suits     78
Repair Problems     78
Paint Buildup     79
Removing Old Paint     79
Heat Removal     80
Chemical Removal     81
Solvent-Based     81
Other Solvents     83
Water Rinse-able "Safe" Strippers     83
Sodium Hydroxide Paste (Lye)     84
Environmentally Friendly/Natural     85
Tank Dipping     85
Scraping     86
Sanding     86
Steam Cabinets     89
Disposing of Debris     90
Broken Glass and Loose Glazing      90
Replacing the Glass Yourself     92
Hackout Tools, Chisels, and Stiff Putty Knives     92
Heat Gun and Propane Torch     92
Grinding Wheel     93
Prazi Putty Chaser     93
Next Steps... Removing the Glass     93
Measuring for New Glass     93
Buying the Glass     95
Installing the Glass     95
Limits of Glazing Compound     100
On-Site Glaziers     101
Taking the Sash to a Glazier or Hardware Store     101
Hacking Out the Old Putty Yourself and Having Others Install the Glass     101
Missing or Loose Glazing     101
Structural Repairs     102
Loose Corners     102
Corner Irons     103
Nails and Deck Screws     105
Rotted or Deteriorated Wood     107
Fillers     107
Automotive Body Filler     108
Epoxy     109
Rot and Weathered Wood Repairs     110
Muntins     113
Chipped Muntins     113
Broken Muntins     114
Sill Repairs     118
Partial Sill Replacement     120
Sill Replacement      124
Missing or Broken Hardware     125
Cleaning Window Hardware     125
Replacing Hardware     128
Fixed Pulleys     128
Problems with the Weights     130
Casement Hinges     130
Sloppy or Tight Fit     132
Double-Hung Windows     132
Casement Windows     134
If Your Casement Is Weather Stripped     136
Fixed Window Problems     137
Turning Fixed Windows Into Operable Windows     138
Double-Hung Fixed     138
Outswinging Casement/Butt Hinges     138
Installing Friction Hinges     142
Weather Stripping     143
Spring Bronze     144
Installing Spring Bronze     144
Spring Bronze and Casement Windows     149
Interlocking Weather Stripping     149
Vinyl     149
Foam     151
Other Materials     152
Repainting and Refinishing     152
Paint     153
Oil-Based Paint     153
Latex Paint     153
Cleaning Paintbrushes     156
Stains, Varnishes, Oils, Shellac, and Lacquer     158
Stains      158
Varnish     160
Oils     163
Shellac     164
Lacquer     165
Moldings
Woodwork: Moldings and Casings     167
Refinishing and Removal     170
Stripping and Finishing     172
Painting, Finishing, and Graining     174
Graining     175
Stupid Windows, Leaded Glass
Stupid Windows     177
Pivoting Windows     177
Leaded Glass Windows     178
Nontraditional Repairs for Leaded Glass     179
Screens and Storm Windows
Screens     181
Retractable Screens     181
Adjustable Screens     181
Fixed Wood Screens     182
Full-Screen Replacement     183
Building Wood-Framed Screens     187
Screen and Storm Window Hardware     188
Wood Storm Windows     189
Styles     189
Making Your Own     190
Plastic vs. Glass     192
Aluminum Screens and Storm Windows     192
Security
Pin Locks     194
Ventilation Locks     195
Security Film     196
Window Grates     196
Glass Cleaning
General Dirt and Grime     198
Other Tips     199
Paint Drips and Overspray     200
Removing Decals and Stickers     200
Stained and Leaded Glass     200
Polishing Your Windows     201
Glass Cleaner     201
Shutters and Awnings
Awnings     203
Repairs and Maintenance     204
Shutters     205
Repairs and Maintenance     205
Tools and Materials Appendix     207
Tools     207
Tool Uses     207
Material Uses     210
Resources     215
Tools and Materials     215
Miscellaneous     218
What the World Has to Say About Working Windows     218
Index     221

Editorial Reviews

"The best guide on the subject.". —Seatle Times/Post Intelligencer"Meany has put together the definitive book on wood window repair and restoration... [it is] written with excellent detail, helpful diagrams, simple and clear instructions, and a good bit of Meany's wry humor to make it a lively read. It is an absolutely indispensable part of any wood-window-owning do-it-yourselfer's home library." — Amazon.com"Whether you simply need to eliminate drafts or want to tackle complex stripping, author Meany is sure to steer you in the right direction. Remember, the windows really are the eyes of your home." —Timber Homes Illustrated"Assuming you have a reason to repair old, single-pane windows instead of replacing them with insulated glass windows, Terence Meany's Working Windows... could come in handy. Meany, who calls himself Mr. Window, has some neat tricks up his sleeve.. .. "—Journal of Light Construction"Working Windows leaves the subject of window design and installation to other authors, and instead concentrates on something more basic to homeowners: getting the windows you already have to work properly for what they were designed and installed to do."—Woodshop News “a healthy dose of humor and lots of detail as it tells the basics of how to restore, repair or replace virtually any kind of window.”—Booklist "The next best thing to taking a class from Terry." —Larry Kreisman, Program Director for Historic Seattle, a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1974 and dedicated to preserving Seattle and King County's architectural legacy.

From the Publisher