Brand New - Single Pane Wood Windows! ???

In this episode Matt heads up to Fort Worth to visit the talented Brent Hull. Brent specializes in historic building, new builds as well as renovations. We take a tour of Brent’s shop and talk about a current project Brent is working on for a mutual customer. What do you think, can historic, single pane windows be used in a new build focused on efficiency?
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[@flybyav8tor]

It’s amazing everyone complaining about price. They are just not your customer which they don’t understand. Good craftsmanship and historical accuracy is worth the price when building a time period home not in suburbia.

[@KJSvitko]

Bigger over hangs are under appreciated and should be used more often.

[@chaseweeks2708]

It seems they never got that message here in Massachusetts. Confuses the hell out of me.

[@ryanroberts1104]

I really don't understand why more don't do this. My house has a 3' overhang all the way around and I love it. Even during a heavy rain the windows do not get wet unless the wind blows directly at them. They are also significantly shaded in the summer. It's good protection for the siding too. The overhang is large enough that I do not have, or need gutters....

[@KJSvitko]

@@ryanroberts1104 Builder associations and building codes need to recommend larger over hangs. They are a better way to build a long lasting building.

[@KJSvitko]

They should be teaching this to new architects in University .

[@thewakersci]

@@ryanroberts1104 OOps, I only spec'd 4 foot overhangs on build I am planning now for my family. Glad to hear 3 foot is working for you, I held my thumb up and said, yeah ok 4 feet.

[@ryanroberts1104]

Condensation. I'm really glad the previous owner of my house replaced the windows with double pane...there are a couple special shaped custom windows that were left single, they're covered with condensation on the inside in the winter (humidity 50%) and covered with condensation on the outside all summer. Not only is it bad to look at, it makes them dirty very quickly.

[@SideOfRanch]

I just removed my storm covers on my single pane windows and I have day much condensation now!

[@itsaprankbro1437]

50% humidity is too high inside on really cold days. You need to setup your humidifier with window protection or you need to dehumidify

[@mattv5281]

@@itsaprankbro1437 the problem is opposite in the summer, and you can't dehumidify the outside.

[@95thousandroses]

Condensation also kills the window if the glazing/paint isn't done just right. Any break in the paint on the pane allows water to creep behind the glazing where it is almost impossible to dry out. When that moisture does try to get out it will push the paint off. I see this every week as a house painter. I will never have single pane on my home.

[@Cspacecat]

The south side of my house has 400 sq.ft. of glass. I originally used it as my sunroom for growing plants. When I started using it as a shop, the sun was blinding during the day. My girlfriend suggested I cover them with painter's plastic. I did, 12 layers with 1/2" air gaps in between the layers. It no longer gets cold in the winter nor hot in the summer.

[@tani357]

I literally just finished building my first double hung to replace one in my master bedroom that had broken jambs and sashes. Turned out almost identical, only clear Doug fir instead of Sapele. It is under a 3' overhang. I had never imagined replacement with a modem window, and I'm sure glad I made my own.

[@csealand]

I didn't expect to learn so much about windows. Very interesting and entertaining

[@berzerka1000]

I have been involved in several studies evaluating the cost effectiveness of all the new energy "savings" products endorsed to attain LEED certification. The reality is there are no products that actually pay for themselves when you included the additional cost because of the life expectancy of the new products. Leeds also does not look at the additional carbon footprint created by having to replace the products; additional metal casings, new plastics or the overall performance of the products. The government does not care what the added cost to the consumer is, as long as it saves energy or water. The government does not look at the added inconvenience or additional waste, such as having to flush multiple times, or wash clothes multiple times, they only appease to the environmentalist or lobbyist that is pushing an additional product or new technology.

[@tbix1963]

Thanks for sharing your videos, very interesting talk about classic timeless design and quality. I’m reminded of the home I grew up in, nothing special but it had various bits that were misplaced out of time. My dad salvaged a few older mansions in our area and a kitchen door made its way into our house when the original needed replacing. I never gave much thought to quality of doors and hardware until I encountered what is now considered quality. It was a simple multi light wooden door with hardware that was original to the door and over 100+ years of age. I’ve yet to see quality that matched it outside of high end industrial doors. And the glass, just plain old single pane was nearly indestructible. As a stupid kid my sisters and I locked ourselves out of the house on a subzero night. So we broke one of the windows panes out to get in. My ice scraper was a 6” 5’ long spade bit from a jackhammer. It took 4 hits as hard as I could muster to break the glass. Then I got to replace it repeatedly over the years after as people would rebreak it accidentally with their elbows by barely bumping it. Needed a new key made, nobody had the blanks, on a whim my sister goes to a locksmith downtown that’s been in business nearly since time began. The guy says huh yup I think I have that, goes in the back comes out with a handful of blanks and a inventory slip, yup the last time we sold this blank was it 1902. The door lock was solid brass, and worked perfectly, has buttons to enable or disable the day lock and a deadbolt that was all operable from a single door knob with a internal external key or internal lever.

[@DanielBelzil]

I live in a historic Victorian home that I am restoring. One thing that I agree with is how easy and cheap the windows are to restore. Also, every part of them is rebuildable in my woodshop.

[@disturbedspacemonkey]

VIG - Vacuum Insulated Units would be perfect for your windows to make great performance in the single pane thickness. Works really well when the individual pieces of glass are smaller.

