Stripped to Perfection Stripping is undoubtedly the
most tedious part of window restoration. Old school, less-than-ideal
methods like dipping the sash in toxic solvents or using a heat gun on
the old, fragile wood (near glass) have been superseded by gentler
techniques that harm neither wood nor glass, including infrared heat
and steam. You still have to scrape away softened paint and
glazing, but the process will be much easier.
Infrared heat-
ers use low heat to soften multiple layers of paint, making
it easy to scrape away. Used properly, the tool will not damage
wood or glass. Look for an infrared heater that’s EPA compli-
ant and internationally safety tested, like Eco-Strip’s Swedish-
made Speedheater and Cobra products.
- The concept of
the steam chamber or box is simple. You place the window
sash into a tightly closed box, pump hot steam into the
box, then let the sash “cook” in the steam for 30 to 40 min-
utes. (Alex built his own—check out the post at oldtownhome.
com.) Carefully but quickly remove the sash—the steam is
very hot—then scrape out the softened putty and remove any softened paint. If you’re not up for
building your own stripper chamber, a commercial one is available from Bagala Window Works.
ABOVE A professional-quality steam box, the
Steam Stripper, comes from Bagala Window
Works. TOP Here’s a candidate for a good
steam bath or infrared stripping.Help for Dry Wood As I stripped and sanded the sash,
I noticed the wood was weathered and grey. After the paint failed on the exposed
sides, the sun continued to bake the windows and water from rain and snow pen-
etrated all the way to the wood. This left the wood deteriorated, ready for fungal
attack and eventual failure. To rehabilitate the wood, I used a trick I learned from
Jade Mortimer of Heartwood Restoration. It’s something called BLO-Pentine, a
mixture of boiled linseed oil (or BLO) and turpentine: BLOP for short. It’s a recipe
that’s been suggested in Old-House Journal since the 1970s.
Boiled linseed oil is a favorite of woodworkers for its ability to protect unfi nished
wood. When dealing with dry, sun-damaged wood, however, linseed oil alone sits
on the surface, not penetrating into the wood fi bers. Combining linseed oil with
turpentine at a 1 to 1 ratio provides a delivery mechanism for the oil to penetrate
the wood. The wood drinks in the mixture. When the turpentine evaporates, it
leaves behind oil, both on the surface and impregnated into the wood. The oil
slowly cures, and now the wood has natural protection against the elements. It’s
important to use high-quality products for this process. I used boiled linseed oil
and crystal-clear balsam turpentine from Sweden (see p. 48) from American Rope
& Tar. Mix a small amount at a time, stirring and swirling in a mason jar. Liberally
apply the mixture with a foam brush. The wood should absorb the BLO-Pentine
almost as quickly as you can apply it. I applied three coats, allowing each to dry for
at least 12 hours. Once it was fully cured (in a week or so), I lightly sanded it. —A.S.ABOVE RIGHT The sash is lavishly coated in a 50/50 mix of boiled linseed oil and turpentine. The turpentine allows
the oil to penetrate old, damaged wood, then evaporates as the oil cures. BOTTOM After three coats of BLOP were fully cured,
the author hand-sanded the sash with 400-grit sandpaper.