When a 150-year-old window made of timber starts to rot, many people will immediately reach for a replacement made of brand-new wood. However, before replacing the old window frame with new lumber, consider the following reality of the strength of timber: the timber from 100 years ago was significantly stronger than any timber grown today.
The secret lies in how trees used to grow.
The wood that was commonly used to construct buildings throughout Europe and North America during the 18th and 19th centuries included species like Baltic red pine and North American pitch pine. These ancient tree species typically grow in shaded areas of the forest over several hundred years, producing very tight growth rings that are filled with natural resins. These resins function as a defence for the tree against decay and insect damage.
Most commercial lumber today comes from fast-grown plantation softwoods that are specifically grown to be harvested in a few decades. The wood from these trees contains wide growth rings with a high amount of sapwood. When this type of wood is used for an exterior window frame, it will soak up moisture from the atmosphere like a sponge and decay over the course of a decade. For Sash Window Repair, contact https://www.sashwindowpreservation.co.uk/services/sash-window-repair/
Beyond the aesthetic appeal of restoring old windows is the benefit of using superior materials. By splicing in new wood or epoxy to the isolated soft spots in old windows, the homeowner retains the benefits of the denser, more rot-resistant wood of old-growth trees.
Replacing the old pine window with new lumber is essentially replacing 200-year-old armour for firewood.