[@ginacirelli1581]

It makes me so happy to know that there are folks out there still making these. My house has all of its 1939 windows and that's one of the top reasons I bought it. I added "invisible" storm windows so that I could slowly restore them. Many of them are stained lacquered wood and have never been painted.

[@iananddani]

There are lots of us still and growing.

[@ginacirelli1581]

@@iananddani Let me know once you have guys in Northeastern Vermont who are ready to do this work!

[@jamesmoon1841]

Betting these single pain wood frame windows will be a whole lot less problems in time than the high performance plastic junk being sold today. I lived in a Queen Anne style house built in 1892. It had awesome double hung single pane windows. I rehabbed the windows by stripping 100 years of paint off the outside of the windows. This restored the excellent folded brass weather stripping. The windows used a metal tape pocket rewinding spring device to counter balance the individual window halves. After rehab, the windows were basically air tight after reglazing. I have installed plenty of “new” windows in new construction and renovations and none were as good as quality as the ones in the 1892 house. Mr Hull understands the advantages of old school quality window construction.

[@fordcntry09]

Awesome video! Love the attention to detail y’all shared about window education. His passion for historic buildings is absolutely killer! Save the old buildings!

[@FreekHoekstra]

Going from R1 to R3 is HUGE. Its 3x better, and its always the lowest common denominator, the weakest link thats the issue. If your walls are R30 but you have R1 windows, then you might was well not insulate your walls at all. 80% of the heat is going to leave through the window at that point. If you have an R3 window with an R20 wall you’d get better thermal performance. I love the beauty of this window, but theres no good reason to not have it be double window, except if that means they cannot produce it. I’m all for longevity, but 30 years of energy losses easily compensate for replacing the windows from an energy pov.

[@bestbuilder1st]

So you are saying that a window replacement job of an average of $19000 to $21000 (in my area) is a good investment when you save around $300 for windows that have about a maximum 20-30 years of actual life? You won't even recoup half of your original investment. That doesn't sound like it is "HUGE" as you say.

[@gregorysmith9158]

@@bestbuilder1st you don't need to replace the window. just order the sash from the manufacturer. i can order double pane sashes for my 30 year old Anderson windows right now. Hell, they can probably do triple pane too if I wanted to get crazy

[@FreekHoekstra]

@@bestbuilder1st were nit talking replacing, we’re talking a new build, and custom frames, this is waaaaaay more expensive, and so were not talking about saving a few dollars anymore, or ROI in general. They could have made the frames hold double pane sashes instead of single ones, and it would have made a huge deal in performance.

[@gregorysmith9158]

@steveXracer actually he didn't skirt the answer. he discusses this exact point starting at 15:40. if you build prescriptive per IRC, no way. If you build performance per the IBC (which is allowed for residential if you choose) you can show that the overall performance of the house as a whole (poor window R+crazy high R elsewhere) can meet the code intent you are okay. How do you do performance? Have to have architects and engineers involved to prove whole building performance meets code. This isn't happening in 99% of residential building. Its 100% of commercial building.

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

@@gregorysmith9158 yup. But still doesn't make single-pane comfortable. You wouldn't want them next to your bed or couch or dining room table. You can easily feel the difference in temp (hot or cold). Cynically, Brent pumps his homes full of nasty foam to meet energy codes.

[@belg4mit]

You cannot compare insulation values like that. This sort of parallel flow is something people often get wrong, but it's a common phenomenon that occurs in electronics, plumbing, etc.There's a reason code specifies UA trade-off as a compliance path. Say you have 100 ft2 of R-20 wall, with 15% U-1/R-1 glazing: 85 ft2/20 F-ft2-h/BTU + 15ft2/1 F-ft2-h/BTU = 19.25 F-h/BTU Compare that to the same wall with U-0.33/R-3 windows: 85 ft2/20 F-ft2-h/BTU + 15ft2/3 F-ft2-h/BTU = 9.25 F-h/BTU The wall with the better window performs more than twice as well as the old-fashioned design. Small area with poor insulation have a big impact, which is why there's such a focus on windows, insulation installation quality (grade), etc. It's no different that air leakage. Sure, 99% of you wall passes no air, but if you got 1 one square foot hole in that wall you're going to be leaking a lot of air. You can try to make the hole smaller and/or you can fill it with something that restricts the air flow.

[@ryanroberts1104]

Come on now...Matt can make up rules all day long! That's the Risinger way!

[@sebastianlt8909]

I think he's referring to the impact of for example 1 square foot of a more conductive surface vs a less conductive one. If these windows are sealed properly they will not blow cold air into the house but the glass panes on the other hand will be in direct contact with the warm and the cold, letting energy transfer through more easily than a double paned window.

[@ryanroberts1104]

@@sebastianlt8909 ...but if they are building them the way they did 100 years ago...we all know 100 year old windows are drafty, so why wouldn't we think his are any different? They used brass weather stripping back then too, apparently it doesn't work very well...that's why they invented new stuff...

[@sebastianlt8909]

​@@ryanroberts1104 I can't say, I'm not familiar with American windows, but if I built single paned windows I would make sure to use modern seals to stop any air leaks, old windows relied simply on good contact to stop drafts, but since wood can shrink and grow that doesn't work too well. Now we have proper seals that will fill those gaps and stop all drafts.

