skip to main content

Trash To Treasure

what to do with old windows, glass intact

17 years ago

I was given 18 old windows with the old glass intact. I was wondering about ideas to make them into something attractive to decorate walls, porches etc. Any ideas would be welcome. I just discovered this forum ...I am usually over in Kitchens and Old House. Thanks in advance Caroline

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

shaknzmom
17 years ago
Hhmmmm...I'd love to have that problem! :)

Ideas...
* You can paint scenes in the panes and hang them in a room that doesn't have enough/any windows.
* You can build a structural frame of 2x4's and use the windows as the wall material, making a small greenhouse.
* You can build coldframes using the windows as the lids. * You can hang them, one or a few, in any outdoor openings Like our outdoor porch/entryway...we have a tall brink pillar and a half wall between that and the house wall. It leaves us with a big opening above the half wall....you can hang windows in there making a faux wall...so to speak. You may have the same situation indoors.
* Use them on a deck...take out a few bannister poles and fit a window in there...giving yourself a little bit of a wind break as well.
* Turn one on it's side and put hooks (or old doorknobs)on the bottom board, making a hat/coat rack.
* Replace the glass with mirror and hang in the house.
* Hang a few on a back fence and train a wisteria (or other trailing plant) to climb along the tops of the windows.

Oh my...I'm sure you can find much better ideas online. Just be sure to use them! What a treasure.

Good luck-
Lynette
gw:craftylady-2006
17 years ago
Hi Trailrunner, Welcome to Trash & Treasure Forum. Attached is pic of an old window I painted. Please check out the Garden Junk Forum for there are several posts regarding old windows, including mosasics, a window fence, glass on glass (glass half marbles made into a design or a picture), etc. Some very talented people are in these forums.

Sal

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}
Related Discussions
Old House Addition: what to do with old windows?
Q
Comments (4)
My first house I owned with my ex-husband had a porch added onto the side of one of the bedrooms, and they left the window in, so it overlooked the new stairs down into the basement. Frankly, it just looked bizarre, and made setting up furniture on that wall very difficult. You don't say what the rooms are going to be where you are "losing" the windows, but if you are concerned about the loss of light, I would recommend "replacing" the window with a tubular skylight in the ceiling over where the windows are gong to be walled over--they add a shocking amount of light, and I love mine. In my kitchen, which had been very dark, now I keep thinking the lights are on when they are not, it's just the tube bringing in the sun. Carla in Sac
...See More
Low E glass for old house's window advices
Q
Comments (14)
Hi sapote, I also agree that restoring these windows is much better than replacing. They are architectually unique and should remain as part of the home. In your environment, and based on your concerns about "reduce the glare and solar heat into the house during summer", you should be more concerned about Solar Heat Gain Coefficient or SHGC than about U-factor. Note that in the article that you referenced they were talking about 5/8" or 1" insulating glass. How much space do you actually have for an IG unit? The thinner the airspace between the lites, the less effieicnt the IG unit. But, as I said, you should not worry about U-factor so that is less of a concern. The way to block direct solar heat thru your windows is by installing a LowE coating - as you have found from your research. But, not all LowE coatings are the same. You need a Low Solar Heat Gain or LSHG coating applied to the #2 surface of the IG. The LowE coatings with the best perfomance numbers at blocking heat and glare are generally tinted coatings - not tinted glass, that is a different material - but tinted LowE coatings. But, if you don't want tinted windows (glass or coatings), then you will want to investigate the newest LSHG coatings on the market which have 3 layers of silver in the coating. One example is Cardinal's LoE366. I mention Cardinal's coating because it was the first of the triple-silver coatings on the market and it is the most likely coating that you will find for the residential market. Again, U-factor is not the issue in your situation - although you will get some improvement by changing to and IG unit versus single pane, it won't be nearly as much as you might be expecting - SHGC is the more important issue with your situation. You can significantly improve your SHGC numbers by installing an IG with a LSHG LowE coating.
...See More
Old windows - what to do with them?
Q
Comments (2)
What size are they, we have some old windows that are DL and we use as picture frames, but would not work with a very long window.
...See More
What can I do with an old window?
Q
Comments (15)
For the potting shed: Find a poster of a landscape you like. Trim to fit the window. Back with cardboard. Hang on the wall of your potting shed and you'll have an instant view. For the potting shed or for hanging on an outside wall: Find a mural type, washable wallpaper scrap from dealer, one with a tall design that will fit well with the window, or turn the window on its side and have a panorama. Back with plastic. For the house or for the garden: For your mirror idea, you can also get tiles cut to fit the individual panes. The tiles can be thinner than a full mirror would be and therefore lighter. You can find a shop that custom cuts glass and mirrors in the Yellow Pages. For the garden: If painting is not your great talent, use sun-catchers. You can either hang them in front of or behind the panes or instead of the panes, depending upon the effect. For the garden: Have your children put their hands in paint and then hand print the panes. OUr Lowe's carrying a product called 'Gloves in a Bottle' that goes on like lotion that prevents the paint from bonding with the skin. The lotion is shed with the natural shedding of the skin within three or four hours of use. Put it over a cinderblock square for a coldframe. Since it's as tall as a door, fasten curtain fabric to the back. Fasten a door knob to the front, and nail to a solid wall. Put flagstones or pavers as if they were the path leading to your door. (This works particularly well during political campaigns with lots of visitors who are unfamiliar with your house.) Ray
...See More
User
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you for the ideas. After I posted I kept looking and I found something called Dave's Garden and there were a bunch of ideas. I don't paint at all but my DIL does. I am trying to convince her to help me. I am going to enjoy looking back at past posts to get ideas to use in our 1890 home. We are about 1/2 way done with our kitchen remodel and then I can concentrate on the mess that was a yard and garden . I hope to use some of the windows. I think trellises would be good. I also have a bunch of folding shutter doors that I am going to hinge together to make a screen for the patio. I wish I was more creative. Maybe you all will give me the impetus to try !! THANK YOU Caroline
des_arc_ya_ya
17 years ago
Caroline, your house sounds WONDERFUL! Please share with us as you get projects done.
gw:craftylady-2006
17 years ago
Hi again Caroline, Sal here. Here is a pic of a shutter shelf which I bought in VT at a country store. I just love it in my kitchen as I wanted something different to put on the walls instead of just pictures. I made the wreath with a $3.00 rooster I got while on vaca in OH visiting my sisters. I got the planter colander idea from my sis also, her's has a real plant in it with spanish moss. I used light green reindeer moss to brighten the colors on the shelf and stuck silk flower picks in it along with my little hen with the long stripped legs (she's so cute).

