Replacement Sash. How I Make Them

I'd like to teach you how to make a window sash, if for nothing else because it's so much fun. There's just something about making a functional piece of art that's assembled something like a puzzle. I've worked really hard over the years to create a process that's attainable for just about anyone, using locally available tools for the most part. I believe that sash making is a foundational part of woodworking that has universal applications from cabinet making to making tables and chairs and other fine furniture. Master this and you are on your way to all kinds of open doors. So watch and learn, and be inspired. Ask me any questions about the process so you can help me help you by filling in the blanks. Love you guys. Have fun!

[@UncleBman]

I have never been so proud to not replicate another's great idea. I am going to attempt to produce a set of windows for my 1910 Craftsman Style home. They are exactly the same as these and your detailed explanation is simply the best. I'll be reporting back soon. Thank you!

[@lauramatthews6232]

Thank you so much for an excellent instruction! It all made so much sense!

[@scrappystocks]

Excellent instruction that's easy to follow. Thank goodness most of the world uses metric. It's so much simpler than adding different fractions of an inch. I'm an old guy who started with Imperial measurements. No way would I want to ever go back to a system that only the countries of the US and Myanmar use with feet, inches and fractions like eights, quarters.

[@westkingstreetproject3630]

Thank you! This overview of window sash construction is better than anything else out there.

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

Thanks. I'm really glad it was helpful. Please consider sharing with others who might also consider it useful

[@tjh_8913]

You are awesome! I've restored many old windows, but always stayed away from building sashes because of how complicated it seemed. Thanks for breaking this down into something digestible. Please keep it up.

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

Glad you liked it and hope it helped

[@allanpennington]

This is fantastic, the best video on the subject I have ever seen. I have top hung awning window sashes with a fixed lite below an opening window and a long fixed lite beside. In New Zealand the stock rail and style thickness is around 42mm. As the house was built circa 65 there was extensive use of lead paint so I stripped my first sash with a great product made here in NZ from Coopers Strip Club. The major difficulty was removing the putty. Haven't made a steam box and tried softening the putty with my steamer directly with mixed results. It wets the timber as steaming in a box does so I noticed if you scrape too hard you can damage the profiles or rabbet edges. Most of the sashes have rot in the lower corners and some rot around the glazing rabbets. I plan to fix this with epoxy from Repair-Care Int. The sashes are made from Western Red Cedar. Now the epoxy is quite expensive and time consuming to do the repairs as is the stripping even though I took the lite out of the frame to do the job. The stripper is not cheap either although it does a fantastic job. I would try and just make new bottom rails but the M&T joint is fixed with this star shaped hard pin which is impossible to remove and the rot extends into both rail and style in some corners. Having watched your video it seems a comparable job to remake the sashes as it will be to strip and epoxy the damage, in fact, with the tools it is a faster job to make from scratch. I can then use the stripper for the bevel back weatherboards which is an easier stripping process than doing the sashes. Now the dilemma. I don't have a table saw or router table nor router or planer/thicknesser. No drill press or mortice chisel. No moulding router bit sets. You get the picture. What would be great if you could give us budding joinery students a list of what would be the minimum set up required for the home owner/DIYer that would achieve a suitable outcome on a budget. Again I think you are a fantastic teacher and am glad I have found your channel. BTW I have twenty or so old moulding planes but unfortunately not one which would do the coping cut. Hand planes and chisels is what the old timers used so in a pinch I can do some tasks but a router with the right bit set has got to be a must have?

[@Chacochico]

You are a true master Steve, thank you so very much for sharing your knowledge.

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

You are very welcome Rodrigo. I appreciate you letting me know.

[@leestebbins5051]

As someone making their first practice window complete with multiple muntins, don’t dismiss the importance of marking your blanks with arrows, or risk making beautiful cuts in the wrong place.

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

Ah, the orienting arrows…. So important

[@mishasmirnov4264]

This is soooo helpful, thanks! It's the only video i've found that properly explains the meeting rails. FYI your videos are pretty hard to find... might wanna rename it to "how to make a wood sash".

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

Cool deal. Thanks for the comment. I'm going to change the title like you suggest. Gotta up my game some time!

[@alexyoung3387]

Great video, thank you!

