Restoring Casement Windows

As I'm 21 weeks pregnant (only 19 weeks until the screaming poo machine arrives now - I'm petrified!), I've assigned myself the task of restoring the remaining 25 casement windows in our house, given that it's not as laborious as other tasks and I'm getting rather fat.

Now, last year, we restored 6 casement windows at the front of our house. We learnt that heat guns are rubbish when it comes to putty removal (but still one of the best tools in the world!), and the glass will always break when you're almost finished - there just seems to be no way around this. We're now using an infra-red stripper instead and it's fantastic. Got the glass out of 3 casements yesterday, in less than an hour, without breaking the glass. Hands are a lot less sore than last time too. Very happy about that.

Now I have some questions.

1. The windows don't look like they have ever been touched, other than to cake some more paint on them (even so, this looks like it might have been done once). Why is there no paint on the underside of the windows? Is it important to paint all sides of the window, or should you leave the bottom underside unpainted, so as to let them 'breathe' or something?

2. I'm always told "use a good oil based primer". Last time, we used a pink (oil based) primer, but it can't have been much good because when we reinstalled one of the windows and closed them, then reopened the window, a big chunk of paint stuck to the window frame and peeled off the window, exposing the pink oil based primer (we used water based paint over it). What is the general consensus? Should we be using a good, waterbased primer, or should we go ahead and buy a better, more expensive oil based primer?

3. The hinges are brass and the brand 'Smitco'. They are sold at Bunnings, galvanised (I think) for a small fortune. We decided to, instead of buying new hinges, restoring them. Any tips on this? Last time, we just stripped the caked paint off them and ran some sections over the polishing pad on the bench grinder, so they looked prettier. Does anyone have any ideas for doing a really good job of this, or should we just do the same as what we did last time?


Any advice/opinions would be appreciated!

Thanks!!

Lotte

I am still laughing about your screaming poo machine comment .... one kind person once described your impending human and something with a loud noise at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other ...... your def. is as good!

I'd restore the hinges as you mentioned
I think water based paint is fine, but feel oil based may be better for outdoor apps .... by no means an expert in this area.

I 'think' the underside is unpainted so it doesn't stick, but again may be very wrong. personally I think I would paint them but will defer to others with vastly more experience.

have fun and best wishes - have you thought of Stephen as a name .... fine name .... fine name

Hi Lotte,

Just been through the same process. I cant remember how how panes of glass i broke doing up our old casements. I found the best way to remove the old putty was an old 1/4inch chisel and hammer. This was also confirmed by a professional restorer who told me thats all he ever used. He had tried all sorts of machines and always came back to his chisel and hammer.

As for painting....... well do what you like or think is best. On the advice of an old uncle who spent the best part of his life building Queenslanders with casements, he woudl use nothing but an old based undercoat. The painter down the road agrees. Oil undercoat, Acrylic top coat. As for not painting the under side. It was probably because they have been sanded or planned over time to make them work and stop them from sticking. I only gave mine an undercoat because i knew i would have to adjust them at some stage. This has been the case with several of them or the past 2 years.

As for resuing the hinges. Old brass(Softer then steel) hinges will wear out quicker then the new steel ones. Most of mine had a lot of play in them from wear and tear. A couple were ok but I replaced most with the new steel/nickel plated ones. I think from memory i got them from a window place cheaper then bunnings sold them.

Good luck. I renovated the whole house and I would have to say the windows were the worst job I had to do.

shellac.... the finest sealer still known to mankind, and kind to you and your baby. zinzer or zinners make a good product and an old time once told me they had a bucket of shellac onsite and they dipped the ends of the tenons on the ends of the studs into said bucket to seal the frames..... maybe we are dumbing down?:(

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Originally Posted by LotteBum

As I'm 21 weeks pregnant (only 19 weeks until the screaming poo machine arrives now - I'm petrified!), I've assigned myself the task of restoring the remaining 25 casement windows in our house, given that it's not as laborious as other tasks and I'm getting rather fat.

Now, last year, we restored 6 casement windows at the front of our house. We learnt that heat guns are rubbish when it comes to putty removal (but still one of the best tools in the world!), and the glass will always break when you're almost finished - there just seems to be no way around this. We're now using an infra-red stripper instead and it's fantastic. Got the glass out of 3 casements yesterday, in less than an hour, without breaking the glass. Hands are a lot less sore than last time too. Very happy about that.

Now I have some questions.

1. The windows don't look like they have ever been touched, other than to cake some more paint on them (even so, this looks like it might have been done once). Why is there no paint on the underside of the windows? Is it important to paint all sides of the window, or should you leave the bottom underside unpainted, so as to let them 'breathe' or something?

2. I'm always told "use a good oil based primer". Last time, we used a pink (oil based) primer, but it can't have been much good because when we reinstalled one of the windows and closed them, then reopened the window, a big chunk of paint stuck to the window frame and peeled off the window, exposing the pink oil based primer (we used water based paint over it). What is the general consensus? Should we be using a good, waterbased primer, or should we go ahead and buy a better, more expensive oil based primer?

3. The hinges are brass and the brand 'Smitco'. They are sold at Bunnings, galvanised (I think) for a small fortune. We decided to, instead of buying new hinges, restoring them. Any tips on this? Last time, we just stripped the caked paint off them and ran some sections over the polishing pad on the bench grinder, so they looked prettier. Does anyone have any ideas for doing a really good job of this, or should we just do the same as what we did last time?


Any advice/opinions would be appreciated!

Thanks!!

Lotte

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can you tell me more about this infra red tool i hate the hammer and chisel!

Lotte,

Congrats on your intending poo machine. The description is apt.I sort of went off little kids a bit when I first became an uncle [age 10] everyone wanted me to nurse the baby, which promptly crapped or chundered on me, yet strangely, I have not a bad realtionship with that nephew!!

To the matter at hand. Chisel & hais the best way to get rid of putty. Do it gently and you can retrieve the glass. I then sacrificed a number of router bits and cleaned the rebated out with a router.

I really think oil based primer is the way to go, but the trick is, if you wish to put an acrylic paint over the top you must let the primer dry for at least a week - preferably 2 before you put on the acrylic and it won't lift off.

Would also suggest you give the casements a light sand befor you put on the acrylic

All the best with poo machine & casements