The Historic District

That’s the only winter preparation we have done. I sit by this window every morning so the chill gets to me. I did build 2 sashes this year but I don’t know if I will get them in this year. They are almost done. I built one Queen Anne style with colored glass and one plain regular style single pane ...

Hi all, it’s been a while for me here. I hope everyone is doing well with all of the craziness that 2020 has brought. I rehabilitated and put in the one interior storm window that I made yesterday. We have had a few days with a cold wind blowing from the north, and tonight it will be in the 40’s. We...

I have been doing a variation of a “spray, scrub, spray, wipe” technique I saw in videos here: m On the flat sections I will use card scrapers to get the rough stuff off first. Then I was spraying alcohol, wait a bit, scrub with steel wool, spray and scrub again until the shellac is like a slurry, t...

The plastic keeps the alcohol from evaporating? Good idea I will have to try it next time.

Well it was about 20 this morning, feels like 10 with the NW 20 mph wind. So much better with the interior storm in. It really helps, no draft from the window. I also added stop bead adjusters to the last 3 sashes we put in this year. With these I’m not afraid to have the stops tight for the winter,...

Very nice Mick, great work and great styling!

What do the sliding sashes slide on?

I just used 1/4” foam window seal strip instead of the backer rod. I left about a 1/4” space all around, maybe a little less. It ended up a very tight fit, had to push it in a bit hard. When I take it out I’ll see how the foam survived. This morning was a warm morning, it is already 60 degrees here ...

Looks like next Tuesday will be 54 during the day here and then 22 overnight. Wednesday night looks cold too. I finished the interior storm today and put it in the window that I sit by in the mornings. I’ll see how it feels tomorrow morning, but the test will be those cold nights next week. I only p...

And the last window went back in today!

(At least for this year)

Ken, have you heard of interior storm panels? I use them every year in my 1860 Cape, original windows (which are a little loose too). These things work GREAT. My windows now rival new replacement windows! NO drafts whatsoever. Additional benefit: they keep interior moisture from condensing on the i...