LIFE AT THE COTTAGE

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Tips and Tricks Tuesday #7 - How to Prepare an Old Window Sash for Reuse


Welcome to the seventh Tips & Tricks Tuesday linky party
here at The Brambleberry Cottage!


Oh, my!  It's hard to believe it has been sooo long since we've partied together! 

Slowly, but surely, I'm climbing back in the blogging saddle.  So,
let's mosey on down the trail and revisit some of those terrific tips
shared by the last group of partygoers.


You just never know what the creative energies out in Blogland
will produce. 

For instance, Maryann @ Domestically Speaking found a way to construct
her own coral.  How ingenious is that?!


What do you do when you grow tired of a piece of furniture?  Toss it?
Jan @ Bobbypins Boardwalk devised a plan of reuse that's quite attractive.  
Go see for yourself!

 

Is there anything better than cheap?!  Yep...free
Kathy @ Having a Hallelujah Good Time transformed two chairs she got for free.  

To get the name of the organization where she made this score,
you'll need to visit Kathy for the details.


We all love to see something reinvented...right?  Can you envision this
piece in a flower garden?  Tootsie @ Tootsie Time could...and did. 
Go check out her masterful-repurpose project.

 

Patti @ On Hollyhock Farm found a way to turn this pretty salvage
item into something she could use every day.  Way to go, Patti!

Now..
it's my turn to share a Brambleberry Cottage tip.


This awesome round window was removed from a Children's Home
 that was built in the 1920s and that the Yankee helped remodel—over four years ago. 
It has been stored in one of our barns, until recently.

Each time I would notice it in the barn, I would ponder the possibilities
But, each idea I came up with seemed somewhat run-of-the-mill...
that is, until the week before we left for New England.


Once inspiration hit, I just had to pull that old gal out of the barn and
carry her into the workshop for a major overhaul. 

My normal course of action would have been to start with a good cleaning
But, for this project, there were a number of other
things that had to be done first.


I used a rubber mallet and a wood chisel to remove
years of built-up caulk and paint from the frame. 

Notice that the flat side of the chisel is against the wood.  I attempted to keep the chisel 
relatively flat on the surface, to ensure that the wood would not be gouged.


When it came time to remove the glazing, the flat side of the chisel was against the
wood muntins and the beveled side was against the caulk.  

Gentle taps from the rubber mallet was all that was necessary to loosen most of the caulk.  
However, some of it proved stubborn enough to require much harder hits.


Once all the caulk and glazing was removed, it was time to break out the glass. 

Though there are no pictures for this step, safety goggles and
heavy leather gloves were a must.


Next, I used a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the glazing pins
and as many of the small nails as possible.


It was necessary to use the claw of a hammer for removing some nails, and others
could only be removed with the handy tool you see above.

For those not familiar with a Dremel, it is probably one of the most versatile
little tools you can own. 

Being a woman with small hands, I love how easy it is for me to hold
and use this handy-dandy item.


The project I envisioned for this sash required some reworking
of the existing muntins. 

In this image, you can see how things were beginning to take shape.

But, you'll have to come back tomorrow night—for
to see this project's reveal. 

You won't be disappointed!  I promise.

5 comments:

  1. I know you will do something special with this but I like it right now! olive♥

    ReplyDelete
  2. Welcome back and thank you for the nice shoutout! I'm anxious to see what you do with this unique piece!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great idea and since we just had to replace a number of windows on our old cottage, well, I've struck GOLD!

    Thanks so much,

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

    ReplyDelete
  4. you are so sweet to feature my planted chair!!! thanks!!! I have been busy since then...hope you stop in again soon friend!

    ReplyDelete
  5. HI! Due to the huge success of my Linky Love Library page, I am changing the way I organize it. I would LOVE it if you would come and link up your party to the day of the week you host it.

    It will make it easier for people to find it and will give you a thumbnail for your party.


    You can link up to the library here: http://paisleypassionslinkyparty.blogspot.com/


    I enjoy your blog and your party each week, so I hope you join in and link up!


    Thanks!!!

    Lori @ Paisley Passions

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to comment.