Restoration & repair
Sash window repair and restoration.
Your original windows, brought back to life. Over ninety percent of the sash and case windows we survey can be fully restored. Rot is spliced out, cords and weights renewed, draughts sealed, and the window runs as it did the day it was hung. It usually costs less than replacing the window, too.
Why restore
Old growth timber is worth saving
A hundred year old sash was cut from slow grown timber that is denser and more durable than most timber sold today. Where the wood is sound we keep it, and where it has decayed we cut it out and splice in matching sections of treated redwood using time served joinery, so the repair disappears into the original window.
- Rotting sills and rails cut out and renewed in treated redwood
- New waxed, pre stretched cotton cords, rebalanced with the original weights
- Aquamac draught proofing with a lifetime guarantee
- Cracked or broken panes replaced like for like
- Security locks, sash bolts and brass simplex fittings
- Traditional burnt sand and linseed oil mastic pointing
- Full internal and external painting, included as standard
- A 5 year guarantee on the restoration work
Sound familiar?
The problems we fix every week
Whatever your sash windows are doing — or refusing to do — we have almost certainly seen it before.
Draughty and cold
Gaps around an unsealed sash can equal a three inch hole in the wall. Aquamac draught proofing closes them, and the seals carry a lifetime guarantee.
Rattling in the wind
Worn beads let sashes shake in their case. We adjust and renew the staff and parting beads so every sash sits snug and silent.
Stuck or painted shut
Years of paint and swollen timber seize windows solid. We ease, strip and rebalance them so they slide on one finger again.
Broken sash cords
A window that crashes down or will not stay open usually needs new cords and rebalanced weights — a bread and butter repair for us.
Rotten sills and rails
Decay is cut out and matching treated redwood spliced in with time served joinery, so the repair disappears into the original window.
Cracked glass and failed putty
Panes are replaced like for like — period appropriate glass where it matters — and reputtied and repainted to seal against the weather.
Before and after
From rotten glazing bar to a sound sash
The glazing bars on this sash had rotted beneath failed paint and putty. The decayed timber was cut out and renewed and the sash repainted, so the original window stays in the building.
A rotten sill, repaired rather than replaced
The timber sill on this existing sash window had rotted and was breaking up under old paint. It was repaired as part of a full restoration and repainted, so the original window stays in the building.
A stone house by Loch Lomond, window by window
We restored the sash and case windows on this stone house by Loch Lomond. Every window was numbered for the schedule of works and restored individually. The same windows, before and after.
What it does for your home
Warmer, quieter, and still original
Draughts stopped
The gaps around an unsealed sash window can add up to the equivalent of a three inch hole in your wall. Discreet Aquamac seals close them without changing how the window looks or slides.
Rattles silenced
Staff and parting beads are adjusted and renewed so sashes sit snug in their case — no more rattling every time the wind picks up or a bus goes past.
Original character kept
Restoration preserves the glass, mouldings and proportions that give a period room its character — the details conservation officers and buyers both notice.
Decades more service
A properly restored sash window, maintained with an occasional repaint, will outlast most replacement windows — and it can always be repaired again.
★★★★★
“My sash windows now no longer rattle and open easier than ever. The company also did all the pointing and painting. First class job.”
★★★★★
“Great service. Did just as was asked, looked at each and every window and window sill, repairing what they could and replacing what they couldn't. All painted afterwards. On time and left the place clean and tidy.”
Sash window repair
Repair questions, answered
Can my sash windows be repaired without replacing them?
Usually, yes. Over ninety percent of the sash and case windows we survey can be fully restored. Decayed timber is cut out and spliced with treated redwood, sills are renewed where needed, and cords and weights are rebalanced so the sashes slide properly again. Where a window truly is beyond saving, we make a new one to match. See restore or replace.
What does a sash window repair include?
Every window is surveyed and quoted individually, so you only pay for what it needs. A full refurbishment covers new cords and rebalanced weights, timber rot repair, cracked glass replaced like for like, Aquamac draught proofing, security locks and brass simplex fittings, traditional burnt sand and linseed oil mastic pointing, and full painting inside and out, with no hidden extras.
Will a repair make my windows warmer?
Yes. Much of the cold from an old sash window comes through the gaps around the sashes, and Aquamac draught proofing closes them without changing how the window looks or slides; the seals carry a lifetime guarantee. See how we draught proof a sash window. If you want more, we can make new double glazed sashes for your existing case. See double glazing upgrades.
Do I need permission to repair windows in a listed building?
Like for like repair generally does not need consent. Changing the design or the glazing, such as fitting double glazed sashes, does need listed building consent, and we help with the application, drawings included. Our listed building guide sets out the rules for Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Is the repair work guaranteed?
Yes. Restoration work carries a 5 year guarantee, and Aquamac draught proofing has a lifetime guarantee.
How often should sash windows be maintained after a repair?
Keep the paint sound. Historic Environment Scotland says windows usually need repainting outside about every five years, depending on how exposed they are. Our window care guide covers the simple checks that keep small problems small.
Think your windows are past saving? Nine times out of ten, they are not.
Surveys are free, quotations are written and itemised, and there is never any obligation.
Arrange a free survey
Not sure whether to restore, upgrade or renew? Let us have a look.
Tell us a little about your windows, with a photo or two if you have them, and we will call you back to arrange a visit.
You enquire
Send the form, with photos if you have them, or phone us. We aim to call you back the same working day.
Free survey
We visit at a time that suits you and assess every window individually.
Written quote
A clear, itemised quotation with no hidden extras — and never any obligation.