This committee meets the second Wednesday of the month via Zoom. Please contact rhonda@aiahouston.org if you are interested in joining.
Additional Resources
Historic Resources Committee
Spring Series
Wood Window Workshop
Oral History Project
Historic Resources
Chair
Urmila Srinivasan, AIA
urmilasri@gmail.com
Staff Liaison
Rhonda Lowe
rhonda@aiahouston.org
Wood Window Workshop
WOOD WINDOW WORKSHOP – Save Your Wood Windows!
- Date: Saturday and Sunday April 13th and 14th, 2024
- Location: Plum Alley Windowcraft shop (3602 Southmore Blvd, Houston, TX 77004) and Hotel King David, (2615 Riverside Dr, Houston, TX 77004)
Workshop Summary:
Learn how to un-stick, repair, and appreciate your historic wood windows– all while increasing their energy efficiency! This workshop will include demonstration of all aspects of the wood window restoration process so that a homeowner can leave armed with the knowledge of how to care for their own windows and help them last for another 100 years.
After a hiatus, the AIA Houston Historic Resources Committee is thrilled to present our 2024 Wood Window Workshop, taught by local Houston window restoration specialist, Rachel Paxton of Plum Alley Window Craft.
The workshop will be made up of four sessions over two days on Saturday April 13th and Sunday April 14th. Participants may choose between two options: the Basics Workshop (Saturday only), or the Hands-On and Weatherstripping Workshop (Saturday and Sunday).
The Saturday morning session will be on site at the Hotel King David. Rachel will review the anatomy of a wood window as she demonstrates the removal of a sash. She will demonstrate how to cut weight pockets, then replace and re-rope a sash once it has been restored. She will also show an example of a completely restored wood window. The Saturday afternoon session will take place in the Plum Alley Windowcraft shop, where there will be demonstrations and the opportunity for participants to practice safe paint stripping, and light sash repairs, and Rachel will demonstrate reglazing and painting.
The Sunday morning session will be back at the Plum Alley Shop, where participants will get significant hands-on experience with the detailed work of reglazing and painting. The afternoon session will return to the field to demonstrate and review Rachel’s weatherstripping princess with spring bronze, and provide the opportunity for participants to get hands-on experience with this process.
Both workshop options will include a resource packet outlining the skills learned and providing supplemental information. Lunch will be provided on both days.
Basics Workshop – Skills/Topics Covered
Morning Session – On-Site:
- Wood Window Anatomy (demonstration with resource packet)
- Sash removal, re-roping, and replacing demonstration (demonstration and potential for limited hands-on)
- Weight pockets (demonstration)
- Finished restored sashes (demonstration, and hands-on operation)
Afternoon Session – Shop:
- Safe paint stripping (hands-on)
- Light sash repairs (hands-on)
- Reglazing and painting (demonstration)
Hands-On and Weatherstripping Workshop – Skills/Topics Covered
All Basics plus:
Morning Session – Shop:
- Reglazing (hands-on)
- Painting window sashes (hands-on)
Afternoon Session – On-Site:
- Weatherstripping (hands-on)
