| In
This Article:
Andersen 400 Series window
sashes are removed from the window frame. Wood sashes are
stained and finished with urethane. |
Related
Articles:
|
| Skill Level:
2 (Basic) |
Time Taken:
About an hour per sash |
By
Bruce W. Maki,
Editor
I prefer to use Andersen 400 series double-hung windows because
they employ vinyl cladding on the exterior and bare wood for the
interior components. I've never seen any suggestions for finishing
these bare wood interior parts. The first time I finished an
Andersen 400 series window I just brushed on some urethane while
leaving the windows in the track. That worked okay, but when a
client had four new double-hung windows to stain and urethane I
decided to figure out how to remove the sashes and finish
them on a workbench.
Later, on my own home, I finished the windows shown in this
article.
 |
The basic Andersen 400 Series Tilt-Wash
double-hung window. In the bay window part of the dining
room, we installed two of these double-hung windows
flanking a large fixed-pane window. |
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| To make window washing easier, Andersen
installs these small plastic "ramps" on the
lower sash of their 400 series windows. |
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|
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First you raise the lower sash... |
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| ...then you push down the little ramps... |
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|
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...until they are fully seated. |
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| Then you grab the top of the window sash
and pull firmly.
At this point the outside glass surface can be
cleaned from inside the house.
|
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Removing The Window Sashes:
Lower Sash:
 |
To remove the lower sash, I tilted
the window until it was horizontal. |
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| There are some stainless steel
spring-clips visible inside the window track. |
 |
|
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I inserted a narrow flat-blade screwdriver
in the track and pushed against the spring-clip. |
|
| Then I pulled up on that side of
the sash. |
 |
|
 |
After I released the other side, I angled
the sash further to allow the pins to clear the grooves
in the track. |
|
Upper Sash:
 |
I dropped the upper sash until it was
halfway down.
Andersen 400 Series windows use spring-loaded tracks
that push firmly against the sides of the sashes. Since
there are no "ramps" for the upper sash, I
pushed hard against the plastic track to move it inward.
But this seemed kinda difficult. |
|
| Note how the sash has grooves
that ride over ridges in the track. |
 |
|
 |
I discovered that I could use a flat-blade
screwdriver to carefully pry the track away from
the sash. |
|
| Then I grabbed the top of the sash and
pulled inward. |
 |
|
 |
After I had dislodged the upper sash from
its track, it collided with the inner portion of
the track (the track for the lower sash). I had
to push against the inner part of the window track to
let the sash pass over. |
|
| Then I could tilt the upper sash
inward.
At this point the outer glass could be cleaned. |
 |
|
 |
I tilted the upper sash until it was flat. |
|
| Just like the other sash, I
used a screwdriver to release the spring clips, then I
pulled the sash upward and angled it to remove it from
the opening. |
 |
|
Preparing The Sashes For Finishing:
 |
I laid the window sashes on some boards
strung across a pair of sawhorses. |
|
| I removed the window locking hardware. |
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|
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Each sash has two screws holding its
hardware.
This is the upper sash. Note the orientation of the
hardware... it's easy to get this piece backwards during
re-installation. |
|
| I used 120 grit sandpaper to clean up the
wood sash, being careful not to scratch the glass. |
 |
|
 |
The wider surfaces had a lot of dirt,
paint and drywall mud on them, which needed to be
cleaned up. |
|
| There is a gasket on the upper sash... |
 |
|
 |
...that can be removed by simply prying
and pulling. |
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| After the sanding was done, I used
compressed air and a blow gun to clean off the dust. |
 |
|
Applying The Finish:
 |
I sprayed the first part of the M.L.
Campbell two-part professional stain system.
This is an acetone-based "tinter"
(WS2-M306) that dries in a few seconds, and can be
recoated within five minutes. |
|
| I sprayed on the second coat of stain ,
which is called "Rich Cherry". This product
actually has some pigment, and takes a few minutes to
dry. |
 |
|
 |
I sometimes use a very soft
natural-bristle brush to touch up the second coat of
stain before it dries. If I apply the stain too heavy in
one area, I have a few minutes to blend it with some
careful brushing.
But this takes practice.
I can also lighten the color by spraying on
some solvent (lacquer thinner in this case) and
brushing it, but that is r-e-a-l-l-y tricky.