[@RandomUserName92840]

Window salesmen are the new used car salesmen. Great video.

[@peterwalsh6867]

Why not have storm windows ? We put them on our single pane and improved the R value , plus reduce street noise . Peter

[@eggsoups]

Yep, and storms can meet energy star reqs- something the big window companies tried very hard to prevent

[@bestbuilder1st]

Energy studies conducted in the '80s showed that a good storm window system way out preformed the double pane windows made at that time. I think there was an article in the JLC about it even. But the ease of not having to take them on and off and marketing by the window manufacturers killed that idea.

[@charliexu1099]

Exactly.

[@dmike1379]

You can put low-e coating in a nice wood storm window and foam the rear weight pocket area by using a tape spring counter balance for the uppers. Will last forever and out perform modern windows. 2x the price but 5x the life. Forget asphalt shingles while were at it.

[@AsHellBored]

I have remodeled a house with old school windows like this. It's not just wood, it's broken latches, it's broken cords, it's people didn't repaint every 5-10 years, or people painted every year and everything is physically thicker... it's cool they do historic rehab but double pane fiberglass seems like the best bang for people like you and me that will never be famous

[@davidnielsen4490]

Thank you Matt. I spent 31 years in the millwork business. I started with a company that historical wood windows in Chicago. I also knew people who were sash and frame manufacturers starting in the very early part of the 20th century. They taught me so much. I learned the difference between true White Pine and the other Pines that were being used. I would love to tour this shop. Keep up the great work. By the way a good wood double hung with a wood storm window is more efficient that regular insulating glass for those of us who live up north.

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

If I ever buy a pre-WWII home (likely a craftsman, foursquare, colonial or Tudor revival) with its original single pane wood frame windows, I’m restoring those every time. The new stuff won’t even come close to saving enough energy to make up for their cost until new ones are needed again, and if they break, they’re gone! Now here you can measure and buy a single window pane, and just paste it in place of the old broken one, not the case with double pane designs. And then there’s those giant mid century picture windows that were just panes of glass with wood slats nailed around the edges to keep them in place, and those are simple to replace too.

[@garyclark24]

I’ll keep my 65yr old single pane glass wood framed windows, they still look and work great!

[@virgil3241]

I think, come to Canada, its -42 with no windchill today. See how well those would work. Fashion over function?

[@johnedgar873]

Yea Virgil, Prince George here.... they won't work up north here, I think as a compromise, I'm going to build with either single/double glaze, but with a pop in double glaze storm window for the winter months where feasible.

[@kaine904]

Great video guys, love seeing the shop! Amazing to see “modern” single-pane by hand.

[@aha138]

Check out Pilkington Spacia - ultra thin insulated glass units, only 6.5 mm thick and sealed with glass at the edges. Might allow your windows to be used farther north of TX. Prescriptive code compliance is great for historic buildings. Remember the law of entropy applies. If the walls of the house are R=50, and the windows are R=1 people will still feel cold when they are near a window even if the room temperature is comfortable for humans. Energy is always seeking a lower state, the heat flow will be from the human to the window even in a very well insulated house and the human will feel "cold".

[@vriesvakkie1]

That double pane glass is often used in Europe. Same looks as this Window producer. old-style.nl/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAyJOBBhDCARIsAJG2h5d8gOZumg9x8K19JGOuxhq5-4iKy5BcIyWLj2BPpcE-YA1PMfu4FXgaAkXGEALw_wcB

[@guylambrechts2303]

Imagine putting triple pane in these windows. Brent's a legend!

[@PolaCaKe890]

two worlds collide! i love Brent!!

[@ptester1]

I agree these are beautiful windows from an 'old school' craftsmanship perspective, but there are so many things wrong... - Matt just got done trying to convince us to frame 24" on center because wood is such a poor insulator, now he's ok with an R value of 1 for all the windows??? They never really compared the performance; they just glossed over it with a hand waving 'big picture, whole house' explanation. If one car is a Prius should you say 'that means I can drive an F350 because it balances out?' If you put less efficient windows in, you are wasting energy. - Sepele is a tropical hardwood that is being over harvested. In a few years it will be gone just like Honduran mahogany. That's not sustainable. - These windows are also going to need continual maintenance. if you don't keep them painted the wood will rot. The glazing will need to be serviced as well. - Wood swells - keeping tight seals in a functional sliding window in the humid south is incredibly difficult. - The 'hundred year' argument is a little thin, too. Will these windows be functional and efficient for 100 years? The 100 year old windows they talked about removing lasted 100 years but they were crappy windows for 100 years. there's a difference. - as someone else minted, condensation will be an issue. If you live in Louisiana and the dew point's 70+ degrees you'll get condensation on the outside of your windows. Bottom line - these are beautiful windows, but they simply throw all of the advances we have in technology and design from the last 100 years 'out the window.'

[@mkelebay]

This channel is honestly so full of bullshit half the time. There are some neat ideas, techniques, and building materials displayed, however there is a lot of these kind of videos as well. Trying to convince people to spend tens of thousands of dollars on an old technology by feeding you "soul". BRB while I become a millionaire off selling a set of windows for 1 house.

[@bigredmachine878]

Totally true...you could tell matt was biting his tongue the whole time. This is like having you daily driver be a classic car. Great to appreciate, but not realistic.

