Main Street Matters, February 2012 Page: 4
7 p. : col. ill.View a full description of this periodical.
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Replacing broken glass and reglazing
This, combined with the current
methods of tree growing and har-
vesting that encourages rapid tree
growth, makes this old-growth
wood that was used in most old
windows literally priceless.
After his informative presentation,
the group got back to work. With
the paint removal completed, we
moved on to installing new glass
where the old glass had been bro-
ken, reglazing the windows (essen-
tially replacing all the old, brittle
caulk and putty), and restoring the
fascinating counterweight system
so the windows were once again
operable.
Unlike replacement windows, his-
toric wood windows weren't simply
stuck in the window opening, they
were actually built into the wall.
The original intent was for the
windows to be in perfect balance
and to operate by sliding both the
lower and upper sash up and down
(hence the term, double-hung).
Over time, the cords holding this
simple but ingenious system break
down and snap, and the windows
are stuck in an inoperable position.
By simply opening a small "hidden"
door on the lower inside of the
window frame and behind the trim,
the cast-iron weight was able to be
retrieved, the old rotten sash cord
cut off, and new cord tied onvoila! the windows were once
again operable, sliding up and
down with ease..
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A look at the 'hidden' door that holds
the cast iron counterweights (partici-
pant is seen holding weight)
repaired! Seeing and experiencing
the craftsmanship and quality of
these windows enabled everyone to
feel an emotional connection to
them. Were any of the group to
walk by this house, years in the fu-
ture, and see these windows being
thoughtlessly ripped out and dis-
carded in a landfill only to be re-
placed with shiny new replace-
ments, we would be as heartbroken
as if we had lost an old friend. The
metal and vinyl-clad replacement
windows have no soul. Replace-
ment windows are far from beingWith the new glazing, these win-
dows fit snugly, banishing any
thoughts of these being "drafty old
windows." There was much ex-
citement in seeing the group's hard
work pay off, transforming win-
dows that were painted shut and
broken only the morning before,
now fully functioning with shiny
new glass and raw honey-colored
wood gleaming.
The group left this two-day work-
shop energized excited about the
value of the historic wood windows
and confident in our (and any will-
ing person's) ability to repair them.
These windows were made to be"maintenance free" in reality,
these windows are not designed to
be maintained over long periods of
time. If a part of a replacement
window breaks, the entire window
must be removed and replaced
essentially making "disposable win-
dow" a better term. Most of these
replacement windows have a 20-
year lifespan at best. The beautiful
historic wood windows in this 100
plus year old project house are now
ready to last another 100 years if
properly maintained. So, I encour-
age you not to view a historic wood
window as a liability needing re-
placement, but instead as a high
quality asset that one can repair, or
have repaired, and maintain for
generations to come.
NEWS
Don't Mess with Texas
Trash-Off
The Don't Mess with Texas Trash-
Off will be Saturday, April 14. This
is the single largest one-day cleanup
event in the state and serves as
Texas' signature event for the
Great American Cleanup, the na-
tion's largest community improve-
ment program, held annually from
March 1 through May 31.
In 2011, more than 1,905 Great
American Clean-up events were
held, with more than 90,000 volun-
teers contributing 417,448 hours in
912 communities across Texas.Texas Main Street Program Main Street Matters, February 2012
I
W77.' i.
[he restored, operable sashes
Page 4
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Texas Historical Commission. Main Street Matters, February 2012, periodical, February 2012; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1551279/m1/4/: accessed July 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.