Penrith has a quiet stock of older homes, Victorian and Federation cottages, post-war weatherboards, brick Californian bungalows. Most still have their original timber double-hung sash windows. They need attention every couple of decades. The wrong glazier rips them out. The right one restores them.
Why heritage windows matter
Original windows are usually hand-blown or early float glass, set in mortise-and-tenon timber sashes with weights and pulleys. They are part of the heritage value of the home and, in heritage-overlay streets, council will not let you replace them with aluminium. They are also better acoustic insulators than people assume, especially with a discreet secondary glaze added inside.
Common repairs
- Cracked or missing glass replaced with matched-thickness float glass
- Sash cord replaced (rope, not nylon, for original feel)
- Broken weights replaced or rebalanced
- Timber sash rebates re-puttied with traditional linseed putty
- Paint stripped from the catch and sash lift
Getting the glass right
Modern float glass is flatter and clearer than the original. For heritage homes that show off the wavy reflection in the windows, we source restoration glass with the right level of distortion. For everyday windows where appearance does not matter, modern 3 mm or 4 mm float is fine.
Safety glass and the building code
AS 1288 applies even on heritage homes. Windows within 500 mm of the floor, or any door panel, must be safety glass. We use Grade A toughened where the heritage joinery allows it, and laminated where toughened cannot be back-cut to original puttied detail.
Secondary glazing, the heritage hack
Want the look of the original sashes with modern thermal and acoustic performance? Secondary glazing is a clear toughened panel mounted on the inside of the existing window. No change to the heritage face, dramatic improvement in comfort.
If your home has original timber windows that need a glazier who will not rip them out, call 02 4722 2787.
