Sash windows, are sliding windows, which usually slide vertically, but which can slide horizontally and which are normally in pairs.
The original design of the sash window is attributed to the English inventor, Robert Hooke (1635 –1703) and sash windows were a very common type of window, especially in Georgian residences and also Victorian houses. In these residences, the most common sash window used was and is the classical style of two frames each with six panels. This however, was a style particular to those types of residence and is not a fixed rule – many different styles of these windows survive and are in use today.
Sash windows have an advantage that allows them to be partially opened without the window falling back into the closed position, as would be expected of a heavy vertical frame. This can be achieved in different ways. Earlier types of these windows had ropes and counter weights (or sash weights) that were set into the window frame. More modern types of sash type windows use friction tracks to achieve the same result. This is a preferable method in the construction of modern houses with thinner outer walls.
Other types of windows with sashes can have hinges on one side, which, when the counter balance is disconnected on the other side, allows the window to be swung open. This can be used as a safety measure or for cleaning purposes.
In the past the materials used in the construction of these window frames was entirely of timber. With the development of new products, it is quite usual to see metal (particularly aluminium) and uPVC being used instead of wooden sash windows. Many people have to make what can be a difficult choice between timber and uPVC sash windows. In a further development with regard to the ‘evolution’ of sash windows, it is now common to install double glazed sash windows or triple glazed windows, and there has been a reversion to traditional sash timber windows, which can be painted or stained, according to the owner’s wishes.
Sash Window Restoration.
Sash windows have contributed in a major way to architecture, and the evolution in design of these windows show the changes in architectural and social history over several centuries.
There are window companies which specialise in the sash window repairs – some older windows can have quite a complicated counter weight system. If at all possible, it is in the future interest of our architectural heritage that every effort be made to repair your sash windows and retain their fantastic features for future generations. Maintaining your timber sash windows and painting your sash windows can be a slow and sometimes difficult undertaking and installing replacement sash windows can be a tempting option, but they are tasks that will bring their rewards.
