Doors & Windows

Doors & Windows

Window Types: A Glossary

Early issues of Old-House Journal were full of glossaries. It was necessary to define architecture-related words not in common use during the reign of Modernism. We can’t talk about something without a vocabulary—nor will we care enough to save it. This page excerpts a four-pager published in OHJ’s April 1982 issue. Illustrations are by Leo Blackman, who was then a preservation-studies student at Columbia.

Doors & Windows

Window Problem Solvers for Old-House Retrofits & Add-ons

Good windows, well designed, can solve problems with function, proportion, letting in the light, and ventilation. Manufacturers are stepping up.

Doors & Windows

Restoring a Vintage Door in a 1920s Tudor House

The arch-top entry door, a signature piece of the century-old Tudor Revival house, was in bad shape. A local carpenter made expert repairs.

Doors & Windows

Restoring Casement Windows

Lately, casement windows have been on my mind. No surprise: my 1913 Adirondack-style cottage has a dozen wood casements—and they all need work. Unlike double-hung sash windows that move up and down, casement windows swing outward, inward, or occasionally upward, turning on hinges attached to one edge of the frame.

Doors & Windows

Video: Cutting Miters for Window Trim

See how to cut miters for window trim from beginning to end.

Doors & Windows

Shop Tour: Adams Architectural Millwork

We take a behind-the-scenes look at Adams Architectural Millwork.

Doors & Windows

Identifying the Best Window Attachments for Your Comfort

Learn the pros and cons of both traditional storm windows and storm window inserts to determine which work best for your home’s windows.

Doors & Windows

Hanging a Salvaged Door

We’re old hands at hanging the doors we salvage. Years ago, we bought six interior doors that matched originals elsewhere in our 1885 row house. We just installed the last of them for a bathroom closet. Here’s what we’ve learned.

Doors & Windows

Replacing Doors

Is your original front door long gone? Is the entry so altered it’s impossible to tell what used to be there? It happens a lot. The wrong front door muddles the style of the house and hurts curb appeal. Take heart: you can restore what’s gone using salvage, custom replication, or an astute purchase.

Doors & Windows

Shop Tour: Vintage Doors

For more than 30 years, Vintage Doors in Hammond, New York, way up on the St. Lawrence River, has been a national source of handcrafted, solid-wood screen, entry, and interior doors.

Doors & Windows

Adding Comfort to Historic Townhouses

A look inside historic townhouses: modernizing without erasing history.

Doors & Windows

Historic Districts Can Be Noisy

We have a solution to decreasing noise pollution inside an old house.

Doors & Windows

Repairing & Maintaining Stained Glass

Stained glass windows add color and appeal, changing the quality of the interior light and lending another dimension to the room’s design.

Doors & Windows

DIY: Windows to Pocket Doors

Old conservatory windows found at a salvage yard became pocket doors separating bedrooms.

Doors & Windows

How to Restore Window Boxes & Siding Damage

Exposed to the harsh elements, window boxes and siding often need to be repaired and restored.

Doors & Windows

Soundproofing Windows

Options for blocking exterior noise keep improving: no need to replace original, single-glazed windows. Secondary glazing can go inside or out.