[@henrypotter3024]

I keep hearing how 'we destroyed our forests so needed to go somewhere else and destroy another one'..... I'd like to see these in a blower door test or in a passiv house or something, see how well they actually do.

[@ChipEeter1]

In Historic Newport RI people have to keep their single pane windows because of Historic codes. We install an outside storm window in the winter months and take them down in spring. Usually wood frame painted trim color and screws into existing trim with weather strip.

[@95dodgev10]

No way my 1965 single panes would pass code anywhere. A calm day and you can feel air leaks. A strong breeze and your hair will start blowing if you stand too close.

[@williamweatherall8333]

Just redo the sealing on them. Old windows are amazingly easy to fix.

[@frankyb1207]

Don’t forget the cost of painting the bloody things as well. Much better products available these days.

[@eggsoups]

No one stops to think why wooden windows and exterior woodwork last for 100+ only to rot today under our watch- its the fault of our modern paints. Even “low quality” new growth pine will last 100+ years on a house so long as its not coated in latex rubber. Think how sweaty your hands get in latex gloves... same problem with modern paints. Not every piece of wood on a historic building was premium tight grain heart pine to begin with either. The reason so many folks turn to sepele and similar tropical hardwoods is because they’re the few species that they can withstand being coated in rubbery paints- but its treating the symptom not the cause. A lot of builders make things worse when they think they’re doing good by priming/painting the backsides and end-grain. That only exacerbates the problem and only benefits the paint companies.

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Pure nonsense! Modern acrylic paints have significantly higher permeance than the old oil-based paints (as in an order of magnitude). They are not 'rubber-like' unless you use an elastomeric paint. The difference is modern homes have insulation and don't dry properly - in the 'good old days' homes had no insulation and leaked like a sieve, allowing wet wood to quickly dry out. Badly-designed modern homes don't dry out if they get wet and wood quickly rots/gets moldy.

[@TrogdorBurnin8or]

@@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb That's why a roof overhang of some type is no longer optional. Keep a wood frame dry and the frame will last centuries.

[@mikecampanella1990]

Just how casually Matt mentions dropping 30-40k on windows for a small house is insane to me. 10 or 12 windows should not cost that much, especially when you can get triple pane for far less then that.

[@Cspacecat]

I agree. Take them out on the east and west side. They just let heat and cold in. I did. LED lights are vastly better. If you think you need a window, put a camera on the outside and box a TV on the inside.

[@charliexu1099]

I think it makes more sense to re-claim old windows for new buildings. There are so many out there people want to dump . Still expensive but much less than what it cost to build it brand new. I restored one of my old windows in a 100 year old house then gave up (just takes so much time ) and replaced the rest of them with cheap vinyl double pane ones. But I really don’t want to throw the old windows away so I still keep them in the shed. The only window I restored feels so much different ( more solid ) and satisfying to operate than the new ones.

[@codycasserly8304]

you are paying for the craftsmanship, historic eclecticness, and window lifespan. Definitely for rich people restoring/building historic homes

[@Cspacecat]

@@codycasserly8304 That much I'll agree upon, though I'd never own one. Modern-day housing has gotten vastly better. The modern-day house is cleaner and quieter.

[@Cspacecat]

@@phironosurvivors2069 Egress windows are necessary. There must be a fire escape of some sort. That doesn't necessarily need to be a glass window.

[@ReasonablleDoubt]

There is something special about having these windows restored for historic purpose but It doesn’t seems reasonable to install these in 2021 and beyond.

[@buildahousewithlaserwoodcu3208]

How many table saw injuries per year? Over 30,000 table saw injuries occur annually. Fingers and hands are the most frequently injured body part and lacerations are the most common injury.

[@SuperMan-xy8ui]

Clear thermal window tint is very helpful and easy to install DIY. With houses now under constant HVAC, use of tilt out storm windows that can be left in place year round would make sense but they’re not commonly used in Deep South. Use of slightly wavy restoration glass would be a very nice touch. Nice video!

[@robertmontgomery7158]

Visitor to home says “Why is it so drafty in here? Didn’t you spend 3,500 dollars on a single window? Are they supposed to leak air?” Yes they do leak and they will leak for another 100 years!

[@chrisbabbitt4202]

$3,500 for a window scares the hell out of me. I was thinking $500 tops. Clearly I know little to nothing when it comes to cost of quality windows. :(

[@ryanroberts1104]

And later he was dumping on those "cheap" $1500 windows. These idiots live in a different universe than the rest of us, they have a decimal out of place. A window should cost less than $150. My sliding glass doors, which look nice, seal nice, and are double pane, cost me $300 each, for $900 I have an entire wall of air sealed glass! I'm pretty sure my nice matching double hung double glazed windows were around $100 each. And no, they are not going to rot, because they are installed correctly. *sigh* You do not need to build window frames from tropical hardwood, that's just stupid.

[@gregorysmith9158]

actually, those windows area probably not drafty at all given the single sash moving and attention to detail with the interlocking metal moldings/tracks that they go into detail about. Its the R value/conduction issue that is pathetic. They should be paying you upfront for the wasted heat and a/c that will get transmitted through them!

