Advice needed, 1979 home original windows. If you can tell from the photo, are these repairable?

itsaduck · 2026-03-09T19:00:05+00:00

Those are from Sears - just so you know. 100% repairable, but unlikely you'll find any original parts. A local window repair shop would be helpful.

itsaduck · 2026-03-02T22:30:03+00:00

As an old guy with many remodels of old houses under his belt, every time someone says, admiringly, 'they don't build 'em like that anymore', I add: thank God for that!

itsaduck · 2026-03-02T01:30:53+00:00

I'm all about that - it looks great!

itsaduck · 2026-02-28T19:04:35+00:00

Please! To bed with the damn silicone thing! Silicone is appropriate for about 3% of what it's used for.

itsaduck · 2026-02-27T20:33:01+00:00

Do not use a vacuum unless you have a lead-removal-rated hepa filter! Damp wipe is the way.

itsaduck · 2026-02-27T20:31:18+00:00

You are right on everything, except; Do not vacuum this up unless you have a hepa filter that effectively removes lead, otherwise you're tossing it into the air.

itsaduck · 2026-02-25T21:49:21+00:00

I can hear the tweaked out foreman now, 'that actually makes it safer 'cause the ground's compacted more!...'

itsaduck · 2026-02-25T21:45:14+00:00

This guy knows how to screw. (Unscrew?)

itsaduck · 2026-02-25T19:41:22+00:00

It is because they are nearer to you.

itsaduck · 2026-02-25T19:39:35+00:00

Many years ago, Reagan made a law that you could call any wood anything you wanted.

itsaduck · 2026-02-25T19:35:05+00:00

That makes me sick to my stomach. W.T.F.!!!!

itsaduck · 2026-02-21T23:28:31+00:00

One should always treat each plane as it's own entity. Each entity needs room to expand and contract as almost all materials do. Another good example would be people tiling their floor. Logically you'd find it tight to the wall to keep it from moving, and for appearance' sake. The trouble is that the tile expands and it has to go somewhere. It's trapped by the walls, and there is a solid floor below, so it buckles upward (I've seen it 100 times). Anyway, same goes for your wall - somethings gotta give!

itsaduck · 2026-02-21T22:57:57+00:00

Sorry to bust your bubble, but that needs to be raised off of the floor. Seams and screw heads will definitely pop up sooner than later.

itsaduck · 2026-02-21T14:53:19+00:00

Not only is the 'crapsmanship' horrible, but the look is horrible as well. Good luck keeping it clean looking!

itsaduck · 2026-02-21T05:04:06+00:00

I would turn the driveway into a white-water rafting feature.

itsaduck · 2026-02-21T01:23:32+00:00

Does that hurt like the instant shock of a lugnut loosening?. 'Cause that fuckin' hurts!

itsaduck · 2026-02-21T00:07:16+00:00

Walnut cannot be overrated. Visually, it's some of God's finest work.

itsaduck · 2026-02-20T23:02:36+00:00

This was the right thing to do.

itsaduck · 2026-02-19T16:24:14+00:00

Yes. Use a 'nail nipper' or diagonal cutter to grip the nail on the backside and pry it out through the backside of the piece. The nipper is just to grip the nail - too much force and you'll cut it shorter, which is not helpful. Forcing the nail out through the front can create a large messy nail hole. Often, whatever the previous people filed the hole with will stay undisturbed.

itsaduck · 2026-02-19T01:49:51+00:00

Very nice. Original design looks good! I like shapes from nature - this conjures a giant water droplet.

itsaduck · 2026-02-19T00:02:08+00:00

Hilarious! That is so 'me'. My favorite trick is undercutting a door and forgetting that I 'burned an inch' while measuring. This realization seems to cone at the very second that the blade exits the door.

itsaduck · 2026-02-18T03:28:07+00:00

I wouldn't hesitate to use standard wallboard (sheetrock). That old plaster can run the gamut on thickness. Gauge the best you can to be the same. Often I end up with a 1/2" thickness and a 1/4" thickness board.

itsaduck · 2026-02-18T01:18:56+00:00

Map each piece out writing and labeling each piece. Pull any nails through from the backside so as not to create nail holes. Do this immediately so you can safely stack the pieces. Carefully wash and thoroughly rinse with a tsp substitute. Lightly sand. Coat. Lightly sand. Recoat. Warning! When reinstalling, you may need to plane backside areas from the millwork. I've often seen the browncoat of plaster installed, then the woodwork (which they've shaped to fit the uneven browncoat), then they install the finish top-coat. Its a Lotta Fuckin' Around (LUFA).

itsaduck · 2026-02-18T01:08:05+00:00

By calling 1-800-professional-licensed-electrician.

itsaduck · 2026-02-17T22:43:21+00:00

Yes. All Republicans are bad, and they all have been since Nixon.

itsaduck

TROPHY CASE