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Sash Window Cord Replacement.
By Brian Parsons
Anyone who owns or lives in a house with traditional timber framed sliding sash windows, will be well aware of the trials and tribulations that come with them.
Although they have been part of our architectural heritage since before the turn of the 18th century, the basic design and the way they operate have changed very little.
As a carpenter, I specialised for the last fifteen years of my working life in the repair and renovation of these wonderful windows. So much so, that I even thought about writing a book to pass on that expierience.
Here, I will only give basic instructions for renewing the cords by which the balancing weights are suspended.Later I may add other articles of interest.
Firstly. approaching the window from the inside, one will note that the sliding sashes or frames are held in place in the box frame of the window by part-rounded beads (staff beads) at the top, bottom and both sides. These will be pinned or nailed to the box-frame and the heads of the nails will usually have been punched in and the holes filled and painted over, making them all but invisible.
To gain access to the cords and weights, one must first remove both the side staff beads. If replacing one or both of the top sash cords, it is possible to do so by only removing one staff bead, but I would only reccomend this if you are considerably expierienced in the trade. For the purpose of this article, I shall assume that I am instructing someone of amateur status but who has some expierience in the use of basic tools!
To remove a staff bead, an old wood chisel, preferably approx. one inch width and a standard claw hammer are required tools. I say an old chisel because the chances are that one will foul the pins or nails I mentioned above.
Place the chisel in the groove between the staff bead and the box frame and strike firmly with the hammer and then lever the bead away from the box-frame. Repeat this action at several points from top to bottom of the side staff bead. By levering thus, it should be easy to spring the bead away from the box-frame. Repeat this action on the other side staff bead.
Making sure all nails are removed from the box frame,also any excess caulk or filler that may be present, it should now be possible to pull the lower sash frame free of the box-frame although still suspended by it's cords. (assuming that the cords are still there).
Now it will be seen that the cords are secured to the top sides of the sash frame and can be removed. If they are to be replaced with new, which is always advisable once the sash frame is removed, it is sensible precaution to pull the suspended weight to it's highest point, hold the cord tightly, and cut the cord using a pair of side cutters or nips from the sash and gently lower the weight to the bottom of the box-frame or as near as possible before releasing the cord.
Having done this on both sides, it is now possible to completely remove the inside bottom sash frame from the window.
Next, one will see a parting bead on each side of the box-frame, this as it's name suggests is a narrow strip of wood set in an 8 or10mm groove, which separates the two sash frames and also helps to draught-proof the window as well. These must also be removed by levering them from their grooves again with a sharper wood chisel,this can sometimes be made easier by scoring the paint down both sides of the parting bead with a sharp stanley knife.
Once these are removed, the top or outer sash frame
can be removed from the box-frame, as before, taking care to gently lower the weights when cutting the cords free of the sash frame.
Now, it will be seen, that there are two pockets cut into the sides of the box-frame. These must now be removed
again by levering free with a sharp chisel. ( Note that all these actions will become easier and indeed be second nature with practise and expierience.)
Now it becomes possible to remove the iron or lead weights which will be found behind those pockets.
The weights are generally marked by numbers(lbs) and it is important to note their positions to replace them in the same order.
Next, it is important to clean up the box-frame and remove all loose paint, clean the parting bead grooves of loose filler etc before replacing the old sash cords with new.
To replace the cord requires the use of a little home-made tool known as a 'mouse' for reasons which will become obvious. This consists of a length of approx.2metres thin string or cord to which a small piece of lead is attached to one end.
This must be small as it has to pass through the small space at the top of the pulleys on each side of the box frame.
Next, thread the mouse over the top of the front pulley, allowing the small weight to fall free inside the
box, attach a new length of cord to the free end of the string with a single knot and having located your little weight inside the box, gently pull the string and thread the cord through the pulley and down to the pocket. There, take the string from the end of your cord and tie the iron weight to the new cord with a ordinary reef knot pulled very tight. Now pull the other end back through the pulley pulley, place the weight in position and pull up to the top of the frame.The free end of the cord, which will be attached to the side of the sash frame, should be the full length of the box can now be cut and secured to keep the iron weight suspended at the top of the box. I, personally use two panel pins through the cord to hold it in place until I have re-fixed it to the sash frame.
Once this has been done with all four weights, the pockets can be replaced.
Now, the cords can be refixed to the sash frames.
Starting with the top or front frame, standing on the sill
in the lowest open position, attach each new cord as it was previously attached. (there are several ways of doind this, some are threaded through drilled holes, some are not.) When dismantling the window, one should note how it was originally fixed and do thus when rebuilding.
Once the cords are fixed, release the weights and the sash frame should travel up to the closed position. If it
does not close tight to the top, the cord may be too long
and adjustment is needed. The iron weights should be hanging just clear of the bottom of the box-frame.
Before, hanging the inside or bottom frame, the part
ing beads need to be replaced. If replacing with new(often
easier than trying to renovate and re-use the old) then it
may be necessary to plane a slight chamfer on the back edge
to facillitate fitting it into the grooves in the box-frame.
Again, when re-hanging the bottom sash frame, make sure that the weights suspended in the box are approx. 2"
from their highest point to ensure the frame is tight on the sill when closed. Attach the cords and release the weights as before.
All that remains is to replace the staff beads, which,
if top and bottom have been left in place, should be quite simple. To allow the sash-frame to travel freely, secure the staff beads with three or four 40mm panel pins, but do not drive the pins right home until adjusted. To do this, place a double thickness of sandpaper in the gap between
staff-bead and the sash-frame at top, middle and bottom
and then drive the pins home.
This may all sound either simple or very complicated
depending on your skill or DIY level of competence. I am a
carpenter, not a writer, but perhaps if you have a house with many sash windows, this may save you a great deal of money.
During my years in the trade, I totally renovated hundreds, if not thousands of sash windows, from lowly terraced two-up, two-down houses to country mansions with very large Georgian windows, even a castle in Dorset once!
There is something very satisfying about bringing an old window back from the dead, very profitable too! And who really wants those flat, boring plastic things they put in now! |
A beautiful day in Dorset July2005
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February, 2012
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