[@ryanroberts1104]

@@gregorysmith9158 They're probably not terribly drafty new but will wear out just like the originals and be every bit as drafty in 80 years...and you're supposed to live with that for 20 more years? I can see why some projects might need specialty custom single pane windows, but other than that this is so stupid in every conceivable way. They make quality double pane windows too, these should not be compared to the cheapest window Lowes has in stock.

[@gregorysmith9158]

@@ryanroberts1104 If they are going into rich people's places, then we can rest assured they won't be bothering to open the windows! Maybe won't wear out in the original owners lifetimes and then get painted shut like the windows they are trying to emulate! win-win

[@dward218]

sitting here in cold iowa(-11F not including wind chill)next to a new double pane -and shivering from cold coming off the window. I cannot imagine how cold our 100yr old house would be today with the windows in this show(even if you put storms on them). The historic districts in our area mandate double or triple pane windows with Grilles that are period appropriate(Like Marvins). These old style windows would never pass muster up here no matter how long they last. These old houses used to be 40-50 degrees F in winter time even with the furnace running no one finds that acceptable today. Aside from a period restoration these windows have no place in a lived in home.

[@juzoli]

They explicitly said these are for southern states...

[@PolishedHippy]

I have single pane windows with storms in SD. We just had actual temps of -30F this January. My house, with a single pipe steam system, had zero problem keeping the house at 70 degrees and wasn't even firing all the time. With properly fitting storms, the energy value of a single pane with a storm is virtually identical to double and triple pane, and lasts hundreds of years, unlike sealed windows, that only last 10-20. All those people with double and triple pane windows that have lost their seal? They are living with the equivalent of single pane anyway.

[@nmpls]

I lived in Minnesota with 20s wood windows. They were fine if you had storm windows. Probably spent a bit more to heat the place, but anything built then leaks anyhow.

[@mtgentry]

You missed the part about the R value of a double pane window. You’re not gaining much versus single pane. Quite possible your house is like mine with no insulation in the walls and that’s why we’re cold : )

[@chaseweeks2708]

I don't see why they wouldn't adapt that design to be a little bit thicker and use a double pane glass, maybe design it for a 2x6/2x8 wall.

[@augustreil]

Probably be 6K a window !

[@chaseweeks2708]

@@augustreil, eh, maybe $4500? These windows are going in $700k+ houses so I don't expect an extra 20 grand means nearly as much to those buying them as us peasants.

[@augustreil]

@@chaseweeks2708, True !

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

@@chaseweeks2708 $700K houses? Lol. Brent builds multi-million dollar homes. The last home Matt showed us that Brent built was probably closer to $7M...

[@chaseweeks2708]

@@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb That's why I said $700k+, which is probably the very lowest of the low end they are working on in Texas or Missouri (with Jake). The running average is certainly at least 1.2M

[@ckm-mkc]

I totally agree about these quality single pane wood windows BUT I live in a very original 1932 house in very mild coastal California with original parquet floors, original crown moldings, mahogany baseboards, doors & trim, etc - all of which I love. However a previous owner replaced the original windows with double panes and the difference in sound transmission is extraordinary. That alone is worth the upgrade, esp in a big city and under a sometimes flightpath of a major airport. Sometimes it's not just about R-value.

[@CrowdSurfingGeezer]

Smashed the "like" button with a Martinez framing hammer!!!

[@SuperChristy66]

I say more people should go with these windows!

[@natej6671]

There's a reason why the old houses had single pane windows .... Because double pane windows weren't invented yet, along with central heat and air.

[@ryanroberts1104]

I agree, we should all rip out our central air, it really kills the feel of the house!

[@new2000car]

They did have storm windows for 120 years and central heat even longer. It was a 2x a year ritual to put up and take down the storms spring and fall. Thank god for double panes, but people weren’t stupid and just pour their expensive heat out single paned windows even 120 years ago for single houses. Apartments did get by usually with single panes.

[@timothykeith1367]

@@new2000car Some houses have built-in storm windows in attractive styles that are used year round.

[@Jonjolt]

Always look forward to Brent's content on the Build Show Network

[@pauljames3306]

Love hearing 50 years and 100+ years when talking about construction!

[@KevinCGleason]

So cool. I've owned and worked on homes from 1927, 1937, 1949, 1959, 1969. The pre-1950 homes were the most fun to work on, except for finding knob and tube wiring.

[@moutrap]

Brent has so much passion when he talks, very enjoyable.

[@ryanroberts1104]

I find him obnoxious to listen to. He needs to take some public speaking classes or something if he wants to make videos. Stop with the "right" and "OK" every third word...

[@James-mr7je]

Matt if you want a single pane window to have UV and Heat performance without sacrificing the actual daylight I suggest using V-Kool window film. It’s way better than 3M and it’s used on million dollar yachts. It’s been around for awhile but not many people know about it. Local distributor is in Houston.

[@greglautz8470]

Somebody told me that the so-called technology of window films is essentially like a snake oil salesman scam?

[@James-mr7je]

@@greglautz8470 Dont know what to tell you. Worked on our old farmhouse.

[@ae1ae2]

I can see the need for these for a historical requirement in very special circumstances, but otherwise, the client's comfort is top priority. An R-value of 1 is not going to deliver that, even in a relatively temperate climate that only gets down to 50 for a low in the winter.

[@ryanroberts1104]

Totally agree. Do they have their place? Sure. Very limited. Absolutely not acceptable in new construction. If you're not fixing/restoring something old, you would be a moron to use these. And the condensation problem is a big one even if energy is free. I'm surprised this would be code legal if not in a restoration. Just imagine painting the stupid things!

