Historic Windows Repair Workshop

Window painted shut?  Sashes falling apart?  Putty getting loose?  The Oberlin Heritage Center will host a three-day workshop Friday, June 3 through Sunday, June 5, 2016 offering hands-on experience in historic window repair with instructor Lorri Sipes, a member of the National Association of Window Restoration Specialists.  The advantages to repairing rather than replacing original windows are many; experts agree that repairing old wood windows is a less expensive, more energy-efficient, greener, and longer-lasting path to follow, while also maintaining the architectural integrity of the building.

Carpenters, contractors, students and homeowners are invited to attend and learn the basics for repairing wood double-hung windows.  The workshop combines written hand-outs, skill demonstration, and hands-on repair.  Each participant will be assigned to a two-person team to work on repairing one or two windows over the course of the workshop.  The program begins Friday evening (6:00 – 9:00 p.m.) and continues during the day both Saturday and Sunday (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.).  All skill levels are welcome, although participants should be comfortable with hand tools and small power tools and be prepared to work outside.

The cost for the entire workshop is $225/person; space is limited to 10 participants to allow for maximum teaching and hands-on opportunities.  Register online at www.oberlinheritagecenter.org or by calling (440) 774-1700.  Once registered, more information will follow, including a detailed workshop agenda, instruction manual, and list of tools to bring.  Registration deadline is May 20.

Lorri Sipes is a preservation architect based in Ann Arbor, Michigan who started her company Wood Window Repair (www.woodwindowrepair.biz) in 2009.  The business specializes in the repair, restoration and weatherization of traditional windows made before 1940.  Sipes has had a long-time professional association with the Oberlin Heritage Center as a visiting preservation specialist who assessed conditions in the Heritage Center’s buildings during two separate Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) grants (one in 1994, the other in 2012).  In 2015, Sipes returned to the Heritage Center to assess the museum complex’s current and future space needs as part of the organization’s strategic planning process.  She has been a member of the Oberlin Heritage Center for the past 20 years.

The Heritage Center is located 35 miles southwest of Cleveland in downtown Oberlin.  It is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is widely recognized as a model small museum, historical society and historic preservation organization.  For more information about the Oberlin Heritage Center and its wide array of community programs, tours and history resources, please visit www.oberlinheritagecenter.org