We’d like to start this post by thanking the homeowners for giving us the opportunity to work on this window. We regularly get to work on historic and unique pieces of joinery but not very often is it as challenging and requiring of an owner’s trust as this example.

Curves present a challenge to the joiner in that in order to join the curves, you need to be able to cut repeatably and accurately using machinery designed to cut straight lines. To carry out a repair, you also need to consider the inevitable settlement and wear and tear of the 100+ year old windows.

We started this repair with an investigation of the design, assembly and condition. Almost every cut needs some sort of jig, fixture or modification making so setting out the exact scope of the work helps keep control of the budget.

We identified some areas of the sill that didn’t need replacing as their condition was excellent. We also settled on a plan for repairing the sashes and sections of sill that did need attention.

The main reason the cladding hadn’t weathered too well was down to material choice. Joinery-standard untreated softwood hadn’t stood up to weather, despite its quality. We opted for Tricoya; an Accoya sheet material with similar rot-resistant properties, that makes it ideal for this type of application.

Another area we could improve on was the fixing method. Fixed using galvanised ring shank nails, the cladding was solid enough, but when being fired through a nailgun, the galvanising is often stripped off allowing rust to develop on the nail and eventually appearing on the outer surface , cracking the paintwork. We opted for specific stainless steel fixings to prevent this happening in future.

Lastly, any exposed end grain is vulnerable to weather. We built the replacement cladding like a cabinet, carefully mitering the corners and using floating tenons were necessary to ensure perfect alignment.

Most of this was done on the ground but to ensure a perfect fit, we wanted to make the final cuts for each dormer on the  access tower. Finding space for tools, materials and ourselves on a small mobile access tower was going to be a challenge. We also wanted to achieve good accuracy in the final fit. We turned to a handy solution in the form of the Mafell KSS series of saws which proved more than capable of producing the cut quality and accuracy we needed whilst taking up minimal space on the tower.

They are made from compressed redwood and are often sold as engineered wood or solid hardwood too.

This window had a planted-on sill that needed replacing. A fairly straight forward job, but it doesn’t bode too well for the rest of the window. All the emphasis is now on decoration and maintenance by the owner to keep these windows going as long as possible.

Getting an old window out cleanly on an older building without damaging soft brickwork or delicate lime plaster can be a bit of an art-form at times and needs to be done with great care.  On a side note, if the window is original, then it’s worth knowing that it was common practice to build the window into the wall. It’s important to consider how the brickwork above will be supported when the window is removed.

No matter how many times you measure, it’s always a tense moment when you arrive to fit a window and double-check your measurements. We could see that this window was going to go in just perfectly, snug enough with the brickwork and with nice even reveals to the inside linings.

With the window in, functioning and sealed up against the masonry, the cottage will keep its character without the hassle and discomfort of a rotten, patched up window at the front.

We cleaned up the damaged area and jointed in a new rebate for each sash, copying the original design exactly.

With the repaired meeting rails in place, we could refit the sashes and make any minor adjustments necessary to ensure the window wasn’t the cause of any more frustration in the house.

The awkward part of these repairs is getting access behind the brickwork so some creative use of hand tools and the odd jig and fixture help get perfectly square and true surfaces to enable a repair that will last.

For the replacement planks, we used Accoya wood for its rot resistance. With the planks cut and jointed in, we then re-established the pocket so the window can continue to be serviced in the future. Finally, we applied some coats of a good quality primer to help the decorator, and re-pointed between the stiles and brickwork to close the job up.

This sash window had been subject to a previous repair, where the lower section of the sill had been removed and a new section of sill simply screwed into the remaining piece of sill.

The screws had rusted over the course of just a few years and drawn moisture deep into the timber of the sill, rotting both the repair and the remaining piece of original sill.

We removed the entire sill, took careful measurements of the window and made an entire new sill in Accoya wood to fit perfectly. By joining it into the original window, we restore its structure whilst the choice of acetylated pine gives one of the most vulnerable areas of the window the greatest rot resistance.

Some new beading and a new solid brass catch complete the job, ready for final decoration.

With the sash removed from the frame, the extent of the rot quickly became clear with the bottom rail pulling away from the stiles at the joint.

We remade the bottom rail in Accoya, complete with rebates and mouldings, as well as the lower sections of the stiles, then jointed everything back together. After re-cutting the hinge rebates, the sash was ready to be rehung, safe in the knowledge that it wouldn’t need any further attention for at least 50 years.

After removing the broken pieces, we reglazed with some suitable glass in keeping with the remaining panes.

We then replaced the cords on the sash weights. These windows have a classic Georgian design with the pocket in the center of the pulley lining so the parting bead helps hold the pocket in place.

Finally, we made some adjustments to the bottom sash and beading so that the window closed perfectly and stopped any drafts but could still be opened easily and smoothly.

We started by tidying up the brickwork and taking exact measurements for the window. Produced in pressure treated pine and using the latest argon filled double glazing, this will be more rot resistant than even a hardwood window.

We went with spiral balances rather than weights and cords so that the glazing could let as much light in as possible from the porch. We also stuck with the late Victorian window style elsewhere in the house and put horns on both sashes.

We finished this one with a new window board and architraves ready for redecoration.