Do older sash weights need special cords?

Cotton sash cord is the traditional choice. It runs smoothly over the cast iron pulleys built into the top corners of the box frame. Nylon rope might seem stronger but it can slip on the pulley wheel. A waxed cotton cord with a solid core resists stretching and handles the friction well.

I live in an exposed coastal area where the wind blows hard and I'm wondering if old leaded glass will just rattle and leak in a storm?

Leaded panels are surprisingly flexible. The lead matrix allows the glass to move slightly under wind pressure without cracking. They do need regular maintenance to stay watertight. The gaps between the glass and lead are sealed with a specialized cement that can degrade over time. Re-cementing an old panel stiffens the whole matrix and stops the rattle. It is a routine maintenance job for any glazier working with historic materials.

What holds the glass inside a wooden frame?

Most joiners used sprigs to hold the pane in the rebate. These are small headless metal pins tapped directly into the timber. Linseed oil putty is then smoothed over the pins. This creates a neat bevelled edge that sheds rainwater away from the wood.

When we stripped the paint off our old casement we found small wooden pegs in the corners instead of screws, is that normal for nineteenth-century joinery?

Oak pegs are typical for early window construction. They secure the mortise and tenon joints at the corners of the frame. Joiners drove these slightly tapered pins through the joint to pull the timbers tight. As the wood seasoned, the joint locked into a rigid structure without needing iron fixings. You will often find the peg heads left slightly proud of the surface. They are a sign of traditional bench joinery.

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Victorian Windows

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Antique windows are architectural salvage pieces, ranging from leaded glass panels to timber sash frames, originally made to let light into a building while keeping the weather out.