cottage windows

[big888]

hi iam looking to sort out the windows in my 17th centry cottage although a lot of character has been removed the windows were replaced in the seventies with traditional small wooden moulded mutin windows not the origonals but as it is listed i have to repair or replace with what is present. we have had one quote of around 12 k for eight windows which seems high so i have decided to make them my self any sujestions for good books for resaerch on making muntins ,rails etc and what wood to use

 

[MdB]

For those like me who don't know what a muntin is, it appears to be another name for glazing bar.

 

[SBJ]

Hi Big888

12K seems a bit on the high side but without the details it's not possible to say really.



There's not a lot of literature specifically aimed and window construction. You will probably need to pick up a general joinery book and pick out the relevant chapters. For example Porter and Tookes Carpentry and Joinery 3, ISBN 075066505x has a decent chapter including some section details. To be honest the sections that you use will depend largely on the glazing options that you choose - i guess that you are going for a single glazed pane? Stock sections would generally have been made from readily available stock i.e. ex 2"x2", ex 3"x2" etc but thicker double glazing units have changed this somewhat. For some more technical info on the web have a look at the Trada website (you will probably have to register) who have a lot of information on windows (LIBRARY - JOINERY - WINDOWS).

As regards to what wood to use, depends on what you want and what you are trying to match. For hardwood, oak would probably be the right choice if its going to be left unpainted or something like sapele if you are going to paint as its cheaper. If its the softwood path you are taking, you want to find some decent quality Scandinavian or Russian redwood. "Unsorted" being the best grade then 4ths and then 5ths. If you speak to your local timber yard (rather than builders merchant) they will be able to tell you exactly what they have got that will suit you needs. If you are near to Southampton give Totton timber a call, they are usually pretty helpful.

Any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Rgds

SBJ

 

[biffvernon]

the windows were replaced in the seventies with traditional small wooden moulded mutin windows not the origonals but as it is listed i have to repair or replace with what is present.

That might be subject to a sensible discussion with your Conservation Officer. Like for like is not always the best strategy but you would need Listed Buildings Consent if you change the design.

I think the best wood for windows is oak. Prior to the mid 17th century most windows were made of oak, but then softwoods became relatively cheaper and since then, despite the best efforts of Morris & Co and the Arts and Crafts Movement, oak has been used only in a small number of windows.

As to how to make them, that rather depends on your starting point and how confident you are, but it is joinery not rocket science. Good books are not so common - best to look at an old window and work out how it was put together. Then think of an easier way of getting the same result. You may be using tools that weren't invented in the days before electricity.

 

[Schoolmarm]

Biff makes oak windows.

 

[Flyfisher]

not the origonals but as it is listed i have to repair or replace with what is present.

I don't think it need be as clear-cut as that. Certainly you can repair or replace with the current style but you may find that your conservation officer is sympathetic to a change of style. The C18 part of our house has mainly casement windows but some were replaced with 70s style large-pane windows before listing. Our CO had no problems with changing them back to the original style, although we've not yet done it as there is plenty of other things to do.

All houses are individual cases, of course, but if you would like to change the windows it would be worth having a discussion with your CO.

 

[Penners]

As a matter of general interest, if you have a window that was in existence when the house was listed, and is now too badly deteriororated to be repairable, can you replace it with a newly-made exact replica under the heading of "repair", or would that require LBC?

Does anyone know?