Re-View was selected to restore the historic wood windows on the Colorado State Capitol in Denver, Colorado, in a multi-phase project. Over a period of four years, we restored all of the windows below the dome during the legislative recess period.
Our field carpenters removed the wood window sash and shipped them back to the Re-View window restoration plant and then installed temporary enclosures to provide security and protect the interior from the elements. We worked directly with the Construction Manager to schedule the work to be completed around the occupied areas of the Capitol.
The wood frames were restored by using a combination of restoration epoxies and replacement components. All frames and exterior trim were finished in a custom color. We had a custom aluminum panning fabricated to cover the sills. The installation of this panning has to be done carefully so that water won’t be trapped, causing deterioration of the wood sill.
Craftsmen at the Re-View plant removed the glass and all finishes from the sash. The sash have a distinct stave core design with laminated wood in the interior and exterior. Much of the restoration focuses on restoring this lamination and repairing the wood profiles. Many of the mortise and tenon joints needed to be rebuilt since they had failed over many decades and were being held together with steel angles. We matched the interior stain finish of the sash and applied a custom color factory finish on the exterior. All of the original glass was saved and re-glazed into the sash.
Our field carpenters installed the restored sash into their respective frames setting the upper sash as fixed and the lower sash connected to the existing weights with chains. We installed new weather stripping to provide a tight weather seal.
As a result of Re-View’s work, the Capitol will enjoy the performance of its wood windows for another 100+ years.
History of The Colorado State Capitol
The Colorado State Capitol in Denver, Colorado was constructed in 1894 and was designed after the United States Capitol. The dome is finished in real gold leaf to commemorate the Colorado gold rush. It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974.
