Sash Window Restoration and Upgrading
If you’re fortunate enough to live in a period property with sash windows, you’ll appreciate the extent to which they contribute to its appeal. An elegant addition to the façade, sash windows offer excellent ventilation, uninterrupted views, easy cleaning and the convenience of opening both at the top and the bottom.
You’ll also be aware that sash windows can suffer from numerous problems, which tend to worsen with age, including:
- Rattles and draughts
- Poor thermal properties
- Rot affecting the timber
- Loose or broken sash cords
- Corrosion of the pulley system
- Detached weights
- Sticking sashes
- Inadequate security
Tempting though it may be to remove poorly-performing period sash windows, it can be a costly mistake which significantly devalues your house. So, before you rip out your aging wooden sashes and replace them with uPVC windows, consider the alternative that HC Carpentry & Joinery can offer.
Sash Repair and Restoration
The approach favoured by local authorities, heritage bodies and many owners of historical buildings is to restore sash windows to their original state if this is a practical proposition.
In the hands of a skilled carpenter, even a badly rotten or severely damaged window can be restored so that it functions as well as the day it was installed.
The key to the restoration process is to conserve as much of the original fabric of the window as possible and where replacement is required, to use authentic materials:
- The window is carefully dismantled and its condition assessed
- Rot is cut back to sound timber and adjacent areas of wood treated
- New wooden elements are created which exactly match the original
- Pulleys, weights and fittings are removed, cleaned and adjusted
- Original glass is carefully removed and used to reglaze the window
- Elements such as cords are replaced and weights adjusted
This conservation-led approach meets the requirements of listed building and conservation area legislation, resulting in a renovated sash window which is aesthetically pleasing and historically accurate in every detail.
Sashes Refurbished and Upgraded
If historical authenticity is less of a concern, sash window refurbishment can include upgrades to achieve modern standards of thermal insulation and security. The refurbishment process involves dismantling the window, replacing any worn or damaged parts, installing draft-reducing brushes and, if required, window locks.
Further improvements to the sound and thermal insulation can be achieved by modifying the frame and glazing bars to accommodate sealed double glazing. However, many owners favour the retention of the original glass, since the major gains in thermal performance come from eliminating draughts in an upgraded sash.
Once all the elements have been refurbished or replaced, the windows are re-installed, the weights rehung and adjustments made to ensure the sashes slide silently and effortlessly.
Replacement Sash Windows
It’s uncommon to be asked to make historically accurate replacement sash windows, but it’s sometimes required for particularly sensitive restoration projects. HC Carpentry & Joinery is one of the few companies with the necessary skills and experience to undertake such a project. Every element of an original design is painstakingly recreated from original plans and reference materials, photographs or an existing window, using the same carpentry tools and techniques that have been used for generations. The replacement sash window we create will look, feel and function exactly the same as the one it is replacing, even though made a century or two apart.
Choosing a Sash Window Specialist
Over the past 30 years, HC Carpentry & Joinery has built up an enviable reputation for the quality of its work with sash windows, from the upgrading of a single sash window in a conservation area to the year long restoration of the 39 sash windows at the Grade II listed Wilford Rectory.
Combining attention to detail, specialist joinery skills and historical sensitivity, HC Carpentry & Joinery’s approach ensures that the appeal of your sash windows will be preserved for years to come.
If you’d like to discuss work to your sash windows, call us on .
