Discover How Period Sash Window Restoration Can Boost The Sale Value Of Your Property
This article will review how sash window restoration can increase the sale value of your property. Many older properties have beautiful and elegant sash windows, which add to the charm and character of the building. Districts of towns and cities with collections of Georgian and Victorian properties are an important part of the heritage of our urban environment. Retaining these elegant windows is not just an aesthetic consideration for homeowners, but many estate agents will say that it makes the property easier to sell, and adds real value.
The earliest sash windows were probably single-hung sashes, which may have been invented in France, being introduced to England in the 17th-century. The improved double-hung sash window was then invented in England. The earliest known example dates from around 1700, and within about 20 years the style was being used throughout the country, and had spread to the Netherlands, and to British and Dutch colonies around the world.
Until about 1700 many windows used native oak, and other hardwoods, but as these woods were becoming rarer and more expensive, they were replaced by what joiners called deal. This included various softwoods from fir and pine trees.
Many old windows remain in quite good condition because the original builders used high-quality heartwood, that is wood from the center of the tree. The modern practice is to use the much cheaper sapwood, which is rather inferior.
It is important in any repair or refurbishment to use the best quality heartwood, or if that is not available, to use sapwood which has been well treated with timber preservative. It is a myth that all softwood is poor quality. There are many excellent quality timbers available from managed forests in the UK, Scandinavia and North America, which may be expected to last for decades or even centuries.
Sash windows may be repaired and refurbished using appropriate materials, modern preservatives, and modern paints, which will reduce the frequency at which repainting is necessary. The timbers can be machined to accept discreet weather seals, which stop rattling and eliminate draughts.
There are also modern glasses available which provide better thermal and noise performance than the original window glass. Security, plus safety for young children, may also be improved by fitting more modern varieties of lock.
