How To Repair Broken String On Double Hung Window

Guide or Instruction

How to Replace Broken Sash Cords on Your Historic Double-Hung Windows

Replace Broken Sash Cords on Historic Double-Hung Windows | Wisconsin Historical Society

Your celebrated house may have a double-hung window that does non operate properly because it has a broken or rotten sash cord. If yous are faced with this consequence, you lot do not need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to replace your window. Instead, you lot can make your celebrated window operational again simply past replacing the sash cord.

In a double-hung window, each of the two window sashes movement up and downwards with a counter residuum organisation. The counter residue organisation consists of a cast-iron weight, a pulley and a sash cord. The sash cord connects the weight to the sides of the window sashes through the caster. Each weight is half the weight of the window sash. Over time, a sash cord can rot or interruption.

Choose a New Sash Cord

Before you get started with the steps to replace a broken sash string, you should buy a new sash cord. Virtually hardware stores sell sash cord. Exist sure to buy a product that is called "sash string" to ensure that it will exist strong enough to handle a heavy bandage-fe sash weight. A 100% cotton sash cord volition last longer and stretch less than nylon cord as long as you exercise non get paint on it.  The standard residential size of sash cord is ¼-inch diameter.

To determine how long your sash cord needs to be, measure the height of the entire window opening from the sill area to the top of the jamb. Add 6 inches to this height to get the needed length.

Gather Your Tools and Supplies

To supersede a broken sash cord on your double-hung window, you will need to get together the following tools and supplies:

• New sash cord
• Spray bottle containing water
• Putty knife
• Utility knife
• Pliers or terminate cutters
• 3 x 16 inches pieces of cardboard
• Flat-bract screwdriver
• Store vacuum
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Felt marker
• Minor metal link chain, about 12 inches long
• Thin piano wire, nigh 6 inches long
• #half-dozen finishing nail(s)
• Hammer and smash ready
• Drywall screw, ane-v/eight inches long
• Woods filler epoxy
• Paint for touch-up finishing

Steps to Supplant a Broken Sash Cord

Hither are the steps to replace a broken sash cord on the sash of a double-hung window.

Footstep one: Remove the Interior Sash Stops

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Pace one

Source: Bob Yapp

The interior sash stops create a track on the interior side of the bottom window sash. Before yous endeavor to remove the interior terminate, use water in a spray canteen to lightly mist the painted edge of the stop. Afterward misting the stop, utilize a utility knife to lightly score the paint line. Pry the interior stops off of both sides of the window from the back edge of the stop. Employ a pair of pliers or end cutters to remove the nails from the back side of the interior stops. If y'all attempt to pound them through the finished side of the molding, the blast heads will harm the surrounding woods.

Stride two: Remove the Sash

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Stride 2

Source: Bob Yapp

Lift the bottom sash up just plenty to clear the stool (interior sill) and remove the window sash from the jamb opening (the frame the window sashes move upwards and downward in). Gear up the window downwardly in an out-of-the-manner spot.

Pace iii: Remove Weatherstripping

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Pace 3

Source: Bob Yapp

If weatherstripping exists, this will demand to be removed past unscrewing or pulling the nails.  The weatherstripping may too accept been painted over in which instance a utility knife may be needed to score through this joint.

Footstep 4: Remove the Weight Pocket Access Console

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Pace iv

Source: Bob Yapp

Look at the lower portion of each side of the jamb. You will see a minor weight pocket admission panel held in place with a screw on each side. Remove the screws. Insert the bract of a small putty knife into the narrow gap at the top of the access panel and pry off the access panel. Marker the backside of the access panel with a marker, pen or pencil so you lot'll know which side it came from. Put the screw back into the spiral hole in the jamb and so you don't lose information technology.

Stride five: Remove Sash Weights

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Step 5

Source: Bob Yapp

With the access panel removed, you lot should be able to see two cast-iron sash weights in the pocket. The sash weight in the rear of the pocket is for the upper sash, and the sash weight in forepart (to the interior side of the pocket) is for the bottom sash. Pull the sash weight for the bottom sash out of the pocket and set up it on some cardboard on the floor below the window. Repeat for the other side of the window if that sash cord is cleaved as well. Remove any loose sash cord sitting in the pocket.

Step 6: Remove the Old Sash Cord and Knots

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Step 6

Source: Bob Yapp

Remove the old sash cord that's still attached to the sash weights. Discover both sides of the window sash and notice the groove that starts at the peak on each side of the sash. This sash string groove runs down the sides from 8 to 18 inches to the knot hole, depending on the size of the window sash. The sash cord groove ends with a ¾ inch to i inch hole. If the old sash cord knots are still in the pigsty, remove them. Occasionally these knots are nailed or screwed into the hole. Exist sure to remove any nails or screws you discover.  Use a narrow tip on a vacuum hose to vacuum out any debris on the bottom of each weight pocket. Vacuum off the sill area at the same time.

