I refuse to accept that it HAS to be a disaster every time.
Same here—there’s got to be a middle ground. I will say, prying out 90-year-old sashes with a flat bar isn’t fun, but using a Fein tool made it way less painful. Still, even with a shop vac running, there’s always some dust that sneaks past. Maybe I just need to accept a little chaos, but I’m with you—good prep and the right gear really do cut down on the mess.
I totally get where you're coming from. I’ve done a fair share of window removals in houses from the 1920s and 30s, and sometimes it feels like the original builders never intended anyone to take them out. I’ve found that using an oscillating multi-tool (like your Fein) to cut through old paint and caulk is a game-changer—makes the process way smoother. But yeah, even with plastic sheeting and a HEPA vac, you’ll find dust in places you didn’t know existed. I try to remind myself that a little mess is just part of working with old stuff… but I’m always looking for tricks to make it less painful.
even with plastic sheeting and a HEPA vac, you’ll find dust in places you didn’t know existed.
Yep, that’s the truth. When I pried out my first window, I swear I was still finding dust in my dresser drawers a week later. Did you run into any surprises once the old window was out? I found a random old bottle wedged in the framing—guess that’s one of the perks of old houses, you never know what you’ll uncover.
That’s pretty common, especially in older homes—there’s always something unexpected behind the trim. I’ve seen everything from old newspapers to a bird’s nest stuffed in the cavity. Dust is just part of the job, no matter how careful you are. You handled it well.
- Gotta agree with the “unexpected behind the trim” part.
Had a similar thing in my place—pulled out a window and found a bunch of marbles and a rusty spoon. No clue how they got there.there’s always something unexpected behind the trim. I’ve seen everything from old newspapers to a bird’s nest stuffed in the cavity.
- Not convinced dust is “just part of the job” though. Maybe I’m picky, but I’ve tried everything—plastic sheeting, vacuums, even wetting things down. Still ends up everywhere. Anyone actually found a way around that, or is it just wishful thinking?
- My main gripe is how the old windows are always wedged in with a dozen different nails and mystery caulk from the 60s. Never comes out clean. I’ve actually damaged the plaster more than once, and patching that is a pain.
- Curious—has anyone tried those “window insert” replacements instead of full tear-outs? Supposed to be easier, but I’m skeptical if they seal as well or just end up being a band-aid.
- Also, what’s the weirdest thing you’ve found behind a window frame? Marbles and spoons can’t be the strangest out there...
Window inserts are a mixed bag. I’ve put them in for folks who wanted to avoid the mess, and yeah, it’s cleaner and quicker. But if your frames are out of square or there’s rot hiding, you’re just covering up the real issue. Full tear-outs are messier but at least you know what you’re dealing with.
As for dust, I’ve never found a perfect solution either. Zipwall setups help, but fine dust still finds its way through. Maybe it’s just inevitable with old plaster.
Weirdest thing I found? A petrified mouse and a tiny glass bottle—guessing it was some kind of old-school good luck charm?
Taking out old windows is like opening a time capsule, except instead of treasure you usually find a mess, questionable insulation, and sometimes, yeah, a petrified mouse or two. I’ve run into everything from ancient newspapers jammed in as “weatherproofing” to full-on hornet nests. The inserts are tempting for the quick fix, but if your frames are even a little warped (which they almost always are in houses over 50 years old), you’re just asking for drafts and headaches later on.
Full tear-outs are definitely the way to go if you want to do it right, but man, they’re brutal. The dust situation is no joke. I’ve tried everything—plastic sheeting, painter’s tape, those fancy negative air machines—and there’s still that fine layer of dust that gets everywhere. Old plaster is basically a dust factory once you disturb it. I usually warn folks ahead of time: “Pretend you’re living in a construction zone for a few days, because you basically are.”
One trick I’ve picked up is to run a cheap box fan in the window with the airflow going out. It doesn’t catch everything, but it helps pull some of the dust outside instead of letting it settle in your living room. Not perfect, but better than nothing.
And yeah, sometimes you find some wild stuff in those walls. Once pulled out a stack of ration coupons from the ‘40s and what looked like a kid’s toy car from the same era. Makes you wonder what people were thinking when they stuffed that stuff in there—or maybe they just didn’t want to walk all the way to the trash.
Anyway, if you’re thinking about tackling old windows, just brace yourself for surprises and don’t skimp on the cleanup. And if you find any more weird good luck charms, let us know... maybe we’ll figure out what they were actually for one of these days.
Yep, the dust is relentless. I swear, I’m still finding it months later in places I didn’t even know existed. Last time I did a tear-out, I found a Monopoly token and a spoon wedged in the frame. Who knows. The box fan trick helps, but I’ve just accepted my house will look haunted for a bit.
Had a job where we pulled out an old window and found a petrified sandwich in the wall cavity—no clue how it got there. Dust is just part of it, but I always run a shop vac as I go. Still, you’ll be cleaning for weeks.
Had a job where we pulled out an old window and found a petrified sandwich in the wall cavity—no clue how it got there.
I get what you mean about the dust—pulling out old windows is messy, no way around it. But I’ve found if you tape up plastic sheets around the work area before you start, you can trap a lot of that debris and keep cleanup more manageable. Running a shop vac as you go helps, but it won’t catch everything, especially the really fine stuff that floats everywhere. I’ve done it both ways and honestly, the extra ten minutes to hang some plastic has saved me days of vacuuming later. That petrified sandwich is wild though... never found anything quite like that myself, just loads of old nails and the occasional mouse nest.