[@nellof1244]

I must admit I never considered a single pane window. However I took a trip to San Francisco when year in January. Where they were having seasonably cold weather. And very surprised that at least 60% of the windows there were single pane. A jumped out at me walking around the city. I'm certain that once you consider the facts that a single plane window is really not that big a deal. In other words if this 100 year old home I live in a had been insulated from the beginning double pane windows would not matter. Besides the fact that these windows are only about 10 years old and falling apart

[@ryanroberts1104]

@@nellof1244 You can't compare single pane windows in San Francisco to just about anywhere else on the planet. That is one of the few places they would not be much of an issue, and no, you would never get your money back replacing them with dual pane. However, if you needed new windows anyway, it would be incredibly stupid to spend 10x as much buying these shitty windows. You can get a modern double pane window that performs much much better and lasts many many decades for less money. He keeps comparing his windows to the cheapest one in stock at Lowes, that is not a fair comparison.

[@MrTiger0002]

Beautiful soul is priceless. Build it right. Build it beautiful. Build it with character. History and stories will follow.. It's not just a living box anymore. Big windows are always worth the price, single, double or triple panes. Clean your windows regularly and enjoy the view.

[@calebkz]

I remember watching This Old House and they (Tommy Silva) commented that restored single pane windows paired with storm windows had the ability to meet the efficiency standards of modern windows.

[@165Dash]

A true traditional single glazed double hung window made for a well constructed New England house in the the 1920s had a wood 1 over 1 full opening storm window that would be installed on a seasonal basis and swapped with a full opening insect screen in the spring. In the summer, almost all homes had fabric awnings...again installed on a seasonal basis. This type of sash and door construction is absolutely necessary for preservation work. BTW...my house has plenty of 110 year old windows that work fine with maintenance. BTW, most contemporary IGU’s last a lot longer than 20 years. If glass life is your metric, these are 1000-plus year old windows.

[@eh_bailey]

I watched this year's ago and totally missed that he said it was $3500! I love the idea and the preservation, but that is like replacing a builder-grade window every 20 years for 300 years! Also, they said sapele is from South America, but I'm pretty sure it is from Africa.

[@markpalmer5311]

So good! Great to have this level of craft in North Texas!

[@boriss.861]

14:00 Stay Core, Block Board! Guys.. The windows are the Eyes of a house and the grass is a welcoming carpet.. Cheers Matt!

[@giovannifiorentino8947]

Great field trip. Thank you Matt.

[@danielbuckner2167]

Matt, your last two vids have been the best in a while. Better suited for a catalog would be a RTA window kit! Most folks who are able would be fine with assembling and installing and glazing the glass but dont have the space or need for a mill set up.

[@cb4920]

To add to my earlier comment. The wood double hungs I put in in the 70s and 80s. By the thousands! Seriously. The vast majority of them were produced by a company called Blackstone if I remember correctly. I say thousands and that’s true. We built a lot of houses very fast back in the day. All with cut rafters btw, and nailed by hand. Air didn’t start showing up on sites in force until 82/83 and soon after “carpenters” forgot how to cut rafters. Truss systems made real carpenters unnecessary. There are very few framers around these days who can seriously call themselves carpenters. I digress. Those windows would be over half a century old now and I wonder if any are still hung in place. Probably not.

[@traxxasman417]

All my windows are like this still just need to re glaze all the individual panes.

[@zstarwarsz]

$3500 per Window, really? for 100 years? Reality is that unless you plan to have 3-4 generations live in your house (like in old days), that's not realistic for most of people... Even then, you'd need a much larger house, that will have 20+ windows... Sadly, as much as I am a huge fan of super sturdy construction, this is more for someone who wants to a build a 1mil+ 1600sqft house. Heck, these days kids live and move out the country much more, so spending all that $ and then when you die, just for your kids to sell it and fight over $, seems like a waste. I can respect the skill, just not something I'd ever buy.

[@sczorroc1552]

This type of craftmanship is for a small audience/buyer.

[@rj.parker]

@@sczorroc1552 Amazing how many miss that point. This channel in general is high dollar custom jobs contracted by buyers who are not concerned about double the price. The type of buyer who buys $250,000 Ferraris for occasional weekend use.

[@sczorroc1552]

@@rj.parker The one other point is you can spend tons of money on windows with a lot of upgrades but is also depends on how well they are installed. We are getting to fully retire middle of this year and I would if I could hire Matt and his team to do the work on our retirement home. Maybe between now and then I will hit the lottery. LOL

[@NealD]

You must have a lot of friends.

[@ThePete2432]

Wow, I admire his craftsmanship

[@nhankhuu5643]

I love watching these videos because I like seeing people happy about their work

[@eb1888.]

My site built double sealed insulated glass fixed windows are still good after 40 years. 2 out of 18 have fogged. They can be cut apart and the glass reused with a new spacer and double seal. South facing with summer shading from the overhang. I am considering going triple glazing when doing the resealing. So more efficiency can be built into a quality long-lasting product.

[@koolaid1230]

Love the craftsmanship, those windows are beautiful.

[@trevdale7967]

Stunning!!!!!!!