Step vii: Ready the Sash Cord

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Stride 7

To make up one's mind how long your sash cord needs to be, measure the summit of the entire window opening from the sill area to the top of the jamb. Add together half dozen inches to this height to go the needed length. Source: Bob Yapp

If your sash cord is non notwithstanding cut to the advisable length, cut the cord and necktie a square knot on 1 finish of each sash string.

Pace 8: Attach Piano Wire to the Metal Chain and Sash Cord

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Stride 8

Source: Bob Yapp

Cut a 12-inch long piece of metal link chain that is pocket-size plenty in diameter to fit through the tiptop hole in a higher place the caster. Staff of life necktie (twist) a small-scale piece of sparse piano wire to the link at i finish of the chain. Poke the other end of the wire through the sash cord nearly 1 inch from the finish and bread necktie this terminate as well.

Step 9: Feed the Chain and Cord through the Pulley Pigsty

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Step nine

Source: Bob Yapp

Feed the concatenation through the pigsty at the superlative of the pulley. The weight of the concatenation will help the lighter-weight sash cord autumn to the bottom of the weight pocket. The knot on the other end of the sash cord will forbid it from pulling through the sash caster. Later in the procedure you will insert this knot into the knot hole on the sides of the sash. Remove the chain and piano wire from the sash cord.

Step 10: Measure the Side of the Sash

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Step ten

Source: Bob Yapp

Utilise a tape measure to mensurate from the top of the sash down the side sash cord groove to the eye of the knot hole at the bottom of the groove. This distance tin can vary from 8 to 18 inches depending on how tall the sash is. Measure down from the superlative of the jamb the same distance and use a pencil to mark this distance on the side of the jamb merely below the sash pulley.

Stride 11: Feed the Sash Cord through the Sash Weight

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Step xi

Source: Bob Yapp

Put a piece of cardboard on the stool (interior sill) and set the offset sash weight on the cardboard. Feed the end of the sash cord through the hole at the top of the sash weight. Lift the sash weight into the weight pocket with the sash string still running through the sash weight top pigsty. Do non tie a knot in the string.

Step 12: Screw the Knot to the Jamb

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Step 12

Source: Bob Yapp

Pull the knot on the other end of the sash cord down to the mark y'all made on the jamb simply below the pulley. Use a drywall screw to screw the knot to the jamb at the pencil marker.

Pace xiii: Mark the Sash Cord

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Footstep 13

Source: Bob Yapp

Take the loose end of the sash cord that you fed through the sash weight and pull upwards until the sash weight is hanging freely 2 to 3 inches above the floor or the bottom of the weight pocket. Use a felt mark to mark the sash cord at the location where information technology goes through the hole in the top of the sash weight.

Footstep 14: Make a Knot in the Sash Cord

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Pace 14

Source: Bob Yapp

Pull the sash weight out of the weight pocket and set it dorsum on the cardboard. Tie a tight and solid square knot in the sash cord at the sash weight, and make sure the mark in the string is in the same place it was when you had the weight two to 3 inches to a higher place the weight pocket flooring or bottom. Slip the sash weight back into the weight pocket. Check to make certain the sash weight is still hanging freely 2 to 3 inches above the weight pocket flooring or lesser. Follow this procedure for the other side if you're replacing that sash string every bit well.

Pace fifteen: Remove the Drywall Screw and Slide the Sash String in Place

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Step 15

Source: Bob Yapp

Remove the drywall screw in the knot from the jamb while property the sash cord just higher up the knot. Advisedly slide the knot toward the sash pulley until the sash weight touches the flooring or bottom of the weight cavity.

Step xvi: Reinstall the Weight Pocket Access Panel

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Pace 16

Source: Bob Yapp

Reinstall the weight pocket access panel using the screw you left in the jamb.

Step 17: Insert the Knot into the Knothole

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Step 17

Source: Bob Yapp

Set the window sash on the stool (interior sill) with the within of the sash facing inward. Pull downwardly the knot at the pulley and insert it into the knot hole at the end of the sash string groove. Exercise this to both sides, and then skid the sash back in its opening.

Step 18: Reinstall and Cease the Interior Stop

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Step eighteen

Source: Bob Yapp

Reinstall the interior stop, making sure information technology is not likewise tight to the window sash. Nail the cease with a #half dozen finishing nail and utilise a nail prepare to ready the nail head below the surface. Finally, make full the blast holes with wood epoxy and impact up the paint on the interior finish.

The data presented hither is not intended to provide comprehensive technical communication or instructions on solving historic preservation problems. Any information contained or referenced is meant to provide a basic agreement of historic preservation practices. Read full disclaimer.

Source: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS4305

Posted by: broderickperney.blogspot.com

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