These windows in a new house (by Weather Shield) are a twist on the traditional Arts & Crafts three-over-one type. Photo: Gridley + Graves.
It’s safe to say that the best and most beautiful windows on houses of a certain age are the original ones. Unfortunately, lack of maintenance and poorly conceived renovations are common enough that sometimes it’s necessary to replace windows. Period-sensitive new windows are also in demand for additions and for “new old houses.” Ensuring that the new or replacement windows “read” properly is a matter requiring some finesse.
Manufacturers have responded with windows that offer real advantages over typical replacement units of just a few years ago. Some of the new looks in period windows—like the Prairie and Arts & Crafts-style grilles—are simply better style upgrades over the old snap-ins of 20 years ago.
These days it’s a lot easier to find real wood windows, in species that go beyond pine to woods like mahogany, hickory, oak, and cherry.
Authentic six-over-nine sash was custom-made for a ca. 1700 Saltbox house in Connecticut, which had earlier been remodeled. (Photo: Gross & Daley)
The real news is the ever-expanding range of custom capabilities that make it possible to reproduce historic styles at any scale, in virtually any wood, or in a combination of materials. Thanks to CAD (computer aided design), making replacement double-hung or casement windows to a specific size and scale has become industry standard. Need to replace or specify bow windows with curved glass, or a Federal fanlight with real muntins? There are manufacturers (and custom builders) who will do that for you.
How to Choose Your Replacement Windows
If the new windows will go into an existing house or an addition, take your cues from the original windows. (Even if they’re long gone, a similar house in your neighborhood will have units you can use as models.) To get a close match, pay attention to the number, placement, and overall dimensions of the panes of glass, called lights.
Getting the proportion or placement of the panes wrong is a common mistake. On older windows, the panes tend to be taller rather than wider. In many standard replacements, the opposite is true. It may not seem like a big deal until the new units are installed, and the front of your house suddenly looks dramatically different (and not for the better). Yet it’s relatively easy for a window maker to scale new windows of different sizes to the proportions of older, smaller ones.
Art-glass windows decorate the stairwell of a new house in the California Arts & Crafts style.
Another key element in matching the appearance of old windows is to copy the depth, width, and molding profiles of the muntins that hold the lights in your sashes or casements.
Whether real or snap-in, these dividers do more than separate a single pane of glass into three, six, or more divided lights. They also throw shadows that add to the architectural relief of the façade. Those looking for historical replication will want true divided lights and historic muntin profiles that match as closely as possible. (The difference between the width, height, and profile of muntins—mid-18th-century Georgian versus early 19th-century Federal—is astonishing.) For those with modest or less dramatically historic homes, the goal may be to get dividers that are roughly as wide and deep as those on typical houses of the period.
Bumping up the style octane on your house by adding decorative windows is often permissible, and even has precedent. Oval, round, diamond, and other intriguing shapes are a good choice for adding visual interest to the exterior, and these fancy windows are a good way to bring more light into rooms that need it without resorting to a skylight.
How To Save Money on Windows
Eight-over-one curved sash (also from HeartWood Fine Windows) fits the rounded bay on an old house.
The alternative to new windows is to repair and enhance the energy efficiency of the old ones; when it’s possible, that route will pay back much more quickly because installing new windows is pricey. Start with reputtying and weatherstripping. Add storm windows, perhaps “invisible” or interior storms.
If you are considering double-glazed windows, a cost-saving trick is to skip the gas. For an upcharge, window manufacturers will fill the space between the double-glazed “sandwich” with argon or another inert gas, with potential energy improvement factored at about 20 percent. Savings actually vary, and the gas eventually dissipates. Low-E glass, which has a special coating that reflects infrared light, is a more efficient option.
If your budget prohibits true divided lights (i.e., separate, small lights held by muntins, rather than one sheet of glass only apparently divided by a grid), go for integrated grilles if possible. If the house had divided lights, it will look very different—in proportion and historic style—with single-pane sash.
Need more window help? Check out these tips on replacing the antique window hardware in your old home.
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