So...it has come to this.

[aislinn]

I had no appreciation for windows until we bought our house where all (36!) of the wood windows were lovingly taken care of for most of this house's life. The last two owners I don't think did much for them, and they definitely need work now. But all in all they're in great shape. Still, they're incredibly expensive to have someone else restore. Or incredibly time intensive to do ourselves. And because I have a 1 year old and a 4 year old, the lead issue is stressful. I am taking all the precautions, but honestly, it still makes me nervous! It will probably take me years to work on them/save to pay for some of them to be done by a professional. I totally understand why people would just replace with vinyl. It's sad, and ugly, and not environmentally friendly and not financially smart in the long term... but when I'm up at midnight scraping paint off another damn mutton knowing that one of my kids is going to wake up in 6 hours...you know what I mean.

[Lily left the valley]

aislinn, we've mostly ended up dealing with some mechanicals on the interior, but I have some glaze (especially on upper east and one south window) where the glaze has dried out so bad it starting to separate and crumble off. This year may be the year I finally brave this still-feels-new-to-me work that I'd only practiced a bit with what turned out to be a very rotted casement cellar window (detritus built up over the decades that led to the sill in the soil).

Everyone that writes about restoring theirs helps me gather my courage, which I need! So keep up the good work. Some time this mid-late summer, I hope to be talking about my first real efforts.

[aislinn]

... but when I'm up at midnight scraping paint off another damn mutton knowing that one of my kids is going to wake up in 6 hours...you know what I mean.

I of course meant muntin. I'm not eating sheep over here.


Lily we'll be in it together!

[1918ColonialRevival]

I had no appreciation for windows until we bought our house where all (36!) of the wood windows were lovingly taken care of for most of this house's life. The last two owners I don't think did much for them, and they definitely need work now. But all in all they're in great shape. Still, they're incredibly expensive to have someone else restore. Or incredibly time intensive to do ourselves. And because I have a 1 year old and a 4 year old, the lead issue is stressful. I am taking all the precautions, but honestly, it still makes me nervous! It will probably take me years to work on them/save to pay for some of them to be done by a professional. I totally understand why people would just replace with vinyl. It's sad, and ugly, and not environmentally friendly and not financially smart in the long term... but when I'm up at midnight scraping paint off another damn mutton knowing that one of my kids is going to wake up in 6 hours...you know what I mean.

You know - there's always the option of repairing only what is urgently needed now and saving the restoration of the individual sashes until the kids are old enough to help! I guarantee it will build character!

[aislinn]

You know - there's always the option of repairing only what is urgently needed now and saving the restoration of the individual sashes until the kids are old enough to help! I guarantee it will build character!

good point! haha.

[Gothichome]

Aislinn, there is a certain zen like feeling when restoring windows, to do it correctly you are forced to slow down and practice your patience but once they are finished and back in you’ll smile every time you look at them.