Pain in the Glass Window Repair

03/17/2026

Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GS52GYSL

If you know an architect, a preservation professional, an old-house lover, or a dancer, please help me publicize this.

05/01/2025

When working on pre-1850 single-hung sashes, it is often difficult to tell the upper sash from the lower, and they are often reversed in placement because the bottom rail is not as deep as on later sashes - they appear the same. The slope at the bottom rail is usually the detail that reveals which it is. This is a circa 1885 barn sash that I just restored. If removed from the barn, it may appear to be an early sash but the deeper bottom rail of maybe 3 inches lets us know it is a barn sash, and enables us to determine the top and the bottom sash. The barn will be painted this spring, but I prepared the sill because I didn't trust the painters to do it right. Window Sash Bible; Window Glazing; Storm Windows. windowsashbible.com

03/29/2025

Merritt Smith was one of our students during last fall's Landmark Society window repair and restoration workshop. He hung his shingle out quickly and has jumped full throttle into the fire. These huge windows are glazed with heavy plate glass and have one of the most evil zinc weatherstrips I've ever encountered. So much for easing into the trade. Note, however, his wonderful view!

03/20/2025

Work picture from today. Cameron Visone and me at Honeoye Falls Millwork.

02/09/2025

Been there, done that!

02/09/2025

Painter and Glazier's shop in about 1850: We Go for the Union.

02/08/2025

Make Mistakes, Please
I always benefited from interpersonal direction – “on-the-job training,” as they told us in the military. When I started repairing windows, I didn’t have any nearby mentors or peers to help me out so I frequently floundered because I was timid about making mistakes and turning out poor work. Dutchman repairs first come to mind, followed by more extensive repairs like rail or stile replacements. Eventually, I developed “adequate” skills, often using inappropriate tools and techniques; if you have the aptitude, you’ll learn eventually. Here are some tips for the newbies working alone or without guidance: (1) Begin by safely handling toxic materials and following appropriate tool use – don’t develop bad habits from the get-go. You can do something careless for a long, long time before it “gets” you. (2) Make repairs that don’t please you; your customer may never see the difference or be grateful to have the work done. If they complain, try again. Your next attempt will be better. (3) Visit other shops and never ostracize yourselves from competitors; there's enough work to go around (4) Attend conferences and workshops to see various methods of achieving the same results.
I never reached the skill level I wanted to, mostly because I didn’t have the tools or guidance. Now, I work part-time in a millwork shop and learn something new daily. In the picture below, you’ll see a young me repairing all the missing carvings on a massive corbel (console) from an 1830 Greek Revival house. I didn’t know how to carve, so I used a Dremel. That was thirty years ago and still looks good, especially from 18 feet up, under the eaves. sj

01/31/2025

Another trade video from the Preservation League of NYS:

“The trades, skilled craftspeople — they are looking for the next generation, and we are here.”There is no preservation without folks who are skilled in trad...

01/30/2025

Here's a short "trades" video from the Preservation League of NYS:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFIZtXdJkMy/?fbclid=IwY2xjawII4MxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHSZr--hhzMP3xlwUNuLu8BXD8g7OqMI8q-1CgwD0PI9g8lb4XWPe3rr47Q_aem_PIiITmnmW8ZS3EF2iRIPSw

01/25/2025

Best practices should be the most durable or effective method regardless of cost. Unfortunately, it usually boils down to a balance of cost and other issues according to the customer's budget. Spot glazing has long been a staple of the painter's trade; knock out the loose stuff, knife in the new, and move on. Still, we know that removing all the old and starting over is "a best practice." In the photos below, if you look closely, you can see a glazing failure, where someone scraped out all the loose material and then glazed over what was left. I can't say how long it lasted or how it was done. If the old stuff had been coated with 50/50 blo and turps, I'm sure it would have lasted longer - but who knows. For more about puttying windows, check out: Glazing Windows: Puttying and Replacing Glass in Traditional Wood Windows: windowsashbible.com

01/22/2025

Did you ever wonder how they installed those huge old church windows in the 19th century? Look closely at this old photo of St. Michael's Church in Rochester. Windowsashbible.com

01/16/2025

Hello, Window Peeps and old-house lovers. After a ten-year run, I’ve finally published the second edition of The Window Sash Bible and want you to know the changes I made to it. The first edition was based on my experience and all the primary information I could find. For the second edition, I included most of the information I’ve learned from my Facebook peers, teaching classes (including the extraordinary Pine Mountain event), and visits to window resto shops nationwide. I expanded my weathersealing information significantly and included methods that I prefer, as well as methods I don’t recommend and why – it’s always your choice. I also added details on purchasing bent glass, overhead balances, Dutchman repairs, the X-method of roping sashes, and a completely updated source and material section. I think it’s good to go for the next ten years. Thanks to all of you for your support. As before, it is available from Amazon, from me, and from secondary vendors. Your browser will show the old edition which I’ve removed from print, so please follow these instructions:

For Amazon orders use your URL search bar (not your browser bar) and type Amazon.com, when it opens, type The Window Sash Bible.

To order from me: windowsashbible.com or painintheglass.us