Sash Window box
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- This topic has 6 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 8 months ago by Tom Davies.
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24 August 2018 at 1:32 pm #550525
Am having my bathroom remodelled, so decided to take the plunge and replace the existing sash window box which had a rotten sill and was rotten at the bottom of the pulley stiles. The sashes were ok so will be stripped, refurbished where needed, re-glazed and re-painted.
For the sill, I used a piece of 150 year old pine that was previously a purlin in a neighbouring house that had a loft conversion a few years ago. I ripped then planed it to size with a hand saw and some bench planes. Gorgeous dark wood, incredible smell too.
I used a few old books for guidance on construction (Modern Practical Joinery, plus Window Making from Lost Art Press). Took the old frame out, and salvaged the pulleys and the inner linings from it, and took all required measurements.
Putting the correct profile onto the sill was easy – just ploughed a groove at the appropriate place, which then allowed me to just use a bench plane to plane down the correct chamfers.
Stiles were joined to the sill with wedged housing joints, and to the top rail with unwedged ones. Put a rebate on the outer side of the stiles, and an appropriate groove on the outer linings, to ensure alignment and good fit and help with assembly.
Then, after cutting the mortises for the pulleys, the groove for the parting bead was ploughed, which then allowed me to cut the pocket pieces with a tenon saw. That was fun. Finally, I assembled by first nailing on the outer linings, followed by the inner linings. The frame went back into place easily enough, secured against the brick with some sliding wedges, and was finally mortared around the edges. I then applied the first coat of linseed paint.
Took about 4x longer than I’d planned, but I got there in the end. I had planned on painting the inner linings, but having retained them from the original window and stripped them, I think they look really nice, and will make a nice accent against the minimal black/white design of the new bathroom, so will probably leave them exposed, perhaps with a traditional oil or wax finish. I can always paint them later if I choose to.
Total cost £30 for timber, £40 for a can of paint (not that I’ll need anything like a full tin), plus the cost of reglazing the sashes. I was quoted over £1000 for window refurbishment, so have saved a ton of cash, plus learnt how to make them.
Now, I just need a masterclass video from Paul for the sashes themselves!! (or just a video on scribed M&T joints would suffice.)
- This topic was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Tom Davies.
Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.24 August 2018 at 1:51 pm #550536Tools used:
Cheap plastic handled handsaw
Spear and Jackson Tenon Saw
Marking gauge
Combination square
Aldi Chisels
Marking knife
Stanley 13-050 plough plane
Stanley 78 Rebate plane
#4 plane
#5 1/2 plane
Record router
Thorex hammer
Paul Sellers workbench!27 August 2018 at 2:17 pm #550617What material did you use for the rest of the box and if it’s in direct contact with masonry, did you do anything to protect it?
28 August 2018 at 8:41 am #550659I’ve stripped the sashes of all layers of paint, and need to decide if I can keep them or not. There is no rot in them, but the wood is quite rough and weathered on the outside – especially the bottom rail of the bottom sash, and the joints could be tighter. I think for now, I’ll re-use them, and maybe use some wood filler to help smooth the surface, and fill the gaps. However, I don’t want to do anything that accelerates failure. I’ll be re-painting with linseed oil paint, and I have some faith that this will help with the preservation.
- This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Tom Davies.
28 August 2018 at 8:46 am #550660The rest of the box was made with off the shelf redwood from a well known UK building supplier. The box has contact with masonry on the cill (of course!), the shape of the stone cill it sits on tapers away on the outside. The underside of the wooden cill is sealed with some oakum and putty. The box is held in place in its reveal by sliding wedges.
There is then the gap between the outer layer of brick, and the outer face of the window. I need to mortar this.
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