DIY Network

1913 Craftsman-Style Cottage: Old-Windows Restoration From "Restoration Realities" episode DRTR-112

	A 1913 craftsman-style cottage in the Indian Village historic district of Detroit, Michigan.
	Media Watch a video recap of this restoration project

This episode of DIY's Restoration Realities travels to Detroit, Michigan and the historic Indian Village district -- once the home of many of the city's auto barons. The project for this episode is to help homeowners Scooter and Kolleen Jones with some window repair on their 1913 craftsman-style cottage. Weather has taken its toll on some parts of the house exterior, particularly some of the original double-hung windows and wooden sills and trim.

In this first segment, viewers meet the homeowners and are introduced to their neighborhood, home and some of the repair work they have already undertaken.

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Meet the Homeowners

Ed "Scooter" Jones and his wife Kolleen are relatively new to the experience of owning an old house, but they have embraced the challenges of restoring a 1913 two-story craftsman cottage. The Jones say they have abandoned the suburban life for good in favor of the great neighborhood atmosphere of historic Indian Village.

Kolleen and Scooter Jones

"It's not what you'd expect from a big city," says Scooter, referring to the historic district where they live, "It's really quiet. The neighbors are great. It's a very diversified neighborhood, and it's just a beautiful place to be. . . We didn't have a whole lot of money to spend on a really elaborate house, so we bought one that needed some work but had a lot of character to it."

	Figure A
	Figure B

The couple purchased their historic home -- only the second house they looked at when house-hunting -- in late 2002. Kolleen's engineering background and Scooter's problem-solving skills as a sound/lighting rigger has left practically no place on the house untouched. But owning this charming period house has provided some real challenges -- including repairing the roof (figure A), rebuilding the rafter tails of the roof and hanging copper guttering (figure B). After stabilizing the roof and gutter system, the Jones turned their attention to a number of interior projects.

"The first few months," says Kolleen, "we mostly did triage. We fixed hot water tanks and put the roof on and stopped the leaks and things like that. But now we're getting to do the more fun work. We've put up the copper gutters."

Figure C

Putting on the new gutters required repainting some of the trim. That process led logically to next repairing and repainting some of the windows (figure C), some of which were in fairly bad shape. Scooter points out that the windows don't open properly. The stops that hold the windows in place are deteriorating and the seals are pealing and show signs of rot.

The house has a total of 49 windows, so comprehensive repairs will take quite a while. The objective for Restoration Realitites is to get these do-it-yourselfers off to the right start by showing them the proper techniques for repairing the vintage double-hung windows. Our restoration specialists show the couple how to replace the sash cords and put new stops in the window to keep out those winter drafts. On the outside, their window sills have rotted from age and weather. We remove the rotten sills and show them how to install new ones.

Ed "Scooter" Jones prefers the pace of a historic city neighborhood to the suburban lifestyle.

Tools used in this episode:

Table saw
Compound miter saw
Thickness planer
Belt sander
Random-orbital sander
Speedheater® infrared paint-removal system
Extension cords
Pneumatic finish-nailer
Pneumatic brad-nailer
Air hoses
Air compressor
Heat gun
Chisels
Ladders
Putty knives
Glazing knives
Carbide scrapers
Bar clamps

Materials used in this episode:

Double-strength glass, cut to fit if required
1 gallon glazing compound
Glazer's push points
Boiled linseed oil
Latex window compound
1 gallon two-part polyester resin
Cotton/Polyester blend rope, 1/2" diameter
Oil-based primer
Sandpaper – 80, 120, 220-grits
Exterior latex caulk
Poplar or pine stock for new parting bead

Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection when working with power tools or pneumatic tools.

Note: This is a summary of steps included in the procedures shown in this episode of Restoration Realities. There may be variations in procedures for your particular restoration project based on the types of materials you select and the nature or extent of your particular project. Always follow proper safety precautions, and read and follow manufacturer's guidelines, diagrams and safety notices that come with materials or products that you select.

In the segment that follows, work gets underway on removing and restoring the window sashes.

RESOURCES :

Renovating and Restyling Older Homes: The Professional's Guide to Maximum Value Remodeling
Author: Lawrence Dworin
Publisher: Craftsman Book Company
ISBN: 1572180293
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Selecting and Renovating an Old House: A Complete Guide
Author: United States Department of Agriculture
July 2000
Publisher: Dover Publications
ISBN: 0486409562
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Speedheater Infrared (IR) Paint Remover
from Eco-Strip, LLC
The Speedheater Infrared Paint Remover® is a specialized tool for stripping paint or varnish from painted surfaces -- such as exterior facades, windows, doors, wood detailing and other forms of carpentry -- in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. This advanced paint-removal system uses infrared heat to soften paint for faster, cleaner and safer paint removal. It is also helpful for aiding in removal of paint in tight or hard-to-access areas. When used properly, the Speedheater loosens the paint so that it requires little scraping and no sanding for removal. In addition, this system offers a number of specific user and safety benefits: It reduces the need for chemical strippers and other toxic materials. It helps to avoid situations that could produce dangerous lead-dust or lead-gas when removing lead-based paint from old surfaces. It operates at a lower, safer temperature than that of an ordinary heat gun. It saves time and requires less work than some other forms of stripping such as use of a power-sander or heat gun. For more details on this tool and related products, visit the company’s web site:
www.eco-strip.com