Dudes, here I am for week 3 of the One Room Challenge! Today I am writing this post from my bed, as I have been stricken with some sort of back injury. A bummer of a time to be plagued by such a condition, but at least my fingers can still type and I can share what I’ve been up to this week.
If you’ve been following along with my instagram stories (I added them to my Highlights in case you missed the magic), you have seen the miracle that is Peel Away 1 paint stripper. I’m not sure this makes it any cleaner than a typical stripper, using Peel Away is still a mess and takes lots of elbow grease, but good results seem guaranteed, which isn’t always the case with other strippers. Plus it’s better just because it encapsulates lead paint, there are no flammable solvents which I feel good about, especially when working in doors (because winter is still a thing?) and lastly it’s non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, nonflammable, and contains zero VOCs.
I still can’t get over how naked my door is now without all the layers of paint, and I’m excited to paint a fresh layer of black. It’s gonna look killer. Going into week 3 of the ORC I will begin to strip the second door.
The big project for this week was not the doors however, it was the restoration of a set of windows in the guest bedroom. I mentioned last week, that these windows probably needed the most TLC out of any in our house. Although I did not completley strip them, I did sand off any loose paint and touched up holes that needed repairs.
To repair the windows I removed the window stops and the lower sashes. This gave me the ability to get in there and really clean up the more delicate inner parts of a window. Lots of time these can be the areas where large paint drips would occur if you hadn’t taken the care to disassemble the window before painting.
Lastly I replaced the sash cords and got these babies working like new-ish again, all the details are outlined below for you in a very thorough tutorial. Please take a sec to check it out. So many old homes have broken sash cords, and it’s something that is very easy to fix. Please don’t think your window needs to be replaced or is forever broken because it isn’t opening due to a broken sash cord. Just fix it! You’ll be glad you did.
One other detail to note. I used a masking liquid instead of masking tape on the windows. It worked great. What you do is apply three light layers of the masking liquid with a foam brush around the perimeter of the glass. You give a few hours to set up, and then you can paint the window. Once the paint is dry, use a knife to score the now dry masking solution, and you’ll get a perfectly clean line, with no paint to clean up on the window.
I have no idea what condition my back will be in, but in a perfect world I’d finally finish painting this week and begin to start upholstering the Ikea malm bed – this is the project I really can’t wait to get to. Until then, send me good vibes. This back is killing me!
Make sure to check in on the other guest participants, and especially all of the super talented featured designers.
Week 1 : The Design Plan
Week 2 : The Restoration Begins
Those windows look fantastic and exactly the upgrade they needed. Also I am totally crushed on the Peel Away paint stripper, WOW. I love peeling things like that almost as much as bubble wrap, I feel this produce tis in my future!
Oh, bubble wrap is fun! Thanks!
Oh, poor you with your sore back… no fun! I am so impressed with your window repair! They looked like such an overwhelming project when you had them opened up last week. Thanks for sharing all the gritty details. You made it seem doable!
I just got to the DR. today, and I just pulled a muscle, so I should be up and at ’em real soon. It is doable! A lot of work, but I think very satisfying and enjoyable work :)
Have you ever tried a chiropractor? They have helped ed me numerous times to get my back in order. Hope you feel better soon! Can’t wait to see the finished room!
No, I haven’t because I usually don’t have chronic problems that put me out of commission – I’d def do it thought if this keeps up.
We out here! Love watching dees vids. its like watching a home makeover show with one of my favorite people as the host! Win Win!
Thanks, Cam! You’re the best.
Scoops, if the peel away stuff gets on the window frame, do you just paint over it and leave it in place?
Thanks.
Hey! Good question. First of all, I want to be clear that the Peel Away stripper, and the masking liquid are two different products, however both do peel off ;) The Liquid mask can go onto the sash, it will act as a primer – I was introduced to it from this episode of Ask This Old House, maybe that will help to shed some light.
Oh my gosh! I am so excited that you restore windows too. I may never be finished with the job in BHH, but they will have to pry the original 1880s windows out of my cold, dead hands. :)
I hope your back feels better soon!
Just got stuck looking through your blog – love it! Thanks, fingers crossed that I’ll be back in action soon.
Thank you! I love your blog too. It is new-to-me, and I am glad I found you.
Will have to keep Peel Away in mind. I have had mixed luck with other paint strippers to the point of just totally giving up on the project.
