Sashes in listed and conservation-area homes
The parish has 32 listed buildings and a designated conservation area. Original windows often matter to the character of an old building and the street it stands on. If you're thinking of changing the colour, check with South Cambridgeshire District Council first.
Our work is the decorative side: scraping back, filling, priming and painting so the timber stays protected. Rotten sections, broken cords or a replacement sash are jobs for our carpenter, and we plan them alongside the paintwork.
How we paint a sash window so it still slides
Paint that builds up in the runners makes a sash stick within weeks. We work the sashes up and down as we go, keep paint thin on sliding faces, and run a neat line just onto the glass to seal the putty. At the end of each day we ease every freshly painted sash so none sets shut overnight.
Doors, skirtings and other period joinery are covered under woodwork staining and varnishing.
Willingham at a glance
- 8 milesby road from our Landbeach base, about 14 minutesOSRM routing
- 15%of properties were built before 1919VOA Council Tax stock
- 32listed buildingsHistoric England
- 1conservation arealocal council
- 17%are terracedCensus 2021
- 7%date from 1919 to 1939VOA Council Tax stock
How we approach sash window restoration
Loose paint is scraped to a sound edge and sanded with Mirka dust-free sanders, which matters on windows that may carry old lead paint. Open joints and cracks are filled, bare timber primed, and sills and bottom rails sealed with extra care. We finish in eggshell or satin, sanding lightly between coats. The full method, products and FAQs are on our sash window restoration page.