Your historic wood windows can be beautiful and functional again.
Historic window restoration service in the mid-Atlantic.
Are your historic windows stuck? Do you have to look through broken panes of glass? Is the paint and putty on your windows unsightly and failing? We can help.
Our Services
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This is our speciality. We strip years of paint and putty from your windows, reglaze, repaint, and reinstall for complete functionality and beauty.
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Layers of paint and broken sash cord or chain can interfere with the functionality of your window. We can get them moving again.
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Paint doesn’t last forever, and when it starts to fail, its ability to protect your wood windows from rot is compromised. We can remove failing paint and repaint.
We follow the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule to safely remove lead paint from your windows so you can rest easy (requires transfer to our shop).
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Broken glass is unsightly and potentially dangerous. We source replacement glass and repair.
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When window putty starts to fail, water can enter the wood and cause rot. Reglazing is part of the cyclical maintenance of historic windows. We reglaze your windows to keep the water out.
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Your historic windows can be made energy efficient with the right interventions. We advise you on your options.
Woman- and historic preservationist-owned
Glaze Craft Windows owner Melanie Lytle, MAHP, has the know-how to restore your precious historic wood windows to their full functionality and beauty.
A professional preservationist—the Assistant Professor of Practice in Historic Preservation and Director of Goucher College’s graduate program in historic preservation—she ensures your desires for an authentic restoration are met.
Glaze Craft Windows is dedicated to keeping the traditional window craft alive and empowering women and others who have been underrepresented in the historic trades.
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Traditional Linseed Paints & Putty
We use only the highest quality linseed paint and putty. Linseed paint has been used for centuries in Europe and the Americas and is incredibly durable, providing unparalleled rot protection for wood. Our use of linseed paint ensures the longevity of the paint coat, but also is the best choice to avoid trapping moisture behind paint that leads to wood rot over time. And because linseed paint does not contain solvents, VOCs, or harmful phthalates and plastics, it has little to no environmental impact.
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High-quality Carpentry Repairs
We complete minor repairs with linseed putty and oakum, both traditional repair options, avoiding introducing any plastic or epoxies into your wood windows. Once we strip back your sash and assess their condition, we will inform you of any recommended major wood repairs and, if necessary, conduct any Dutchman (partial replacement) repairs and full stile and rail replacements with old growth wood.
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Salvaged and Reproduction "Wavy" Glass
We reinstall all of your beautiful "wavy" glass and, depending on your preferences and budget, replace any broken panes with salvaged or reproduction wavy glass to retain the full beauty of the views through your historic windows.
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Highest Preservation Standards
Our owner and primary restorer is a professional preservationist. We value the patina that is present on old hardware, the imperfections of wavy glass, and the evidence of use and change in the wood over time. Therefore, we aim to restore the beauty of your sash without losing their historic value. We apply the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and adhere to the Window Preservation Standards, maintained by the Window Preservation Standards Collaborative, to ensure the restoration is historically appropriate.
Request a Consultation
Request a Consultation
How it works:
Request an on-site consultation through the form below. Consultations begin at $200.
At the consultation, we’ll talk through your window project and afterwards you’ll receive a custom project plan and estimate.
We complete minor repairs on site or we remove your windows for complete restoration back in our shop.
We reinstall your restored windows. They look amazing and work just as they should!
FAQs
What can I expect during a consultation?
During the consultation, we’ll assess each of your windows and speak with you about your priorities and needs. We will then send you a detailed plan and estimate for their restoration.
Do you charge for consultations?
Yes, historic window consultations begin at $200 for most residences. Consultation fees for larger projects are determined on a case-by-case basis. A trip fee may apply outside of our core service area.
What is your service area?
Our core service area is Winchester, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley. We also serve most of northern Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, DC, and parts of Maryland and Pennsylvania. (A trip fee may apply outside of the core service area.)
What kind of windows do you work on?
We specialize in pre-1945 wood windows, especially double-hung style. We do not currently restore steel or stain glass windows.
How much does a window restoration cost?
The price of window restoration varies greatly depending on the size and style of your window, their state, and your preferences for the level of restoration. To give you a ballpark figure, a complete restoration of a typical, residential, one-over-one, double-hung window begins at $2,200.
How long will it take?
The time it takes to restore a historic window relates to its size, condition, and level of restoration. We can talk this through during the consultation.
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