Save America's Windows

The welded-glass IGUs (Insulated Glass Unit) are no longer made. The sash with the broken IGU should be removable. A good approach would be to remove the sash and take it to glass shop that knows how to disassemble the sash, have a new IGU made and reassemble the sash with the new IGU. You might fin...

To avoid scratching the glass during putty removal: ==> Clean any grit off of the glass before putting the sash in the steam box, or before any scraping. Dust off the glass with a soft-bristle brush, mist the glass with a water-detergent solution and wipe with a soft rag. ==> Just before scraping us...

Putty, to prime or not to prime--that is the question. (with a long response) Some window specialists are reporting wrinkling of the surface of the putty after glazing and painting. The Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) has done conclusive wood window tests and demonstrations since the 1950s that pro...

Jonathan Appell's Atlas Preservation website carries the best selection of Lawson putty knives: https://atlaspreservation.com/collections/stiff-scrapers-putty-joint-knives Jonathan also carries a wide selection of molding scrapers, the famous Stortz scrapers and the old standby Marshalltown scrapers...

Jeff, that is some fine looking work. Do you happen to have a photo of you doing the work?

"The DaVinci?" Perhaps, but credit is due to my window preservation colleagues for coming up with the idea of steaming window sash and its early development: Marc Bagala, Dave Bowers and Ginger. The Poor Boy Steam Box is just one more step in its development.

Crawfords, from 2015 msds https://ehslegacy.unr.edu/msdsfiles/27732.pdf?fbclid=IwAR31jKMlcpSM9bFJ0Au0rHD8M-Bqxv706J1ao8dhPzAeOkok3LIiV4yEDp4 COMPONENT INFORMATION CAS # Ground Limestone 471341 Calcium Carbonate* 1317653 White Refined Linseed Oil (vegetable oil) 8001261 Heat Polymerized Linseed Oil (...

How to pay for interior air panels You could set up a program for homeowners that starts with an initial energy saving treatment that is easy to implement with very limited cost, that saves energy dollars, which can be used to preserve the windows. For example, in the northern states with a winter h...

A little historical perspective might sometimes explain the lack of back bedding. Since at least 1820 the trades manuals and workers journals say that it was best practice to bed the glass for long term durability and considered a cost cutting shortcut to not bed glass. Sealing the interior joint be...