WOOD WINDOWS RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION

Olek Lejbzon & Co. restores and preserves wood windows of all types, from simple double hung windows to flamboyant Medieval style Church windows. We work with Gothic, Georgian fanlights, Colonial and Federal period, Victorian, and modern sashes and frames, rebuilding the joinery, re-glazing with new putty, restoring the hardware, and most importantly, cutting out all rotten wood. and inlaying new or antique wood to restore damages largely stemming from humidity and rotten conditions. We rebuild joinery around rotten wood precisely as it was made originally- with complex mortise and tenon joinery, without the use of any metal fasteners, pins, dowels, or modern "engineered" window joinery techniques. We minimize the use of epoxy, because it generally causes far more harm than good. The easiest way to find rot and deterioration in most historic wood windows is, sadly enough, to find the most recent repairs. We cut no corners, and are proud of the exceptional joinery and inlays our craftsmen perform to preserve our antique heritage.

These elegant 11' high 1890's Tribeca, NYC Double Hung Double Sash Windows suffered typical damage from the use of window pulls, with the metal tipped window pole gouging out the parting rail pulling the window down after the ferrule was pulled out, and pushing the windows back up again, in the days before air conditioning. Dutchman inlays artfully scarfed in for a structurally sound repair, that will last a century. Once our artist touches up to match the color and patina, the repairs become invisible, but for a hairline at the joint.

The old quartered white oak frames and cherry sashes were Stripped of paint, repaired, then sanded to prepare for clear finishes and re-painting. Repair of sashes was performed in our shop, and weights adjusted for correct balance of sashes. The sashes were completely disassembled, all old glue scraped out, the joints shimmed with cherry to tighten and square all the joints prior to re-gluing, and putting in new wedges, to reliably hold the sashes together for the rest of this century.

Existing sash units removed for repair, installation of new glazing putty and stops, shop finishing and hardware repair and refinishing. On-site repair and sill replacement of existing frames.

NYC Transit- MTA: White Plains Rd. Line Rehabilitation of Pelham Parkway [Elevated Subway] Station- Three hundred windows restored, after being covered by corrugated steel for more than 50 years. It wasn't easy, the old sills were hacked off with hatchets, to cover flush with the steel "protection"

Repair of sashes and frames, including Dutchman inlays and consolidation, sanding and preparation for finishing. Bench assembly of shop mock-ups for repairing projects of architectural woodwork.

High precision was required for the subway platform. All the windows were bounded by cast iron posts, so the fit of every molding had to be correct to 1/16" in the shop to avoid costly site work adjustments. All the windows were reinstalled by a crew of at most six inexperienced union craftsmen assigned by the hall. The carpenters were directed and supervised by an Olek manager, completing the installation in less than six weeks.

There is a misguided preservation trend that started in this country when epoxy was first applied to preserve windows in the 1970's, and continues today, that is causing the accelerated deterioration of historic windows. Manufacturers of epoxy have convinced architects and preservationists that the use of epoxy to perform almost structural level repairs is a best practice. The problems caused by the misuse of epoxy include:

All too often we see architectural specifications calling for extensive drilling and use of borax to retard mold growth, and covering with epoxy. This is futile. A fix that lasts a year or two and then accelerates damage is a huge problem, as the conservation will not be done properly in the limited time of opportunity to do it. When wood is soft to an ice pick, it is rotten, and the entire element, or entire soft area, must be cut out and repaired or replaced with sound wood, of a highly rot resistant species. Restorers with minimal skills to perform Dutchman inlays are only too happy to hide behind epoxy patching and endorse its use, as that is the limit of their skill. The manufacturers of epoxy advertise that epoxy "pushes out the water", a complete sham without a shred of foundation.

The fact is, a finely trained cabinetmaker accustomed to preservation, can almost as quickly cut Dutchman inlays into wood as to mix and slather on epoxy. The only conditions under which epoxy is appropriate is to fill tiny holes, no more than 1/4" deep by 1/2" diameter (not at corners ever), or to fill in checks, or fissures in otherwise sound, hard wood. Other than that, epoxy is ruinous to preservation efforts on wood. Someday preservationists and architects will see the folly of their specifications and shun the use of epoxy. The fact that the worst wood to be found at historic sites is usually the last wood repaired provides further witness weighing against the use of epoxy.

Pickups & Delivery by our truck throughout metropolitan NY, NJ, PA, and CT-

Pickups of entire assembled Eames Lounge Chair may be inexpensively arranged throughout the Midwest and Eastern US, from Texas to Chicago, Florida to Boston

We arrange pickup and delivery promptly throughout metropolitan NY, including NY and NYC, NJ, PA, and  at CT at modest cost.  We can arrange for pickup and delivery of furniture throughout the United States east of the Mississippi, as well as all of Louisiana and eastern Texas with a recommended common carrier, TSC Moving (Hallandale, FL),   They are very reliable, and surprisingly economical for long-distance moves. Fine furniture deserves the best care, and is worth the trip.

Wood Windows Gallery