[@jeremyloukinas5375]

Thanks for everything you do!

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

You are welcome. Thanks for following.

[@aplaisance7850]

Fantastic! I've been watching your videos for a few weeks now as I am doing a renovation of our 1909 house which has 13 original double hung windows (that I'm in the process of doing a total overhaul on) and will also be replacing 20 modern windows to match the originals. I had been looking at getting older salvaged windows and refurbishing them but am having a hard time finding enough in the right sizes...so I think I'm going to go the "make my own" route. There are plenty of "How to Make a Sash" videos on KZbin but I really like your style, knowledge and humor. All of my windows are picture on the bottom and divided light on the top. So....would it be possible for you to do an in-depth video like this but for divided lights? I've looked through your channel and can only find the short overview from a while back. Btw, love your shop setup and process. Thanks again!

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

Glad you liked the video! And thanks for the feedback. I'd like to do a divided lite post soon, but needed to get this one done first so I could cover some of the basics

[@aplaisance7850]

@@WoodWindowMakeover What wood do you think is the best wood for sashes? What do you use?

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

@@aplaisance7850 I use Accoya pretty much exclusively. Check out accoya.com as they have a lot of info on it

[@reneaudet703]

Really helpful video! Your channel has given me the inspiration to make wooden windows for our timber frame cottage. I have a question: what is the length of the tenons on the rails? 11/2 in? Thanks!

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

That can vary by the job, but my go to tenon length most of the time is 1-1/2

[@larrywasserman4076]

excellent video watched it 3 times. I didn't see you using any glue when you attached your parts?

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

No glue necessary when the parts are milled properly!

[@r.duroucher225]

What a great video - as all your videos are! Thank you. I have a question I hope you can assist with. I have an upper sash that has a loose bottom rail. Do you have a recommendation of how to fix it? Should I use glue, drive a screw or two through the tenon or drill a hole or two and hammer in some dowels to hold it together? Any thoughts you have would be most appreciated. I'll be taking out the glass and stripping the window, in any event.

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

This is one of the easiest of all sash repairs and can actually be done in place, without removing it from the opening, if necessary. Of course if you can get it to a bench, that’s better. What I like to do if I can is remove the nails holding the joint together and drill holes where the nails were to drive in and glue new dowels in place of the nails. This is of course after pushing it up and holding it in place. Pushing it up can be as easy, if done in place, as wedging a stick, slightly longer than the distance between the rail and the sill, into position to hold it up while you do the operation. I’ve done this several times with good results.

[@r.duroucher225]

@@WoodWindowMakeover Thank you very much indeed for taking the time to provide such a detailed response! I really am obliged. I've already removed the sash as much of the putty had to be replaced, so it's going on a bench. Dowels it will be. Thanks again!

[@marcwoodward850]

Awesome work! Just curious, do you also use dowels on the corners? Or just staples?

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

I use 1" stainless steel narrow crown staples. I don't mind using dowels, it's just that staples faster and are plenty sufficient.

[@RichMenzel]

Hi Steve, It looks like you do not use glue for the assembly, just the stainless staples, am I right on that? Thanks again

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

No glue, just tight joints and stainless steel Staples. You are correct

[@RichMenzel]

So glad I found your channel! Thanks for sharing. How wide do you make the rabbet for the glass? Can't wait to see the divided light sash post.

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

Typically the glazing rabbet is 1/4" x 1/2". At least that what we make it on all of our sash. It varies region to region but it's usually something close to that

[@RichMenzel]

​@@WoodWindowMakeover What router bits do you use for the profile and cope? I can see it's an ogee profile, just wondering what brand and which bits your using for this video. Thanks again.

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

@@RichMenzel I like using the set by Amana

[@DMAnnotti]

Hey Steve, You mentioned the know hole is 12” from top. How long it the pully slot before it turn into the 1/4 rope grove. Is this the same for most sash or does it depend on sash height. They grooves seem long, don’t they just have to be long enough to clear the pulleys at top of window? Thanks for any information on this. Great video.

