Category Archives: Window Restoration

Restoration of 1670 Plank Frame Window Sash

Posted on September 28, 2015 by rtdgba

The Thomas Pellet House in Concord, Massachusetts was constructed in 1670, shortly before King Phillip’s War. According to Kim Cleary, of Cleary Window Restoration Inc. in Waltham, Massachusetts, these plank framed windows were built before pulley and counterweight technology came into … Continue reading →

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Wood Windows Issues Checklist: Questions and Answers on Historic Window Restoration

Posted on September 24, 2015 by rtdgba

To discuss the benefits of restoring historic wood windows, we consulted with Paul Marlowe, of Marlowe Restorations, a Northford, Connecticut company specializing in wood conservation issues. According to Paul Marlowe, new wood replacement windows cannot equal the durability of a fully … Continue reading →

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A Last Look at Historic Wood Windows.

Posted on September 24, 2015 by rtdgba

Wood windows are perhaps the most vulnerable of historic elements, with many millions being dumped in landfills each year.  Their conservation is a worthy goal from an historic and environmental perspective, but is it reasonable to expect owners to subsidize … Continue reading →

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Cost and Performance of Calamine Windows

Posted on September 14, 2015 by rtdgba

The performance of 345 historic double hung calamine windows in the 1917 wing of the Massachusetts State House in Boston raised questions about the ability of calamine windows to extend the life of a wood window. The cost of reproducing … Continue reading →

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Design Benefits of “Calamine” Windows

Posted on September 10, 2015 by rtdgba

Fire resistant, metal clad, “calamine” windows were historically distributed widely among buildings both splendid and utilitarian with certain design benefits.  According to Guild Member Cameron Forbes, of Heather & Little, Limited in Toronto, Ontario, they enabled designers to integrate windows into … Continue reading →

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The Calamine Cure for Sick Windows

Posted on September 2, 2015 by rtdgba

A century ago, wood windows were first clad in zinc coated or zinc plated steel, with the object of making them fire resistant, and marketed under the trade name “Kalamein”. This name refers to the mineral calamine which furnishes the ore from … Continue reading →

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