It should be understood that conserving old windows is the “greenest” option: they are endlessly repairable and easy to upgrade for energy effciency and comfort. For those buying new windows, find good news in recent aesthetic improvements.
I treasure the few original single pane casement and double-hung windows that remain in my 80-year-old rustic cottage. But without the old, hand built, wooden storm windows to create effective double glazing (trapping insulating air in-between), I’d be awfully cold in winter. The cottage came with a few not-so-sturdy replacement windows that long ago outlived their usefulness. They don’t match other windows in the house, and they aren’t double-glazed.
Replacement options, in my case, range from real divided-light windows with multiple, separate panes of glass to simulated divided lights, an increasingly popular option for windows since they were introduced in the last decades of the 20th century. The latest versions of simulated dividers are much more realistic than early snap-in or removable grille versions, which lacked depth and were poorly proportioned, especially in relation to historical windows.
SIMULATED DIVIDED LIGHTS
This story is from the January - February 2018 edition of Old House Journal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January - February 2018 edition of Old House Journal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
faded luxe IN A RETURN TO SAVANNAH
Residents of the Blue Ridge Mountains find their city home in a converted commercial building in beautiful Savannah, Georgia.
a hudson valley VERNACULAR
When Harlan Bratcher started looking for a country house in New York, in 1990, he knew what he wanted-something peaceful and serene, an escape from the hectic lifestyle of Manhattan.
the Dr. Mills house RESTORED
In rural Washington State, a dedicated couple bring back a 1912 bungalow that once had been the town's hospital.
The Right Masonry Tool for Repointing
The mortar between individual bricks or stones begins to erode after many years. That might be attributed to rain and wind, leaky gutters, building settlement, or such chemical agents as de-icing salts.
How To Remove Wallpaper
There's more than one way to do it; try them all until you find what works for your situation.
living with PLASTICS anxiety
Plastics are ubiquitous in modern life. Even houses built long before vinyl caught on are now full of polymer-based products, from the hoses in pull-down faucets to plastic light switches. Now that we know exposure to certain plastics can be hazardous to human health, we need guidance on how to evaluate building products for potential impacts.
homey Craftsman Textiles today
For bungalows, Craftsman houses, and Tudors that might have rather severe woodwork and furniture, textiles are a critical part of the decorative scheme.
Navigating the Lumberyard - Here's some lumber lingo you should know before you venture into a lumberyard.
Here's some lumber lingo you should know before you venture into a lumberyard. Almost everyone fixing an old house will end up at a lumberyard-whether it's a local supplier or the organized aisles of a big-box home-improvement store.
a farmhouse renewed
Sensitive renovations and restoration work preserved a house that dates to 1799.
AN OVERVIEW OF METAL ROOFING
METAL ROOFS ARE RESURGENT, FOR GOOD REASONS.
