Historic Preservation: What to do with Old Windows

Another idea that I have seen done effectively on a five-story downtown department store is to paint blinds on repaired windows. How do you paint blinds? It's easy - white horizontal stripes with a very narrow strip of unpainted window between the stripes. After the paint dries, you are free to install your new wall covering.

A third idea works well on buildings that originally incorporated shutters. After your window is appropriately repaired, install good shutters and shut them. This works on many buildings if care is made in shutter choice. Cute "country" shutters are an awful choice in almost any central business district. Choose shutters appropriate to the building design. Such window coverings may have to be special made for your building adding to your project costs. But the Historic Preservation Tax Credit may come into play again.

More Information

Building Exterior Windows. Concise and clear historic preservation guidance from the National Park Service. Protect, repair or replace your windows using the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Great pages and guidance. The menu has links to other building parts, e.g., roofs.

This topic's Links Page has a section for Historic Preservation with more great sites for Louisiana residents.

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