A discussion about Shellac and Rivendell Bikes
In this video, I sit down with Melanie from Glaze Craft Windows to talk about a simple but helpful step in historic window restoration: sealing your sash rabbets with shellac. I also point out how my favorite bicycle company, Rivendell …
Choosing the Right Glazing Compound for a Historic Window Restoration
When it comes to restoring historic windows, what you choose to glaze your windows with can make or break your project. In this post, Melanie (from Glaze Craft Windows) and I outline the most reliable options we’ve used in …
Training the Next Generation of Preservationists: Goucher College’s Master of Arts in Historic Preservation
In several of our blog posts, we have collaborated with Melanie of Glaze Craft Windows to help explain various restoration techniques related to historic windows. Well – an exciting fact about Melanie – is tnot only she a hands-on …
Linseed Oil Primer: See the Results After One Coat
In this quick video, Melanie from Glaze Craft Windows walks us through what a historic window sash should look like after 1 coat of linseed oil primer. She recommends 1 coat of primer followed by 2–3 top coats for …
How to Apply Linseed Oil Primer to Historic Window Sashes
In this video, Melanie from Glaze Craft Windows walks through applying the first coat of linseed oil primer from Brouns & Co. to historic window sashes. It’s an easy way to restore historic window without using plastic-laden paints! Why Thin …
Linseed Oil Article from Fine Homebuilding
An excellent article I found on the internet about Linseed Oil Paint. It seems to come from a Magazine called “Fine Homebuilding,” issue 326 from October of 2024. It summarizes our other posts well, and also gives a full history …
A Closer Look at Brouns & Co.’s Historic Linseed Oil Paint Colors
In this video, Melanie (Glaze Craft Windows) walks us through Brouns & Co.’s full line of linseed oil paint and what makes it ideal for historic window restoration and traditional homes. Linseed oil paint has been used for centuries on …
Using Brouns & Co. Iron Oxide Primer on Historic Metalwork
If you’re restoring a historic home and need a solid primer for metal surfaces, Brouns & Co.’s Iron Oxide Primer is a great linseed oil–based alternative to synthetic options like Rust-Oleum. It works especially well on steel windows, tin drip …
An Overview of Linseed Oil Primer
This is the second blog post in our linseed oil paint series, and we’re talking linseed oil primers—specifically how to use them when painting historic window sashes, siding, or casing. (For a more complete discussion of linseed oil …
An Overview of Linseed Oil Paint
Linseed Oil Paint Is Becoming a Historic Restoration Favorite In this post, we are talking linseed oil paint—already beloved in historic restoration circles, and gaining serious traction in the U.S. over the past few years. What Is Linseed Oil Paint? …
Tips on Cleaning and Saving Historic Wavy Glass
I love historic wavy glass! It’s one of those irreplaceable features that gives old windows their soul. If you’re restoring original windows, keeping the original glass—and making it sparkle again—is worth the effort. In this post (and the video …
How to Keep Oil-Based Paint Brushes Fresh using Linseed Oil
In this video, Melanie from Glaze Craft Windows in Virginia shares a simple but powerful tip for anyone working with linseed oil-based paints: how to keep your paint brushes soft and usable using purified, raw linseed oil. Linseed oil paints …
Lead Safety Tools and Tips
When working on a historic home built before 1978, chances are that you’ll run into lead paint. It’s not something to play with, but it’s also not something to fear so much that you avoid working on your windows. There …
Mastering the Technique: Sanding the Inner Profiles
In this video, I collaborate with Melanie of Glaze Craft Windows in Virginia to demonstrate how to sand paint on the inner profiles of a historic window sash. The sanding process occurs after one has removed a majority of the …
Mastering the Technique: Tips for Stripping Paint from Interior Profiles
In this video, I collaborate with Melanie of Glaze Craft Windows in Virginia to demonstrate how to strip paint from the intricate interior profiles of historic window sashes using an infrared heater. Interior window profiles are the unique shapes or …
Mastering the Technique: Removing old Glaze and Saving Wavy Glass
Using an Infrared Heater to Soften the Glaze In this video, I team up with Melanie from Glaze Craft Windows to demonstrate the power of infrared heaters for removing old glaze during historic window restoration. Using an infrared heater like …
Mastering the Technique: Using an Infrared Heater
Looking for an efficient way to strip paint and glaze from a historic window sash? Infrared heaters, like the Speedheater™, are a game-changer. In this video, I team up with Melanie from Glaze Craft Windows in Virginia—a true expert …
Zinc vs Spring Bronze: Exploring Weatherstripping Options for Historic Windows
How do you improve the efficiency of your Historic Windows?? Two options are Zinc or Spring Bronze weatherstripping. To discuss these options, I talked with Melanie from Glaze Craft Windows in Virginia. Zinc Weatherstripping: The Good and the Bad Zinc …
Mastering the Technique: Labeling Tips for Historic Window Restoration
For this Post, I team up with Melanie from Glaze Craft Windows to discuss the importance of labeling everything you remove from your house during any restoration process, whether its specifically related to historic windows or not. The primary tips …
Mastering the Technique: Stripping Paint and Glaze
Recently, I teamed up with Melanie from Glaze Craft Windows to dive into her step-by-step technique for stripping paint and glaze from a historic window sash’s key areas: the flats, muntins, rabbets, and interior profiles. Along the way, …
My Presentation at the Historic Homeowner’s Fair – 2024
Hello! Below is my presentation at the 2024 Historic Homeowner’s Fair, where I discuss restoration of historic wood windows and also do some Q&A. I hope you enjoy!