Historic Window & Joinery Preservation
Our work follows the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation: repair before replacement, matching materials and profiles, and no change that erases a building's history. Every window, door and piece of joinery is surveyed, photographed and drawn before work begins, and that record goes back to the owner.
We work alongside historic foundations, preservation architects, State Historic Preservation Offices and local landmark commissions, and we prepare the drawings, samples and documentation their reviews require, including on historic tax credit projects.
Our approach
Period, builder and original materials guide every decision. We study paint layers, tool marks and historic photographs, and measure surviving pieces before anything is removed.
Original sash, frames and trim are repaired and reglazed wherever sound. Rot is cut out and patched with matching wood, joints are reglued, and wavy original glass is kept and reset.
Missing or rotted pieces are rebuilt to the original profile and species, so new work blends in with the old.
Before-and-after photos and profile drawings for review boards and future caretakers.
Selected projects
Projects from our preservation portfolio, from university landmarks and civic buildings to private homes. On each one we repaired what could be saved, reproduced what could not, and matched every profile, species and detail to the original work.
Cass Gilbert, 1911 · Austin, Texas
Known as the Old Library, this Spanish-Mediterranean Revival landmark underwent a complete millwork and masonry preservation. We managed on-site preservation of the three-story facade windows and the decorative scrollwork beneath the eaves.
19th-century opera house · Austin, Texas
The windows of this former German opera house were sealed with cinder block in the late 1940s. We removed more than 600 blocks, reopened over 20 openings and rebuilt the original double-hung sash, bringing daylight back into the hall.
Victorian, 1898 · Lockhart, Texas
What began as a request for reproduction trim became a full rebuild of the second- and third-story handrails, the home's most prominent feature. Every baluster, rail and gooseneck was drawn and milled to match the 1898 originals.
Home Economics Building · San Marcos, Texas
Moved to its site around 1930 to serve San Marcos's African American community, this frame building is the last surviving structure of the Dunbar School campus. As part of the City's rehabilitation, funded in part by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, we restored the long bank of six-over-six windows and built new half-lite double doors in keeping with the original building.
Greek Revival, 1856 · Austin, Texas
Built by master builder Abner Cook, the mansion has been home to the governors of Texas since 1856. Over five years we cared for its front facade, repairing the porch and its framing, replacing failed trim and fitting new work to the original profiles. Inside, we built many of the mansion's cabinets, including white oak farmhouse sink cabinets made in our shop.