The Glenview House came with 14 original casement windows — wood-framed, cranked, with wavy original glass that we absolutely were not going to replace. They were also painted shut. Every single one. Multiple layers of paint had been applied over the decades without anyone ever cleaning out the channels or the cranks, and by the time we got to them, several windows that should have cranked open simply wouldn’t move at all.
We’d gotten quotes to replace the windows with new construction double-hung units: $18,000 to $22,000 for all 14. We got quotes to restore the existing windows to proper operation: $4,200 from one specialist, and a DIY estimate of about $800 in materials if we did it ourselves. We did it ourselves. Here’s how.
Testing for Lead Paint First
A house from 1952 almost certainly has lead paint, and windows — with all their friction surfaces — are a primary source of lead dust in old homes. Before doing any sanding or scraping, we tested every window with lead test swabs ($15 for a pack). Every window tested positive. This did not stop us from doing the work, but it changed how we did it: respirators rated for lead dust (not just dust masks), disposable coveralls, careful containment of all paint debris, and HEPA vacuum for cleanup.
If you have children living in the house, lead paint on friction surfaces is a genuine health concern that deserves professional remediation rather than DIY stripping. We do not have children, which made the risk calculus different for us.
Products That Work
After trying multiple approaches on the first two windows, we settled on a two-product system. For the flat surfaces (the frame faces, the sill, the apron): Citristrip paste stripper, applied generously and left under plastic wrap for 24 hours. This is a citrus-based stripper that works slowly but generates no fumes and doesn’t require ventilation precautions beyond the lead-dust concern. It softened even the deepest paint accumulations to a consistency that scraped off cleanly.
For the channels, the crank mechanisms, and the detail profiles: heat gun plus a combination of profile scrapers and dental picks. The heat gun is faster than chemical stripper on small areas and lets you work with more precision. The dental picks are exceptional for cleaning out the window channels — cheap, infinitely available, and sized perfectly for the grooves.
The Crank Mechanisms
The casement operators (the crank mechanisms) on six of our 14 windows were non-functional — either completely frozen or stripped. We sourced replacement operators from a company called Truth Hardware (they make original-spec replacements for old casement hardware) at about $45 per operator. The replacement process requires removing the operator, which requires clearing the paint from the mounting screws — often the most tedious part of the whole job.
The other eight operators cleaned up with penetrating oil (we used PB Blaster), patient cycling, and eventually WD-40 specialist rust remover. Taking a frozen crank from immovable to smooth operation took anywhere from one afternoon to an entire weekend for the most stubborn ones.
Glazing Compound and Re-Puttying
While we had the windows fully stripped, we re-puttied every pane. Original wood windows have glazing compound (putty) holding the glass in the frame, and on a 70-year-old window, this putty is typically cracked, shrunken, and missing in places. This is a significant source of both air infiltration and water intrusion. We used DAP 33 glazing compound, tooled with a flexible putty knife, and let it cure for two weeks before painting. This step added significant time but dramatically improved the thermal performance of the windows.
Finish and Results
We primed with oil-based primer (better adhesion to old wood than latex primer) and finished with Benjamin Moore Advance in the original white, thinned slightly for better flow. Four coats total — the old wood was thirsty and the first two coats were almost entirely absorbed. We left all channels unpainted, finishing them instead with a thin coat of boiled linseed oil that keeps them operating smoothly without the paint-buildup problem that got us here.
All 14 windows now open, close, and lock properly. The wavy glass is intact. The total materials cost for 14 windows: $795. The time investment: approximately 11 full weekends over the course of a summer, working on one or two windows per session. Worth it? Completely.