This week in the barn we are completing a beautiful traditional sash window made from hardwood for a Listed Building in Herefordshire.
These stylish windows are complex to make as they are made up of various components and this window is being handpainted as it has single glazing which is held in place with linseed putty to replicate the original window.
Traditional Sash Window for a Listed Building
Here we look at the individual components that make up a traditional sash window and how we make them more thermally efficient for modern-day living, as many people are wanting to make their homes much more energy efficient
A traditional sash window fitted with weights and cords are made up of the two glazed sashes – these are essentially timber frames that contain the glazing, either single, slimline or double glazed units with argon or krypton gas inserted between the panes. One of the sashes sits in front of the other and they can be fixed shut permanently or move up and down to allow ventilation and fire escapability.
Brass Pulleys and Sash Cord
Pulleys - decorative ironmongery with wheels and a groove where the sash cord is placed and allows the window to slide up and down if it is an opener.
Box Frame: this is the timber box that holds the sashes in place. Hidden inside the box are the weights which are attached to the cord.
Sash cord - this is rope attached to the weights and fed through the pulleys.
The Sash Weights are usually in lead or steel and act as a counterbalance with the sash to allow the window to open. It must weigh the same as the glazed sash. To prevent the weights from clashing together, a small piece of timber fillet is inserted in between – this is known as a ‘mouse’ because it acts as a silencer!
Staff Bead:
This is an internal wooden trim that holds the sashes in their position and contains a draught seal – these draught seals are worth their weight in gold and can be retrofitted into existing windows that are being refurbished to improve the energy efficiency of the window.
Draught Strip for Sash Windows