Keeping Jack Frost Out
I've flip-flopped. There. I admitted it. I'm a flip-flopper when it comes to choosing weatherstripping.
I started out with spring bronze on the bathroom windows and (honestly) was slightly disappointed. The stuff sold nowadays is not as tough or sturdy as the roll of the old spring bronze I found in the basement. It was a bit flimsy and tended to tear if you didn't crease it "just so". It worked, it was just odd to be comparing the old to the new and finding the newer material more difficult to work with.
When I started on the bedroom windows, I made a startling discovery. Some of them were already weatherized. I hadn't noticed it because we hadn't been living upstairs. Instead of spring bronze, metal strips (rails?) were nailed to the jambs and the window ran snugly on the rails by way of grooves cut into the frame. It's hard to describe this, so here is a photo of one of the frames I had taken out of the jamb and the metal rail.
These rails were fabulous. The windows rode the rails up and down easily (there were rails at the top and bottom too.) And the windows sealed up nicely. No drafts. No rattling. Wow. I was intrigued.
So I immediately turned to my favorite hardcore renovation boards (Fine Homebuilding's Breaktime was one) and called around to folks in Chicago who might be able to tell me what this type of fix was.
I still don't know what this technique is called (so enlighten me if you know!) but I found a supplier of this metal weatherstripping in Chicago, tracked down a slot cutter with a 5/32" kerf and a 1/4" collet, and got to work trying to figure this out.
But then, ummmm...I got pregnant. So, I actually didn't restart the project until I was out of the first trimester. Finally, that day is here. And it worked out pretty well I think! So I'll be recapping the project here, step-by-step, with diagrams and photos. If you're interested and you have wood windows, stay tuned.
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Comments
so.. working on windows causes that? good thing im "fixed". ive read the whole diary. BRAVO i 2 am one of the addicted, but older.. fair warning it never goes away.. just waits for lumber prices to go up! we've done a 20s, a 40's and now a 70's i swear this will be the last! HONEST
Posted by: jlb | October 4, 2005 10:49 PM
This sounds something like what the Beth and Merideth at House Made used. None of their windows were set up to use pulleys/ropes so they instead found this site
http://www.windowrenu.com/main/default.asp
Each kit includes the weather stripping and a way to hold the windows up (if you don't have pulleys) but it also has the weather stripping for windows with pulley systems.
I'm probably off-track here but you might want to check it out.
Posted by: Patricia W. | October 5, 2005 5:15 AM
Our old house had these on a few windows too. The problem with them, as alluded to in the above post, is that if you break a sash weight rope you have a hard time prying all that out, because in the case of our windows, it was nailed over the access door.
-Mike
Posted by: Mike in Iowa | October 5, 2005 8:29 AM
We have sash chains so hopefully breakage won't be a problem! That said, the way our rails were nailed on (smaller nails, one each at the top and bottom), they were pretty easy to remove because moving the window up exposed the bottom nail and vice versa. A quick flick of a putty knife combined with the handy cats paw pry bar and voila! So ours were over the access door but not nailed to the access door...
Posted by: jm | October 5, 2005 8:37 AM
The springbronze I used on my windows seem to work fine. They aren't quite as wide as yours and they came in pre-cut strips. I know what you mean about the snagging. I didn't want to deal with it so I nailed the top and bottom of the bronze closed. I show it on my site. I'll find out this winter just how detrimental that is. Silicone spray works great on sping bronze. It allows the window to open and close freely. I'll be checking back to see how you're making out-looks like yours will work better. Did you notice the article about this in This Old House mag last month? They used a router and put in vinyl weatherstripping. I don't even think they mentioned springbronze.
Good Luck,
Jim
Posted by: Jim | October 5, 2005 8:52 AM
Um...and if weatherstripping windows contributed to my being "in the family way", I am in SUCH big trouble! We have almost 30 windows in this house!!!
Posted by: jm | October 5, 2005 8:58 AM
I believe what you're describing is called "integral" weatherstipping, or something like that. Actually, the book Working Windows talks about it. If you don't already have a copy, I highly recommend it as a source for old wooden window repairs/maintenance.
Posted by: CM | October 6, 2005 3:35 PM
I know what you mean about the flimsy spring bronze. The stuff at HD and local hardware stores is thick tin foil. Kilian Hardware has some real rigid stuff.
Can anyone suggest how far apart to space the nails from each other. The first window I did I chose 2" between nails. That seems a bit excessive.
Posted by: Andy | October 10, 2005 6:20 PM
I know this is an old thread and you have probably finished the windows but I found the kind of bronze weatherstripping you have shown at Killian Hardware online. Here is the URL:
http://www.kilianhardware.com/sprinbronwea.html
Posted by: daniel | December 6, 2006 10:07 AM
The weatherstrip you show is called groove & flange. One premium installations I encountered had the groove lined with a bronze track to make the travel and seal more efective.
Congradulations on your 10 month old family member. It's not too early to check their blood lead level. ALWAYS a good thing to monitor in a renovation situation. Yours too!
Be safe.
Posted by: G. Phillip Woddail | February 26, 2007 9:28 AM