Not sure what to do with this window
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I salvaged two of these windows from my beloved aunt's house when she passed away. They look like they have many coats of old varnish on them and caked with smoke. I thought that I would strip, and varnish them and then stain the glass. I would them hang them in a window. Does anyone else have any thoughts on what I could do with them?
49 answers
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those are gorgeous; interested to find out what you do
Vicki
on Feb 15, 2015
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@janet chambers A friend of mine who owns and old family farmhouse kept sine old windows and showcases family photos behind the glass. She left the windows as they are, being antiques, and hangs them on the wall.
Rosey
on Feb 15, 2015
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Thanks! I would leave them how they are because I know they are very old but someone has already varnished the heck out of them and pretty much slopped it on. I don't know about putting photos behind because the glass is kind of frosted.
Janet chambers
on Feb 15, 2015
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I like your idea of stripping them and the staining the glass! those are REALLY pretty! can't wait till you post after pictures!!
Jean Vercler
on Feb 15, 2015
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I would make a three sided light using the two windows for the side pieces and a solid board for the back. Create a raised platform in attached amount an inch up for the bottom and attach a light. I'd do a light sanding on the wood just to clean it up a little. A razor blade will clean up an varnish on the windows.
PattyV
on Feb 15, 2015
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put a picture of your grandmother in the large center, and put family photos in the smaller ones
Terryfuntash
on Feb 15, 2015
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I was given a pair of old windows = small ones about 12 x 16 with coloured glass in them I cleaned the glass gently and cleaned the wood, it was painted white a century or more past and one side had been shaved with an old plane. I considered refinishing the wood, then decided not to monkey in case something happened to the glass -- using strong brass wire and eyelet screws I hung them in windows where they catch the sun during the day -- wonderful reminder of the time 150 years ago when the sisters who taught in the school up the street lived in the convent next to it and these little windows cast light into their chapel I imaine.
Kerri
on Feb 15, 2015
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I also have several old windows of aged pine with Clear glass, albeit flawed with strawmarks and bubbles. A rather interesting hangs in another window while the rest are picture frames -- but if they had not clear glass this would not work. for these windows, try using lacquer thinner on the wood... it should help.. they would not look right with new wood from being stripped but the lacquer thinner usually eats through layers of varnish
Kerri
on Feb 15, 2015
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Beautiful windows. Lowes would be a good place to get the proper advise on how to "clean up" wood. When this smoked glass is cleaned I would etch the first letter in your last name in the large center pane on both windows then hang them in windows with sunlight streaming in.
Pamela Golden
on Feb 15, 2015
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If they are strong enough, you could build a table with them and lay a piece of glass on top to protect them and use as the table surface. If the table was made high enough, it could be used in the entryway of your home and become a beautiful focal point.
Jilene Williams
on Feb 16, 2015
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Wonderful windows!! I would strip and varnish them and also clean the glasses. Afterwards I would apply a beautiful stencyl on the center and hang then on the wall as a piece of art . I don't like the idea of the pictures.
Luisa Simeoni
on Feb 16, 2015
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They are beautiful. I would keep them the way they are, and use them as a photo gallery, including some of your best-loved photographs of her. I am sure that it would be simple enough to do. Probably screw on a backing board, and add hooks for hanging.
Valerie
on Feb 16, 2015
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These are beautiful. I like the idea of stripping the varnish and cleaning the glass to start. The idea of etching the glass is also intriguing. There are etching kits available. This is permanent and you should practice on a piece of glass you don't care to damage if you make a mistake. You could also make entryway table(s) with them if you could build or find a base for them. Please post pictures of what you decide.
Liliana Wells
on Feb 16, 2015
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Midge Podge different colors of torn tissue paper to simulate stained glass or put pics of family in each pane or put a beautiful print of art or an outdoor scene behind it.
Donna Gadbaw Mitchell
on Feb 16, 2015
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Stain the glass and hang them where there is much light.
Elena Carlucci
on Feb 16, 2015
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I would shabby s. the frame. Then, one thought: there is glass paint, a little pricey. I would 'doodle it'
Kathy Stallo
on Feb 16, 2015
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My second thought. I had an old window. I dried the flowers from my husbands funeral. I made a backing, cardboard covered with material and used the dried flowers. I think it may be on my pinterest page, under 'my creations board'
Kathy Stallo
on Feb 16, 2015
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Consider mosaic and grout with tile grout
Jean Blakeley-Cook
on Feb 16, 2015
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This window is Absolutely beautiful
Diymama1
on Feb 16, 2015
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Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions! I really like the mosaic idea. I think I have decided to strip, varnish, paint a picture of an angel on the middle pane and then I am going to fill in the rest of the windows with pieces of colored glass. I will attach hangers to each side and hang them in a large window side by side. My sister has the bottoms to these two windows and I am trying to talk her out of them! I'll posts photos when I finish one! Again, thanks for all of your help.
Janet chambers
on Feb 16, 2015
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you have the right idea.pieces of stained glass could be placed over the existing glass.
Mary cynova
on Feb 16, 2015
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I have read through the suggestions and think yours sounds the best. If you can get stained glass on them somehow that would be beautiful.
75591
on Feb 16, 2015
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Alcohol paint is wonderful...it looks like stained glass...and for the wood, if you strip it and do not like the color it turns out to be, use chalk paint...It's wonderful to work with and you wouldn't have to strip the stain if you didn't want to.....
LKloehn
on Feb 16, 2015
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Pamela, I may try etching another time on something else. I am an artist and have decided to sketch my aunt's face right on the glass in the center, then paint the rest of the glass with stained glass paint. I have already removed all of the old varnish, sanded and restained one of the windows and it looks beautiful! I'm working on trying to get the bottoms of the windows!
