Specialty Architectural Woodworking
Historic Wood Window Replicas Built to Match the Original
Historic Window Replicas LLC specializes in custom wood window replicas and replacement sash for historic buildings where original components have deteriorated beyond reasonable repair.
Custom Replicas for Historic Windows
Historic Window Replicas LLC specializes in custom wood window replicas and replacement sash for historic buildings where original components have deteriorated beyond reasonable repair. Our replicas are handcrafted to closely reproduce the dimensions, proportions, profiles, lite configurations, and architectural character of the original windows.
These are custom-built architectural components, not mass-produced replacement windows. Each replica begins with careful measurement and documentation of the original window — or surviving examples elsewhere on the building — and is fabricated to match the specific details that define the window's historic character.
We build historic wood window replicas for residential, commercial, institutional, and civic properties throughout Florida. Our work includes historic single-family homes, historic districts, museums, churches, and buildings subject to preservation review.
Replicating the Original Window
Accurate replication begins with careful measurement and documentation of the original window. We record the overall sash dimensions, rail and stile widths, muntin profiles, glass pane sizes, lite configuration, meeting rail details, and any distinctive profile elements that define the window's architectural character.
Where original windows remain in place, we work from direct measurement. Where windows have been removed or are severely damaged, we work from surviving examples elsewhere on the building, historic photographs, architectural drawings, or comparable windows from the same period and building type.
The goal is a replica that reads as original to the building — matching the proportions, profiles, and visual character of the historic windows it replaces, while meeting current performance expectations for weather resistance and operation.
Built From Sapele Hardwood
Our historic window replicas are built primarily from premium Sapele hardwood — a species chosen for its exceptional combination of stability, natural durability, and workability that makes it well suited to the demands of exterior wood windows in Florida's climate.
Sapele's interlocking grain structure produces dimensional stability that resists the seasonal movement — swelling and shrinking with changes in humidity — that causes wood windows to bind, stick, or develop gaps over time. This stability is particularly valuable in Florida's humid subtropical climate, where moisture management is a primary challenge for exterior wood.
Sapele accepts paint and finish exceptionally well, producing a smooth, durable surface that holds its finish longer than many domestic species. Its natural resistance to decay adds an additional margin of durability for windows exposed to Florida's rain and humidity. For painted architectural millwork, Sapele is an excellent choice.
See also: Custom Sapele Window Sash
Traditional Mortise-and-Tenon Construction
Our window replicas are built using traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery — the same construction method used in the original historic windows. A precisely cut tenon on the rail fits into a corresponding mortise in the stile, creating a strong mechanical connection that resists the racking and twisting forces that window sash experience over decades of use.
Mortise-and-tenon joinery provides a strong mechanical connection capable of accommodating the operational stresses and seasonal movement experienced by traditional wood window sash. It is a time-tested construction method found in many surviving historic windows.
True Divided Lite Window Replicas
Historic windows use true divided lites — individual panes of glass separated by solid wood muntins. This construction is architecturally and visually distinct from simulated divided lites, which use a single large pane of glass with a plastic or aluminum grid overlay applied to the surface.
True divided lites produce the shadow lines, glass reflections, and visual depth that define the appearance of historic windows. The slight variations in individual glass panes, the shadow cast by solid muntins, and the dimensional profile of the glazing bars are characteristics that simulated divided lites cannot replicate.
When the original window design requires it, we reproduce individual panes and traditional muntin configurations — from simple two-over-two arrangements to complex six-over-six, eight-over-eight, and other multi-lite historic patterns.
See also: True Divided Lite Windows
Historic Double-Hung Window Replicas
The double-hung window — with two independently operable sash that slide vertically within the frame — is the most common window type in historic American residential and commercial architecture. Replicating a historic double-hung window requires accurate reproduction of both the upper and lower sash, including their individual dimensions, rail profiles, muntin configurations, and meeting rail details.
We replicate historic double-hung windows as complete units or as individual upper or lower sash replacements, depending on the condition of the existing components. When the original frame and jamb are sound, replacing only the deteriorated sash preserves the maximum amount of original historic material while restoring the window's appearance and performance.
See also: Historic Double-Hung Windows
Preserve What Can Be Preserved
The first consideration for any deteriorated historic window should always be repair and preservation of the original material. Original historic windows carry irreplaceable architectural and historical value, and preservation is preferable to replacement whenever it is reasonably achievable.
When sash or individual components are deteriorated beyond reasonable repair, replicas can be produced to replace only what cannot be saved. Serviceable jambs, frames, trim, hardware, and other components may remain in place — preserving the maximum amount of original historic fabric while restoring the window's function and appearance.
Replication becomes appropriate when deterioration has compromised the structural integrity of the rails, stiles, muntins, or joinery; when significant portions of the original sash are missing; when previous alterations have substantially changed the original design; or when the extent of deterioration makes a durable repair impractical.
See also: Historic Replacement Window Sash
How We Work
Our Historic Window Replication Process
Step 1
Document the Existing Window
We photograph and document the existing windows, recording their condition, construction details, and architectural character before any work begins.
Step 2
Measure Sash and Profiles
We take detailed measurements of the sash dimensions, rail and stile widths, muntin profiles, glass pane sizes, and lite configurations — the full set of dimensions from which the replica will be built.
Step 3
Evaluate Deterioration
We assess the extent and nature of deterioration in each component — distinguishing surface decay from structural failure — to determine what can be repaired and what must be replicated.
Step 4
Determine What Can Remain
We identify which components — jambs, frames, trim, hardware, or individual sash members — are sound enough to retain, preserving original historic material wherever possible.
Step 5
Reproduce the Original Design
Working from measurements and documentation, we produce the drawings and specifications from which the replica will be fabricated — matching the original's dimensions, profiles, and lite configuration.
Step 6
Fabricate in Sapele
Each replica is built to order in our shop from premium Sapele hardwood, using traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery and true divided lite construction matched to the original window's specifications.
Step 7
Fit and Install Replica Components
Completed replicas are fitted and installed in the existing jambs or as complete window units, primed and prepared for finish painting to match the building's historic color scheme.
Built for Historic Properties
We build historic window replicas for a wide range of property types throughout Florida. Our work includes historic single-family homes, historic commercial buildings, museums, churches, civic buildings, and institutional properties.
We work directly with homeowners, architects, historic preservation consultants, general contractors, property managers, and municipal agencies. We also work with preservation organizations and have experience supporting historic district review submissions with documentation of materials, construction methods, and dimensional accuracy.
Historic Window Replicas Throughout Florida
Historic Window Replicas LLC is based in Orlando, Florida, and serves historic properties throughout the state. Our primary service areas include Orlando, Winter Park, Sanford, Tampa, and Central Florida, with projects undertaken at historic properties statewide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions About Historic Window Replicas
Have a Historic Window That Needs to Be Replicated?
Send us photographs, approximate dimensions, project location, and the number of windows involved so we can evaluate your project.