When planning your door and/or window project you will have questions about many aspects of it. We hope this FAQ will provide some initial assistance. If you have a question that you would like us to answer and/or add, please contact us.
Of all the decisions you will have to face in building or renovating, some of the most critical will be the decisions you make about your windows and doors. There are many factors that go into the manufacture, installation or restoration of these items that are not immediately apparent to the layperson. Specialists in windows and doors have the aggregate experience, tools and training to solve any problem that may arise to give you the window or door that truly fits. Windows and doors should last for many years trouble free, and choosing a specialist will help you achieve that. The appearance of your windows and doors is critical because they are the face of your building to the outside.
The sashes, the parts you move up and down, are supposed to hang in space without any friction. That means they should move with very little effort, and stay where they are put. There should be at least 1/8″ clearance all around, side to side and in and out, when open. The only time they should be tight is when closed, at which point the “bump-out” feature should push the bottom sash against the stops. When the window is closed, and the middle rails meet properly, they are pushed apart a little. When opened, there may be rattling in windy conditions because of this construction.
People tend to assume the old windows are faulty when they rattle in the wind. But this is simply a result of improper alignment of the components.
Replacement of your window sash with laminated glass can make a great reduction in sound transmittance. Installation of storm windows is another method we use; allowing you to keep your existing windows, and simply add a second pane. This leaves a good blanket of airspace between the panes. Standard “insulated” (double paned) glass will also reduce the sound but not as much as laminated glass.
We are experts in our field. We have over 20 years experience behind us. Windows and doors are the ingress and egress to our personal space and you want the best. At Wooden Window we follow through from the original specifications, to the fabrication of the custom windows from hand picked vertical grain fir in our own shop, and finally to careful site installation. We can also supply you with the parts to do the job yourself.
Most of our installations take less than a week. No exterior stucco is damaged. We vacuum and sweep the work areas every day. Minimum disruption to the homeowner is one of our top priorities.
This is likely a sign of wood dry rot, a fungus growth eating the wood. Repair may be possible depending on its location and severity, but more likely the replacement of the sash is needed. Call the specialists at Wooden Window; we can match your existing sash.
Replacement in kind with respect to type, style, and materials is the ‘right thing’. Consistency of type and style is clearly important in order to retain the building’s architectural integrity. Material is also important, however. Doing the ‘right thing’ about your windows can also be the economical thing, in the short and long term. Repair of original windows is generally cheaper than replacing them. When repair is not practical, replacement windows identical to the original, even if this requires custom manufacturing, represents the wisest investment because it helps to preserve the long-term value of your property.
The extent of deterioration, or the amount of wood rot in a window frame and sill will determine whether it can be repaired or needs complete replacement. Only an expert can evaluate this. In the vast majority of homes, we find that exterior redwood sills and other window frame members are in good condition and just need minor repairs with a two-part marine epoxy wood sealer and filler. Once the openings have been repaired, custom made, sash replacements can be fitted into them to give the look and feel of the original windows. This is a very much less invasive process than cutting out old window units and installing new ones.
When damage to the original window unit is too severe to permit consideration of any other alternative, new window units made to the exact dimensions of the old ones should be installed. These should be made of wood to duplicate the look and material of the original windows.
The specialists at Wooden Window can work with you to help identify the authentic original window fabric of your home. We can then assist in the design and specification of the proposed new openings as well as in constructing and installing the new doors and windows. Our historical knowledge of door and window design aids us in recommending the best vintage or modern wood door and window products to suit your home. That is why, throughout the US, there are so many Architects, Builders, Planning Commissions, Homeowners’ Associations and “Do-it-yourselfers” who rely on our services.