Me too, I try to steer clear at all costs, but having seen a few other people use this, I decided to give it a go. I’d definetley consider it if you have a project where you need a clean slate.
I love your tutorial for fixing sashes and I’m really hoping it works for my newer windows. They’re wood, but only about 30 years old. Seeing that I had absolutely no clue where to start, this is really helpful.
I really need to try that masking fluid.
I’m not sure how long sash cords were used for, but obviously you would be able to see them on the sides of your double hungs if they were used. I do hope the vid helps. I’d be curious to know if your newer-older windows were installed this way :)
So many cool things in this post. We just lived with all the broken sash cords in our old house. That’s a great tutorial!
Haha! I feel ya, why go through all the trouble when the old 2×4 to hold up the sash does just as good ;)
What a great tutorial video for fixing your window sash. That’s the problem with newer windows when the mechanism fails. We have one window in our bedroom where one side keeps popping out, which I’ve “fixed” multiple times. Sometimes the old ways are the best ways.
And I have to get some of that windows masking liquid, what a time saver!
Yeah, the window masking liquid worked pretty slick. I would definetley try that again. Sorry to hear about your new window woes – it is nice being able to fix these older ones.
Liquid mask…I have never heard of it, but how much easier would it be than trying to put painters tape all around the pane of a window?!! I hope your back is feeling better and that you are back at it, I can’t wait to see the progress this week!!
I would say the liquid mask takes slightly more effort, but you don’t get that painters tape edge, you get a crisp line with no ripples or spots where the paint snuck behind the tape.
I wish I could say my back was better, but it’s still causing me some major grief.
What great idea to use masking liquid!! The widows look great. Also, I hope your back is feeling better.
Thanks! That masking liquid is pretty cool.
Hello there, it’s me. Ashley. Your once-friend. You no longer want to be my friend because 1. It took me nearly a week to comment on your post. 2. I tried to link to your blog last week, but I put in the wrong URL. 3. I haven’t checked in on you and your old-lady back in days.
I’m sorry. I understand if you want to cancel your plans to visit me so you can hang out with better friends. I get it.
In other news, that vid was great! It reminded me of the days when I restored my windows and I may or may not have broken a piece of (non-original) glass by pushing too hard when glazing. Good thing I wasn’t making videos at the time.
P.S. Those beautiful black sashes are amaze.
Hi my once friend. I am so mad at you right now, well not any more actually, but I was soooo mad that you didn’t comment.
Did you ever blog about your sashes? I still haven’t ever done glazing, but when we had the house painted I had the painters glaze all the windows, so I think we’re good for awhile.
This is SO great! That sash cord tutorial has given me ALL the confidence that I can do this project! I also need to replace some broken panes on the windows and paint them all. I’ll have to check out that masking liquid because that sounds SO much better than tape :)
Yeah, you can replace the cords! It seems like a big mystery but it really is straight forward. If you have a local non-big-box hardware store the guys/ladies there should have good tips for you and be able to cut glass for your new panes too. Good luck!
Okay, I had no idea those products existed! I have to refinish a door AND paint some window trim so now I’m on the hunt for that stripper and masking stuff – so cool! The windows look great – can’t wait to see what comes next (hope your back is feeling better!)
Yes, all great products! I am glad that I was able to share something new with you :) I hope my back feels better too, it’s been hard to sit still and I’m probably over doing it.
Some old Apartments in Trivandrum has this kind of window been used.
Some old house for sale in Trivandrum has this kind of window been used.
Thanks for the motivation- I finally replaced the first of my sash cords and it was so much easier than I thought it would be, although my window must have gotten lighter over the years, because now my sash floats unless I lock it shut, haha.
Okay, I am more than impressed!! I have old leaded glass windows (my house is 1937), and a few of them don’t open at all. I am going to attempt what you’ve done here — including painting the inner window frames black. They look awesome! On a separate note, how much trouble was it painting the radiator? I’d love to paint ours black as well, but I don’t know how I’d clean them well enough to be able to cover them in a fresh coat of paint. Any tips?
Hey Deanne! I bet your windows will look stunning. I should’ve covered painting the radiator in this post. It is fairly easy and straightforward to purchase a 6″ roller with long handle (I used this one). To clean them I’d use a duster or a sock on a clothes hanger. You’re not going to get it all, but it’ll get a lot of it.