OHOW - Old House Owners Workshops

10/19/2025

FOUND A NEW HOME FOR THESE - NO LONGER AVAILABLE!!

Clearing stuff out. Is anyone interested in a full run of ALL the issues of Old House Journal from September 1973 to the present? I might be missing one or two, but I am pretty sure they are all there. I live in southwestern Michigan in Kalamazoo.
In the photo OHJ starts on the left with the four larger black binders, then 8 more brown cardboard magazine boxes PLUS 4 more white magazine boxes the same size. Free or make a donation to the preservation non-profit of your choice in any amount.
FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS!

05/26/2023

Need masonry repointed either outside or inside your old house? Come to this workshop on June 10, and learn from one of the region's experts - Blair Bates. https://www.kalamazoocity.org/Community/Events-Meetings/Hands-On-Masonry-Workshop?fbclid=IwAR1_eKnV7B6pd6ImFn2MEbeCzasqO_nQFyZtJ5-jszcbEwJ-zwF6yVdswNI

Old House Owners Workshops and Old House Network are offering a hands-on Masonry Workshop on Saturday, June 10. Expert historic mason Blair Bates of Building Renovation Inc. lead the workshop.

05/06/2023

The Old House Owners Workshop (OHOW) and Old House Network will be holding a workshop on Saturday May 20 from 9am to 4pm. The workshop will cover the basics of masonry and repointing (replacing missing or damaged mortar). Expert historic mason Blair Bates will talk about the science of masonry and the importance of choosing the correct mortar for your old house project. The day will include in seat instruction, a demonstration of mortar mixing and hands-on time, learning how to clean a mortar joint and apply fresh mortar. The class is limited to 10 students. Watch this page for specifics on registration. Add a comment if you are interested in attending.

02/06/2023

Hey - here is an episode of Ask This Old House featuring a friend of mine working on getting a double hung window working.

In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva teams up with window restoration Alison Hardy to help a homeowner deal with repairing the original...

01/23/2023

Kalamazoo area folks - City of Kalamazoo. The OHOW (Old House Owners Workshops) are back to workshops after a GREAT 2019 and an involuntary Covid break. The kickoff is our traditional Window Workshop on Saturday, February 11. The one day (9am-4pm) workshop will teach window anatomy, getting your lower sash working, replacing putty and glass AND working safely with lead paint! Class size is limited to 10 students. Cost is $25 and you can sign up through the Kalamazoo Parks and Recreation website. Because this is a City of Kalamazoo funded event through the Historic Preservation Commission, city residents or property owners get first dibs. Once you click on the link scroll down to "Community Planning and Economic Development" You will need to set up a Parks and Rec account to register.
https://secure.rec1.com/MI/kalamazoo-mi/catalog/index/ecd8a87d5b946be46d4f0835799268c3?filter=c2VhcmNoPSZjYXRlZ29yeSU1QjI4ODcyJTVEPTE=

05/25/2021

Fun working on this video - I liked being in the studio! Here is the latest installment in OHOW Shorts - short videos on fixing up your old house.

Wings, knuckles, pins, latches, escutcheons, faceplates, and pulls. Oh my! All are things often beautifully crafted and decorative as well as functional. But...

03/28/2021

Spent Thursday March 25 preparing for taping our new instructional video on stripping paint off old hardware. We taped at the Public Media Network in Kalamazoo in their studio. The team controlled all four cameras from behind the glass wall of the control booth, so I was able to take my mask off ! We don't have a release date yet. But we will let you know!

01/15/2021

OHOW will be making more "Shorts" on how-to topics to fix up your old house - watch for "How to strip your old window and door hardware" coming in the spring. But for now, here is the first episode on Kalamazoo architecture - starting with the Greek Revival style. Just out this week with local historian Lynn Houghton:

Informational program from Kalamazoo's OHOW - Old House Owners Workshop on Greek Revival style homes in the community.

01/15/2021

Here is a project you can do right now. I bet your top sash is painted shut, so you are getting no air infiltration from that. But are you getting some rattling or stray air coming in through the bottom sash? Here is a solution - install spring bronze weather stripping in the sash track. Spring bronze only lasts a century though!

Bronze? On my windows? Yes! But where and why?

01/15/2021

Are your windows stuck? Painted over on the inside? In the second of a series of OHOW Shorts, Peter Carroll of North Coast Window Works demonstrates how to get a window unstuck!

Have you ever had a window painted shut? Learn how to free your sash for optimum window performance. Produced in partnership between the Old House Owners Workshop through the City of Kalamazoo's Historic Preservation Commission and Public Media Network.

01/15/2021

Hi Old House Owners - Are you spending a lot of time in your house right now? Thinking about projects for warmer weather? Last summer OHOW taped three short, 5-7 minute videos about old house windows. Here is the first one on the terminology of windows - the naming of the parts. Whether you do work yourself on your windows or hire an experienced contractor it can be useful to know the names for the window parts. So here is "How to Understand Your Window" (I love our animated title!)

Learn about window anatomy, and how stiles, meeting rails and other parts work together to make your windows function.