Janet chambers
on Feb 16, 2015
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Clean the varnish and smoke off especially the glass. There are vinyl in different colors that are used for clings. They would make a great faux stain glass window and I would use it as a suncatcher in a sunroom or porch, anywhere sunny. That way the windows aren't harmed and can bbe used for something else in the future. I love old items and these are lovely but I like to see natural wood grain and color so I would strip wood and maybe stain depends whats under it. Have fun and anything you do you will probably love.
Sandra Sikes
on Feb 16, 2015
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I would refinish the wood abd replace the glass with mirrors and hang them side by side over a dresser or breakfront or above a hall table or above a bed or above night stands.. I love these windows and can picture them above my 66" long dresser.
Carol
on Feb 16, 2015
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It would make a beautiful family picture frame
Denise King
on Feb 16, 2015
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It has been a long time since I used alcohol paints and I didn't use them on glass....I used it on a painted surface and I made my own using acrylic paint and rubbing alcohol. But I just recently saw samples on Pinterest. And here is an artist that shows you what to do, but she doesn't explain it.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGiIZodlFGA Practice on other glass, so you know what techniques you would like to use on your final project....I believe I saw some for sale at Michaels...(we don't have a local Michaels...so I can tell you for sure...)
LKloehn
on Feb 16, 2015
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Thanks so much! I do a lot of practice before I do anything final...I tried to watch the video but it said "unavailable at this time." I'll try to catch it tomorrow.
Janet chambers
on Feb 17, 2015
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Hmmm, I wonder what is up with that, because I just watched it again...another site to try is https://www.pinterest.com/edwinanally/alcohol-ink-craft-projects/ I don't know if you are familiar with Pinterest, so if you are not, click on it once and then when it is brought up you can either click on the picture again or click on "go to site"...and it should give you directions on how to do it....
LKloehn
on Feb 17, 2015
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why not just add a little hardware, some wire and hang them on your wall. I think they would be a very nice display.
Brenda Pippin
on Feb 17, 2015
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Please show us when you are done!
LKloehn
on Feb 17, 2015
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I like the stained glass idea. I would go a little further and use that as a hanging light shade...
Tammy Sheppard
on Feb 17, 2015
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Please share your finished project. The windows are wonderful.
Camille Carlin
on Feb 17, 2015
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I would be happy to post a photo when finished so that you can see them! I'm going to hang them on my back double doors so the light shines through them. The wood part is finished, just waiting for them to dry. In the meantime, I will work on what I want to put in the center pane. I think I will put my last initial in the center in one color and then frost behind it. Thanks again to everyone here for your great suggestions!
Janet chambers
on Feb 17, 2015
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@janet chambers I think I would use these 2 beautiful windows to create a unique headboard for a guest room by mounting them into a larger wooden frame with a spacer board in the center to separate the two (according to the size of bed you have). Of course you would need to clean the glass carefully using a razor blade scraper and a light sanding on the wood part to remove some of the excess varnish. I love the idea of the etched glass idea and the photo ideas also. Please share an 'after' photo of whatever you decide to do with them ...old doors & windows (of any size) always catch my eye!
Margie
on Feb 17, 2015
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Have you thought about mounting copies of treasured family photos in some of the panes? Just to kind of link them to your aunt. Whatever you decide to do, they are beautiful pieces!!
Mary Infante
on Feb 17, 2015
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Phase I complete! Stripped, sanded and revarnished, then came the cleaning of the glass. Cleaning the years of smoke and dirt off of the glass took longer than the whole staining process. They are so beautiful!
Janet chambers
on Feb 19, 2015
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The first window is finished! I will start on the other one next week when I get back from vaca. If you enlarge the photos, you can see more of the detail. I took this photo on a table and you can see my porch furniture legs behind the center but you can see the window well. I will think of my blessed Aunt every time I look at them and treasure them always. A big thank you to all of you and your wonderful suggestions! I will post a final photo when both are hung properly. What do you think?
Janet chambers
on Feb 25, 2015
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Neat...what did you do to the center part?
LKloehn
on Feb 26, 2015
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Thanks! I stenciled the center with a black paint pen, and did the colors with stained glass paint. The center of the sun and the decoration around it is done in clear stained glass paint. The stained glass paint I used is not smooth but "bumpy" giving it more of a 3D look.
Janet chambers
on Feb 26, 2015
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(Stain glass) I would get some glass paint and paint each sections a different colors. Put 2 I hooks in the top and add a thin chain and hang it in a window.
Linda Fraser
on Feb 26, 2015
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Linda, that is exactly what I did! See photos, thanks
Janet chambers
on Feb 26, 2015
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Would make beautiful cabinet doors
Ellen Killeen Kroliczak
on Mar 02, 2015
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Excellent work!! Congratulations!
Luisa Simeoni
on Mar 03, 2015
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Absolutely gorgeous!!!! Wonderful job!!!
Mary Infante
on Mar 03, 2015
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Windows finally completed and hung. I found wire thin enough that you can even tell it's there with the trees in the background. This inspired me to use up the rest of my paint and so I painted two glass pieces for each side of my front door. I will post them on another page. Thanks again for all of your great suggestions!
Janet chambers
on Mar 12, 2015
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Lovely! if u want to take it further next time; try leaded art strips on a plain window. Put a picture behind and follow the lines with leaded strips and then paint with glass paint and u can make xmas scenes or whatever. The paint is bought at a craft store and not hard to do. I did a large Santa and Naive or Hearts and his lady. Love it and it looks like the real thing.
Anne fenske
on Aug 25, 2015
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Great idea, thanks!!
Janet chambers
on Aug 26, 2015
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