I was cleaning out my garage yesterday (finally, after like two years of procrastinating, lol) and found a stack of old windows from when we replaced ours last summer. I was about to toss them in the dumpster, but then my neighbor mentioned something interesting—apparently, old windows can have lead paint or other hazardous stuff, especially if they're pretty old. Didn't even cross my mind before.
Anyway, I did a quick search and turns out you can't just chuck them anywhere. Some recycling centers won't even take them unless you prep them properly or remove certain parts first. Who knew? Also saw some cool DIY projects people do with old windows, like turning them into picture frames or mini greenhouses... kinda neat actually.
Now I'm curious if anyone else has dealt with this before or knows more about it. Seems like there's more to it than just hauling them off to the dump.
Had a similar situation last year when we moved into our first place. Found a bunch of old windows stacked behind the shed—no clue how long they'd been there. I thought about tossing them too, but then my wife got all Pinterest-y and turned one into this cool chalkboard thing for the kitchen. Still have the rest sitting around though... maybe I'll check if ours have lead paint now that you mention it. Did you end up testing yours?
We haven't tested ours yet either, honestly didn't even think about lead paint until reading this thread. Now I'm wondering if sanding them down for a project would be risky... anyone know if there's a safe way to seal or treat old paint instead of removing it completely?
"Now I'm wondering if sanding them down for a project would be risky..."
Yeah, sanding old paint can definitely kick up lead dust if it's present. A few years back, I had a client who wanted to repurpose some vintage windows into picture frames. We ended up using a clear encapsulating paint specifically made for sealing lead-based paint—worked pretty well without the hassle of stripping everything down. Might be worth looking into something similar if you're concerned about safety.
Good point about sanding. I didn't even think about the lead dust issue until reading this thread. When we moved into our place, the inspector mentioned something similar about older paint layers possibly containing lead, especially if the house was built before the late '70s. He recommended encapsulation or sealing rather than sanding or scraping, just like you said.
I actually have a couple of old windows from our basement renovation that I've been hesitant to toss. Thought about making a cold frame for gardening, but now I'm reconsidering how safe that would be if there's lead paint involved. Maybe encapsulating them first with one of those special paints is the way to go—sounds easier and safer than trying to strip them down completely. Definitely something I'll look into before starting any DIY projects with them.
We had a similar issue when we bought our first house. The previous owners left behind a stack of old windows in the garage, and at first, I thought they'd be perfect for a greenhouse project. But then my dad mentioned the lead paint possibility—he's always cautious about stuff like that. Ended up encapsulating them with a special primer and painting over it. Worked great, no sanding mess, and now they're safely part of my wife's little garden shed. Definitely worth the extra step for peace of mind.
"Ended up encapsulating them with a special primer and painting over it. Worked great, no sanding mess..."
That's a smart move—I learned the hard way sanding old windows once... never again. Still finding dust in weird places years later, lol. Curious though, did you reinforce the frames at all? I've got a few old windows stacked up myself, but the wood seems kinda sketchy. Wondering if it's worth salvaging or just better off as rustic wall decor at this point.
Encapsulating was def the right call—sanding old windows is a dusty nightmare, been there myself. Honestly, if the wood's sketchy, reinforcing can be worth it, but sometimes they're just too far gone. Rustic decor isn't a bad fallback plan either...
Encapsulating definitely saves headaches—I agree with you there. Sanding can quickly turn into a rabbit hole, especially when the wood's integrity is questionable. I've tried reinforcing before, and it can sometimes feel like throwing good effort after bad. That said, rustic decor has its charm, but it isn't always practical or everyone's taste. Still, repurposing creatively can be satisfying... at least it beats hauling them to the dump.
"rustic decor has its charm, but it isn't always practical or everyone's taste."
True, rustic pieces can look great in photos, but in my experience they're dust magnets and tricky to clean. Has anyone here tried turning old windows into cold frames for gardening? Curious how they hold up over time...