[@ianrobinson476]

I agree with the mentality of r value increase being miniscule going from R1 to R3, but it's all about condensation. To many times my windows have been frozen shut or had ice covering the inside of my house. Wrotten trim from condensation. It should be a crime to sell single pain windows in todays world.

[@FreekHoekstra]

Its 3x thats huge, from 1 to 3 is more important then from 10 to 30 too given its always the lowest common denominator, that weakest link thats the issue. But still a shame this is not made with double glazing. Would still be a lit better.

[@gregorysmith9158]

agree. I mean I can order an insulated glass unit for one of my 30 year old Andersen windows when one fogs up like 10 times for the cost of these. I like that Matt does different stuff, but these aren't for production or even custom homes. These are specifically for a historic renovation of a national historic property - think Independence Hall in Philly. That is why the shop doesn't need to be bigger (or isn't humming along during the video). They probably have 100 customers (repeating too) for these windows nationwide.

[@Freedacarlo]

That is some gorgeous craftsmanship!

[@roberthart8496]

You should consider vacuum glazing for windows like these. You get triple-pane performance with a thickness of 8-10mm. I retrofit this glass into all of my 1917 original sashes and now my window performance is on par with my walls.

[@greglautz8470]

What is a vacuum glazing?

[@roberthart8496]

Think of it as a flat transparent thermos bottle. I don’t think I can put links here but you can search Vacuum Insulted Glazing or VIG to see examples.

[@brendanbuster]

"It's for sustainability." **buys wood and ships it 6000 miles from Africa**

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

And from illegally clear cut old-growth rain forests. But I'm sure he only buys the 'sustainably-forested' clear-cut old-growth...roll eyes.

[@petrirantavalli859]

@@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb He might but when those quality stamps can and are easily forged there's now way of knowing for sure.

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

@@petrirantavalli859 agreed, hence my 'roll eyes' quip. 'Sustainably-forested' in the third-world doesn't exist. But it sure is good green washing for woke first-worlders...

[@rcpmac]

@@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb BS

[@rcpmac]

@@petrirantavalli859 More unsubstantiated BS

[@colinstu]

$3k-4k?! Uh, yeah, let's get the economies of scale going with german-type windows. Those really don't cost that much, and have many more benefits.

[@nellof1244]

I agree the cost seems a bit extreme to me. But that's why the rich have money

[@Rebasepoiss]

Over here in Estonia historic buildings are typically allowed to have narrow double-pane glass in their windows as long as the frame itself is made from wood and mimicks the original style. Otherwise these buildings would be unliveable basically. I get the point of building a really sturdy frame but why skimp on the glass?

[@Ratplague707]

Single pane windows are traditional and have been around for hundreds of years. Sure, they're inefficient but they look beautiful, and I would never replace mine. But if I was building new, I'd get double pane glass installed for sure.

[@dlwatib]

Those were the days, weren't they Matt? The single pane windows quickly froze the condensation and iced over in the winter. The only way to get warm in the morning was to stand right in the stream of air coming out of the oil furnace.

[@DevinHeaps]

What’s up with the finger joint hate?

[@augustreil]

Yeah, I thought that was supposed to be the greatest thing to save our forests ?

[@MrTexasDan]

$4k per window!!! Sorry I just can't relate to this guy right now. At $4k per window, who gives an actual shit about efficiency? I'm outta here.

[@AresGodOWar]

No one in their right mind is paying $3500 for a single pain window, when you can get a nice window for a couple hundred dollars are they ?

[@Danirio96]

Just what i thought, if its so simple that they made them a 200 years ago they should be pretty easy to automate with cnc (quite cheap nowadays instead of vacuum and argon filling machines). And if the cost comes from using hickory use something else.

[@joemccauley5186]

In some historic districts you can't install a cheap window

[@MrSpektyr]

@@joemccauley5186 Excellent point

[@JohnGatesIII]

It's my one BIG problem with him. He talks all this "Global Crisis" junk.....but MAYBE besides his own private home, ALL the homes he's showing off are EXPENSIVE. I doubt 1% of his subscribers could actually afford $35-40K just in windows. Don't get me wrong, I love the craftsmanship and beauty, but sometimes I want to slap him and remind him who his viewers are.

[@MrClarkisgod]

Old plantation houses and classic restoration pieces. Million dollar houses. Us peasants aren't buying these.

[@anthonysmith9410]

Great video.....great craftsmanship...

[@paulbeam4499]

WOW Beautiful work! I love it!

[@michaeldelaney7271]

How about putting low-e film on the windows? As it degrades it can be replaced. And, what effect does a good storm window have on the insulation rating of a window?

[@wboquist]

I wish they would compare the heat loss of double pane windows against single pane windows with properly fitted storm windows in place. With storm windows on, I have never seen any condensation on the inside of my (old) single pane windows during winter, even when the outdoor temperature falls to well below zero. The storm window also protects the window during severe weather, reducing the frequency of required maintenance.

[@dwightforeman1258]

Nice video Matt and your friend is very passionate about preservation as am I. But, using tropical South American wood? I restore old windows as well and know good wood is hard to find. Your guest and friend said himself we in the USA removed our real trees by the 1940's. Tropical rainforest have to suffer the same fate?

