Matching Original Windows in Hyde Park and Travis Heights

Eleven windows with a three over one pattern leave thirty-three small lights to match by eye, and a stock grille will not do it, as the notes at austin window replacement fretboard summit describe. A window replacement in Austin, TX on an older house is a matching job first and a product choice second.

Reading the original sash

Before anything is ordered, measure the proportions of the existing double hung. The top and bottom sash on many Hyde Park and Travis Heights houses are not equal, the meeting rail sits a little high, and the stiles are slimmer than a modern frame allows. Photograph the face of the house, note the grille pattern, and measure the visible glass, not just the opening.

Muntins and divided lights

True divided lights carry a separate pane in every small opening. A replacement can imitate that with muntins applied to the outside and inside of the glass with a spacer bar between, which reads correctly from the street. Grilles sandwiched only inside the glass look flat. On a wood window this detail is the one neighbors notice, so it deserves a sample held up against the original.

Frame choices that suit an older house

A clad window gives the look of paint grade wood inside and a baked aluminum surface outside, and it can be cut to the odd sizes found on houses built before standard dimensions. A wood window in the same profile is the closest match but needs painting. A vinyl window is available in narrower profiles now, though the sightlines are rarely as slim as the original. Fiberglass sits between them for profile and upkeep.

Trim, sills and the opening

Original casing, stool and apron are part of what makes the house look right, and they can usually stay. An insert replacement slides into the existing frame and preserves the trim, while a full tear out to the studs lets the opening be flashed and insulated properly but disturbs the plaster and casing. Pre-war walls in Clarksville and Travis Heights are often plaster over lath, so cutting back is slow work.

Weights, balances and drafts

Old sash hang on cords and iron weights in pockets beside the frame. Those pockets are why an old window leaks air even when the glass is sound. A replacement balance system closes the pocket, and new insulated glass with a low e coating stops the radiant heat that comes through single pane glass on an Austin afternoon. For a house inside a historic district near the Texas State Capitol or in Hyde Park, a check with the local review office before ordering is wise, since profile and material can be regulated.