The Sash Windows
Apparently no one really knows who invented the sash window, it could have been someone from Yorkshire, London, France of the Netherlands sometime between the 17th and 18th centuries. But one’s for sure, whilst popular with Georgian architects their heyday was firmly in the Victorian building boom as our cities grew rapidly and the merchants, manufacturers and industrialists built houses of ever increasing grandeur and intricacies. The windows were mainly made of hardwood like oak, a wonderful material but one that because of it’s natural qualities will grow, shrink and move with the changing seasons. At times, because of these movements and through a lack of mantainence, opportunities for moisture, fungus or insects to enter the material will arise.
This was the case when I was asked to restore a pair of sash windows in an attic room in a Victorian home in Moseley. The windows had obviously seen better days, cracked panes of glass, signs of rot and three of the four sashes had been painted shut. This is often done to prevent the frames from rattling or to try and reduce drafts which occur as the materials move and warp over the years.
Luckily there was still plenty of life left in these olds windows yet. Each sash was completely removing from the boxes, all rot was removed and filled as necessary. New panes of glass were added where cracks had occurred before the frames were fully sanded and primed ready to be painted later. Then the sash cords which had been painted over as well as the window frames, were replaced and rebalanced with correct weights. Finally the sashes were reinstalled with added draft proofing mechanisms like weather strips and specific parting and staff beads from Reddiseals which include a draft resistant strip. This strip both helps to reduce air flow where its not wanted and also keeps the windows in a snug position meaning they don’t rattle in the wind. After refitting and painting the new furniture was added bringing the windows back to their former glory.
As these windows were in an attic room that serves as a home office, the comfort of the room was really important to the customer. Both in those brief warm spells we get in the UK and the more common cooler months. Sash windows can often be seen as underperforming when it comes to energy efficiency in today’s standards. Luckily with the addition of draft proofing elements and in some cases slim line double glazing this can be drastically improved. And during the warmer months by having fully functioning windows you can take advantage of the ‘Victorian Air Conditioning’ that comes from being able to open both the bottom and top sashes slightly to create a cooling airflow through the room.
“I unhesitatingly recommend Andy, he is a true craftsman, keen to achieve a result in budget, but also in the most sympathetic way in an older property. He has restored some of our sash windows brilliantly, and improved the comfort of the office room significantly. He has undertaken some fantastic bespoke joinery. Reliable, thorough and very fairly priced. ”