[@garyflippin1690]

Beautiful windows! Awesome craftsmanship! R-1 to R-3.5 is a big deal. Optimizer computer modeling in the Phoenix area (not south) shows annual savings at around $300 for double pane vinyl frame replacing single pane metal frame. About a .9 SIR for the 30 year life of the window.

[@bestbuilder1st]

So you are saying that a window replacement job of an average of $19000 to $21000 (in my area) is a good investment when you save around $300 for windows that have about a maximum 20-30 years of actual life? You won't even recoup half of your original investment. That doesn't sound like it is a "big deal" as you say.

[@bestbuilder1st]

@steveXracer It is $300 total for ALL the windows (see the math someone did above). If you saved $300 per window per year, you would be saving more money than your entire annual energy costs. Your $300 per window on a twenty window house using your numbers you would save $6000 per year going with the R3 over the R1. Your math just doesn't add up. I think the whole point of this video is to get people to not blindly follow the "prescriptive" narrow thought process and miss the forest for the trees.

[@michiganengineer8621]

Only good south of the Mason-Dixon Line as gorgeous as they are. And dude, the COST! You could replace a "production" window a few times over, assuming you're still in the house that long, for the price tag of one of those windows.

[@ryanroberts1104]

Having that in the south is a terrible idea. Will be so covered in water you can't see outside 90% of the year. Like a cold beer...

[@charliexu1099]

Why not make those individual double pane?? Just make the window a bit thicker . The double pane glass is so cheap compared to rest of the woodwork.

[@davidblalock9945]

Black Locust is another wood to consider, as it grows fast, doesn’t rot, bugs don’t want to eat it, and it’s a stable wood.

[@cb4920]

That’s the only type of window we installed right through the early eighties in the northeast.

[@CKPill]

When it comes to windows, there always seems to be a trade off, longevity or durability. Maybe someday we will get both

[@shawndinterman2219]

We used up all our wood in 1950, so now we're using up all of south America's wood lol

[@billkaroly]

Matt you should host a US version of Grand Designs. Normally the hosts of Grand Designs are architects. Check out Grand Designs, Grand Designs NZ and Grand Designs Australia. Awesome show with awesome architecture for the most part.

[@thezfunk]

So, are we cutting down South American rainforests for windows now? Where does that wood be from, exactly?

[@TheChivit0]

My thoughts exactly. The deforestation is real with this one

[@MrClarkisgod]

Trees grow back.

[@ctrlaltdebug]

Lol trees are renewable

[@thezfunk]

Old growth isn't

[@ctrlaltdebug]

@@thezfunk grows back in decades. Who can wait millions of years for oil?

[@davecarroll5989]

Beautiful work love the quality

[@kidadd]

Anyone else's jaw drop to the floor when he said $3500?? I lived in a 1920s house full of original wood single panes. There were well over 20 windows in that 2000square foot house. I won't even do the math on the replacement cost. (The house sold for $100k)

[@recoveringarchitect7581]

Average cost of new construction is 300k. Regardless, you won't be spending this kind of money on a 100k house. This is for a particular high-end historic home.

[@blakehorn229]

$3500 single pane window. I respect the craftsmanship going into these but...not economical for a vast majority of builds. These are primarily for historic applications...not modern built homes. Cost and benefit for say a pella A series far outweighs these....and if you break a window, cost and ease of replacement is comparable. Get a wood/aluminum clad window and you'll save cost and have a window that is either easily replaceable or reparable at less cost over the life of the home.

[@BK-fy2xi]

I put triple pane windows in my entire house for less then 2 of those windows. If money were no object for me maybe but I just can’t justify it for me.

[@KJSvitko]

Historic building or not they should be double pane windows.

[@Youtubecreated1]

To the point about single pane windows (vs. double) not being that much of a heat drain in terms of R-value, the latest information I've read says that air movement or penetration, not conduction, is the biggest factor in efficient heating and cooling. Since these windows seem to seal really well, they could actually be a better energy efficient option than most double pane windows!

[@jameslastname9171]

I really enjoyed the intro to this video.

[@RobertJLessard]

It would be more efficient just to use the modern double pane sliders that have the vaning between the glass layers. I couldn't imagine wanting those old dinosaur windows. In cold climates those aren't even code.

[@davefoc]

We owned a 1929 building in California. We found that that south facing wood windows that were painted blue required a lot of maintenance. I wonder how well these windows would do in that situation. Maybe the use of sapele would have substantially reduced the need for maintenance compared to the pine the windows were built with?

[@daves3819]

Sorry I don't buy the argument about multi-pane windows leaking and can't be changed so go with single pane to avoid the issue. I live in Canada (currently -50C with the wind chill and in the summer it gets to +40C) and have 27 triple pane wood windows, some are 6' x 5'. In 30 years I've had 2 seal leaks. These windows still look and perform great! A good quality designed window should easily accommodate changing a bad seal.

[@angelasaunders9424]

If you live in cold climate (canada) would single pane windows like you showed in this video still be a good option? I love the fact that they will last so long plus look so great.

[@ozzy2753]

No he said this is for people in the south who aren’t concerned about winters.

[@thetubekid]

You'd want to have storm windows too.

[@TrogdorBurnin8or]

Most of Canada should have triple-pane windows.

[@trisrush9155]

Beautiful work, Excellent eye for detail, and absolute common sense.

[@jla3772]

Brent, show us how to make that window; I want to make one.

[@BanBiofuels]

Very interesting window talk.