Sal

Sal

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:177026}}
des_arc_ya_ya
17 years ago
Oh my gosh! I love that shutter shelf! I could kick myself for not grabbing up all the little wooden shutters that I've seen at garage sales! Although, they ARE getting pricier all the time.

Related Stories

HOMES AROUND THE WORLD Houzz Tour: Luxe Materials and Glass Give an Old House New Life

An unloved Victorian is brought into the 21st century with clever reconfiguring, a pale palette and lots of light

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: Old-World European Flair in Oregon

By Louise Lakier

Custom woodwork, stained glass and Arts and Crafts touches create warm, earthy interiors in a ranch-style home

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Recycling an Old Cabin in the Sonoma Wine Country

By Karen Egly-Thompson

Knotty cedar planks combine with Cor-Ten steel in a new modern home with a view worth raising a glass to

HOMES AROUND THE WORLD Houzz Tour: Light Shines on a Centuries-Old London Home

Old meets new in this striking family home, where 19th-century features combine with dramatic windows and inspired details

REMODELING GUIDES The Hidden Problems in Old Houses

By Matt Clawson

Before snatching up an old home, get to know what you’re in for by understanding the potential horrors that lurk below the surface

MOST POPULAR How to Reface Your Old Kitchen Cabinets

By Steven Corley Randel, Architect

Find out what’s involved in updating your cabinets by refinishing or replacing doors and drawers

MODERN HOMES Houzz Tour: 800-Year-Old Walls, Modern Interiors in Provence

By Vanessa Brunner

Old architecture and new additions mix beautifully in a luxurious renovated vacation home

DOORS Old Doors, New Charm

Turn a vintage door into wall art, sliders, cabinet doors, garden gates and more

LIFE Age Is Just a Number: Houzzers’ Homes Old and New

By Mitchell Parker

Hear the stories behind homes ages 1 to 171, then share yours

TRADITIONAL HOMES My Houzz: A Centuries-Old French Estate Charms Again

By Holly Marder

Time and local artisans help a couple realize an idyllic French country retreat — and you can rent it

Sponsored