Ever admired a Victorian or Georgian house in your neighbourhood? What was it that attracted your attention? The lovely front door, the colour or was it the beautiful windows. Originally most Victorian and Georgian houses were built with sash windows, beautiful looking windows, with a touch of elegance to it.

What actually defines a sash window?

Sash windows are windows made out of one or more movable panels (sashes). They can usually be opened by sliding the panels horizontally or vertically. This movement is achieved by installation of a counterweight which is usually hidden in the window frame. The older form of sash windows made use of a rope or cord to operate the leverage of the window.

More current versions us spring loaded channels, which keeps the window into place. Sash windows consist of small panels of glass, separated by narrow wooden or metal bars. The most common form of sash window display a six over six pattern, with three glass panes across and two panes of glass horizontally. But sash windows can be found in all shapes and sizes and can be custom made to fit the window space provided.

Materials used for sash windows

Sash windows can be made out of softwood or hardwood. Softwood will need to be treated before use with a wood preservative. Hardwood contains natural preservatives, which makes the timber longer lasting.

As sash windows are usually made out of wood, it brings with it certain maintenance problems such as wood rot, swelling, rattling in the wind or distortion of the wood. But with a good care and maintenance plan, sash windows can definitely look the part.

How to maintain sash windows?

Exposed timber surfaces are usually stained or painted to protect them from the out door elements such as cold and rain. Light or dark stain can be used, but bear in mind that the darker the stain, the better the protection will be. If deciding to paint the wood, acrylic paints are preferred above gloss paint, as they penetrate the wood and let it breath, reducing paint flaking.

Every five to seven years the above process will have to be repeated to maintain the same quality of timber. Gloss paints will need to be fully removed to the bare wood before applying new primer, undercoat and topcoat; ensuring corners are paid special attention to avoid paint build up limiting the sash movement. Stains or acrylic painted wooden windows will need a good clean and only one coat of paint, making maintenance far easier.