One Room Challenge: Garage Window - Week 4

Welcome back to the One Room Challenge at the Garage!  We are halfway through the eight-week challenge, and we have seen some weather-affected progress over here!  Lots has happened, but not the big showy projects like the mural or the roof.  There are so many others making strides on their projects as well! Check out the full set of one room challenge projects here! 
If you need to catch up on our garage project, catch up with the posts from: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3

It was the week of the window over here!  We had some weather that was incompatible with the paint progress I've been shooting for, but following the instructions for Sarco Dual Glaze, working on our window was definitely a possibility while we waited on the weather to turn warmer.  This is just what autumn does in Minnesota: it ebbs and flows.  In four days last week, we went from 80° F to 30° and back up to 60°.  

Window Problems

​While the garage has only one window, it sure gave me some trouble to figuring out how to repair it!  Luckily, I can always count on support from some incredible window pros and semi-pros (like Stacy Grinsfelder!  Check out her One Room Challenge bathroom and all the fantastic work she's accomplished over at Blake Hill House) to get me through the process.  I've watched a few more video tutorials, chatted in DMs, and even took a window workshop this spring!  So, it was time to really use the knowledge I've built.  

The biggest issue is that the glazing was an absolute mess on both panes of glass.  Since it's a fixed window, I wasn't able to remove it without really damaging the garage, and I'm just not ready to go for that (maybe I'll put in some of my salvaged sash some day, but that's a decision for Future Katie).  So, I've been trying to remove as much of the old wavy glazing and paint as I could.  Unfortunately, the upper pane was held in with the glaze.  There was not a glazing point in sight.  Typically, historic wood windows have glass secured with glazing points and sealed with glazing putty.  Since the glazing points were missing, getting the glass out resulted in breaking it in several places.  At least it wasn't antique glass.

Glass Repairs

​So, my house-parts-hoarding tendancy came in handy for this project!  I did spend a bit building a tool arsenal for working with glass, from ordering glazing putty and points to acquiring new tools, I brought the total garage project cost up to $1,113.38.  Not too bad!  Especially considering the two attic windows that will also benefit from this investment and any help my sister's original windows will need for maintenance.  By using salvaged glass from my porch, I was able to save a little bit.  

I was able to get the glass cut and installed this weekend.  After removing the glass (The previous owners had left security film on it, and I do thank them for that as it all came out in one piece.), I was able to measure and prep the rabbit for new glass with linseed oil and a little bit of putty.  Then, I cut the glass, installed it with glazing points, and used Sarco Dual Glaze for installing the window in situ.  

Dry Rot

​Removing the glazing also opened a can of worms with the window sill succumbing to dry rot, and the paint no longer bonding to the wood casing.  So, I've stripped it back using sanding-free, lead-safe methods.  Stripping, priming, and repainting is the repair most of the casing needs, but the sill needed a little more work.  

Huge chunks of the sill have been missing from dry rot for a long time, and a large chunk came out from dry rot under the window sash.  The missing piece under the window was repaired with Abatron, and the front of the sill will be removed and repaired.  I could've rebuilt it with Abatron, but that would've taken a lot of epoxy.  It is far more cost effective to use new wood and do a Dutchman repair.  

I have a lot more to do with finishing the window, but I'm at the mercy of the exterior temperature and the curing time for the window glaze.  I hope to get most of the garage painted this week when it's warm, and I'll wrap the window project when we get a high-temp bounce after the putty has cured.  We always get at least one good day before the cold really settles in.

One of the treats this week: seeing the drip edge on the roof in action!  The roof is now shedding water away from the rafter tails and roof sheathing, and I no longer have to worry about it rotting away with no protection.  

As always, find me over on Instagram!  All the progress on the garage, from the beginning, is saved in my "Garage" highlight.  I started out really disliking this spot in my lot, and the longer I invest my time and energy into it, the more fond I become of the project and the garage.