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

I just picked the number 12 because it’s easy to remember. Could have been 10 or 11 easily. The pulleys yard usually centered about 6” from the top, so the trough just has to be long enough to clear it. Another reason to put the hole at 12 is cheap insurance to make sure it’s far enough down in the slight chance the pulley isn’t standard

[@DMAnnotti]

Make sense. My windows I am working on have the pulley about 5” from top of frame, the the 1/2” pulley slot only need to to go down that far, then run a 1/4” grove down to your hole

[@laser170323]

You don't mention what type of wood you're using. What do you prefer?

[@thomasputt7760]

I still don't understand why you subtracted 6 from your 56 inch window in your really early videos. Please explain what represents the 6 inches.

[@tjh_8913]

Hey Steve, getting ready to build my first sash following this video. I'm a little confused on the bits you use on the sash factory. What are the bits you use to make the profiles called? Don't really know what to search for so i can buy them. Thanks!

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

Get the Amana set

[@nathanbraun3944]

Quick Question. In this video you say the typical meeting rail is 1 3/4" wide, but in your measuring for sash size video, you use 1 1/8" for a measurement. Why is this?

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

The 1-3/4” width is the sash width of 1-3/8” plus the width of the part of the meeting rail that extends 3/8” into the parting bead area, thus 1-3/4” (1-3/8” + 3/8” = 1-3/4”). This is the measurement horizontally across the jamb. The 1-1/8” is the thickness of what’s left of the meeting rail when you are accounting for the glass vertically. The meeting rail thickness, vertically as its positioned in the window is 1-3/8. The glazing rabbet is 1/4” deep, so when you take that away, you are left with 1-1/8”.

[@nathanbraun3944]

@@WoodWindowMakeover Thanks! This, and this video has helped immensely. I'm still just doing practice sashes but I'm getting better at them. I do have one more question, what wood? I know in this video you say you use Acoya, but I can't find that locally, and I've read it doesn't look the greatest when stained. I've been practicing with Fir, but it's not a very nice wood for sashes, and I'm certainly going to have trouble finding old growth Pine. So if your going to stain the sash, what do you use?

[@patrickmadrian]

is that a 1/2" roundnose bit and a 3/8" up spiral bit on your special router table for the rope knot and so forth?

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

So close. It's a 3/8 radiused core box bit and a 1/4" downcut spiral

[@DMAnnotti]

Curious why the down spiral. Wouldn’t a hold spiral pull the chips down into table.

[@DMAnnotti]

Can you explain the purpose of the relish hole and what’s size it is. What does it do?

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

The relish hole is 5/8 and it enables the rail to bypass the moulding in assembly without having to cut it away, also provides a weep hole to let moisture escape.

[@DMAnnotti]

That would be a great short video topic to show and explain.

[@mishasmirnov4264]

I noticed you don’t use the standard combined sash router bits. Which bits do you use?

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

Most off the shelf ones are junk, actually poorly designed, in my view, to keep people from doing it. Many of my bits are custom made, but try Amana's set. It's pretty good.

[@mishasmirnov4264]

Does the bottom meeting rail get routed then? Since there’s no rabbet where the glass groove goes? Edit: never mind I saw Amana has the bit without the rabbet cutter. Thanks!

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

Here's another one... kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnKakHasiZd8iqs

[@annegunn1428]

How many degrees do you make the rope hole angle?

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

Approximately 10 degrees. Exact exact isn’t really important. Creating a subtle hook for the knot on the rope is.

[@michaelford4894]

Hi Steve, where is the link to the glass size video?

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

Do you mean this one? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gH7LeqKnitFrgNE

[@matthewtaylor3725]

What size staples are you using?

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

1/4” staples, 1” long

[@mactoad]

What kind of wood do you use to make your sashes

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

I like to use a wood known as Accoya. Check out Accoya.com

[@mactoad]

@@WoodWindowMakeover I have no idea what the wood is in my old house window. Is there a wood that you would suggest to use that would be good for Kansas City that would be more readily available. I've heard of Accoya but I don't have any idea if its available for a homeowner to buy here. By the way, I enjoy your videos, Very well done.

[@WoodWindowMakeover]

You have to use the best wood you can find at the time. Pine is fine, as long as the grain is tight. Same with fir. Mahogany is good, as is Sepele.

[@iowolf]

You're so F'in legit