Sometimes I've just wiped off the second coat of stain
and started over. |
|
The first time I stained Andersen 400 Series windows, I used the
same M.L. Campbell stain system, but I brushed it on. This stain is
meant to be sprayed, but brush application may work for small
projects. When I brush on this stain it is very difficult to control
the darkness of the color. I can spray a very thin coat, and then
add a little more... there is no way I can brush on a very thin
coat.
| To clean off the overspray, I put some
solvent in the spray gun and sprayed a little bit on a
paper towel. |
 |
|
 |
Then I just wiped off the excess stain. By
constantly turning the towel I could prevent the stain
from being re-deposited on the glass. |
|
After I cleaned the stain overspray off the glass, I sprayed the
first coat of urethane on the wood.
Different Window, Different Stain:
| On this pair of windows, I tried a white
pickling stain from Cabot... |
 |
|
 |
...This stuff.
This product, like many consumer-grade stains,
contains linseed oil. I'm no chemist, but I'd
guess that these products are meant to be user-friendly
because they give you time to wipe off the excess. But
that advantage comes at the expense of a slow drying
time.
|
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| After letting the stain sit for about 10
minutes, I wiped off the excess with a paper towel. |
 |
|
This stain is supposed to dry for 4-6 hours before covering.
I didn't have that much time, so I sprayed a coat of urethane
over the pickling stain after about 2 hours. Since spraying urethane
does not involve actually touching the wood, I have been able
to successfully cover stains that were not completely dry. But... if
I get a run or a drip, then I need to brush it smooth, and the
brushing can "dig up" the stain and mix it with the
urethane. But that is not always a problem.
 |
This stain looks so... 1985. Yuck.
This is not proper old-house interior finishing, but
I'll let it slide this time.
Now I understand why my Mom gave me this nearly-full
can of stain. Nobody wants it. It's like fruitcake! |
|
Back To The Real Stain:
| On the red-stained windows, I scuff-sanded
the first coat of urethane, using 220 grit sandpaper. |
 |
|
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I used fine steel wool on the edges of the
sashes, next to the glass. |
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| I applied the second coat of urethane with
a brush, because it was too windy to spray. |
 |
|
| The brush shown above
is the best paint brush I've ever had. It leaves very
few brush marks in the finish.
In the early 1990's a former neighbor, a retired
furniture-industry worker, gave me two of these. I can't
ask him about the source because he passed away in 1996.
The words "oxhair signwriter" and
"Made in Germany" are printed on the handle.
The bristles are fine and soft, and hold together when
wet with urethane or stain.
Using water-based products with animal hair brushes
like this can ruin them. |
|
 |
After a couple of hours of drying, I
removed the excess urethane.
First I ran a razor scraper around the joint between
the glass and the wood. |
|
| Then I scraped the glass with the razor
scraper. |
 |
|
 |
Jambs, Etc:
The sash of the large fixed-glass window could not be
easily removed, so I stained it in place, using a
small brush. At the same time I also stained the jambs
around all three windows.
After the stain was dry I brushed on a coating of
urethane. When the first coat was dry I scuff-sanded it
(because the first coat always raises the grain)
and applied a second coat.
|
|
As you can see, I got some stain on the white plastic parts of
the window. I've found that the best solution is to let the stain
dry and scrape it off with a paint scraper.
| The Tilt-Wash windows have been stained
and urethaned. Now they need jamb extensions and casing. |
 |
|
A Note On Stain Products:
The M.L. Campbell professional-grade stain I used on
this project is intended for painting contractors and
cabinet builders. I bought this stain from a local
contractor-oriented paint supply store. Their products
are only sold in gallon cans, and at $30 to $40 a gallon
it requires a considerable investment just to experiment
with some stain colors.
I have also used various brands of consumer-grade
stains, such as Minwax and Old Masters. These worked
quite well in my HVLP sprayer, but they take a long time
to dry, perhaps up to 12 hours. All of the
consumer-grade stains I have used are based on mineral
spirits, which is less volatile than lacquer thinner
or acetone, so there is (slightly) less risk of blowing
yourself up in a cloud of flammable vapors. These
windows could be finished with consumer-grade stain and
ordinary urethane, but it might not be possible to
complete the job in one day, thereby requiring another
round of sash removal and replacement.
Of course, these window sashes could be finished by
hand-applying consumer-grade stain, and brushing on
urethane when the stain is dry, but the entire process
could require two or more days. |
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|
Tools
Used:
- HVLP Sprayer
- Air Compressor
- Paint Brush, Natural
Bristle
|
Materials Used:
|
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