Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Restoring the Windows



                    BEFORE                                                                          AFTER    

I thought I'd follow up with my last post which showed the before and after (nearly after) of our old windows. It would be remiss if I didn't explain just how a window becomes restored as it does take a great deal of work. 

Luckily, we were put in touch with a local retired man who provides the service of re-glazing and painting old window sashes. Mike removed them so that they may be picked up for restoration, and then returned in perfect condition. 


Before these restored windows get put back, Mike removed all of the paint along the jambs and sills. They were a mess with layers of various paint (often lead) applied over the years. 

Here is a sill with peeling and chipped old paint. 


Mike used the silent paint remover (infrared heat gun) to remove the paint. 


He did this to each and every one of our twenty-two windows. 

Yes, twenty-two. 


He also scraped each of these twenty-two windows on the outside. This photo was taken with his cell phone, while standing on the scaffolding. When we received bids to have the house professionally painted, the cost was extremely high. Of course considering the work entailed, it is understandable but in our case, not affordable. Mike has saved us a great deal of money by painting the house himself. He also liked the idea of being in charge of the lead abatement so that he could control the level of attention paid to containment. For this effort, which took most of the summer and fall, the rest of the house (inside) has received less attention and we are running behind. But the task is nearly complete thanks to the Indian Summer we've had. 

12 comments :

  1. It may take forever, or feel like it is, but when done, the whole of everything done well, is priceless!

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  2. ...Oh my, 22 windows! That Mike of yours is quite the amazing fellow! :o)

    ...I would like to know what type/brand of infrared gun he used for this task? I have painted beams in our kitchen that the previous owner painted and I would love to remove the paint altho' I've been told that removal of the paint of such a porous wood surface would be next to impossible. *sigh*

    ...I see you are a contributing editor to Country Living Magazine and I am a subscriber. I am curious to know when your home is completed and you are settled in if there is a possibility that your home will be featured in their magazine? It certainly deserves the honor. :o)

    ...As always, thank you for sharing this journey with us!

    ...Wishing you and yours a joy filled Thanksgiving!

    ...Peace & blessings. :o)

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    Replies
    1. The brand is in fact "The Silent Paint Remover." It should come up if you google it. As far as being featured, I imagine it would be a bit down the road. So much still to do. Good luck! Best, Catherine

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  3. We are building our own deck, several weeks now, using our crew a few days too. Saving thousands. If we are saving $10,000+ what would we have to earn before taxes to pay it !

    Doing so much of my own landscaping for decades have wonder ed if the government will ever tax us for our own 'improvements' .

    Enjoying your new home already, and you aren't close to moving in yet.

    XOT

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  4. Oh, old windows on old houses! What a pain, but they really make or break the feel of the house in the end. Way to go!

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  5. This process is fascinating! Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Mike sounds like such a godsend to be able to do so much of this work himself. Looking forward to more of the story. Hope you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

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  6. This looks gorgeous! We bought an old house with the same kind of challenges. I hope you'll do a detailed list on the exterior. Our home currently has peeling and chipped paint everywhere. We have got numerous bids and it's expensive also. We were told that because it's lead paint you have to have someone who is certified in removing it. My husband has considered tackling it himself but it's such a huge undertaking, especially when we both work full time jobs and have small children. Please share the process! Love the Windows!!

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  7. "Mike has saved us a great deal of money by painting the house himself. "

    Holy mother of....are you serious? Here's to your Indian Summer extending those temperature range spec-ed work days. Fingers crossed Mike hasn't been beset w/ a repetitive-overhead-motion injury like the one I suffered being my own sheetrock contractor. Happy Thanksgiving weekend, Catherine, Mike and Dumplings!

    -Flo
    Amelia Island FL

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  8. Mike should get a Thanksgiving pie all for himself. We had an old house with the exact same windows. My husband repaired and glazed the window panes and my job was to paint all of them. We would work all day and work on that house at night. We gutted that old cottage and gave it a new life. That's been 30 years ago and I don't think I'm over that job yet! It will be beautiful and hope you enjoy many years of happiness there.

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  9. Wow, nice work done by the retired man. Window replacement change the complete look of house with window replacement Fairfax, VA my friend successfully replaced windows. With new windows installed in her house looks better and stronger.

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  10. I am also in Maine and about to start my own renovation. I was wondering if you would mind sharing the contact information for your window person?

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Thank you for leaving your thoughts. Kind regards, Catherine

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