Eastlake Apartment Building

Seattle, WA

Built 1927

Due to this building’s age, there was a risk of lead paint so I took all the necessary precautions throughout the restoration process.

During my initial evaluation, I discovered that the windows were double-hung, a feature the property managers had been unaware of. Years of accumulated paint had sealed some of the sashes shut, while others were missing handles and sash locks. All 11 windows also required replacement sash cords.

I carefully removed accumulated paint and lightly sanded the friction surfaces where necessary. Because the original windows lacked access covers for the sash-weight pockets, I created new openings to access the weights and complete the repairs.

The painted-over parting beads were replaced with new ones fabricated from clear vertical-grain fir, allowing the upper and lower sashes to operate smoothly and independently. Once the windows were reassembled, I installed salvaged, period-appropriate sash locks and handles where needed.

All 11 windows were restored in just five days, returning them to smooth operation with functioning locks while preserving the building's original architectural character.