Why window putty?

[ChrisD200]

Hi All. Newbie here from Cape Town.
One side of my bungalow has 5 large cottage pane hardwood windows that face NW and catch the afternoon sun – the hot African sun! Even now in mid-winter, we get up to 10hrs sun per day There are over 150 separate panes. Every year I have to oil the wood and replace most of the putty and it is a daunting job, especially as I get older. And craftsmen here are as rare as hens teeth.
So, do I have to use putty?
Why can’t I just glue hardwood moulding strips to hold in the panes and annually extend the oil sealing? Or is there some other product that will replace the putty and waterproof the window against the rare rain but which I don’t have to replace every year?
Thanks for your suggestions
ChrisD200

 

[Burnerman]

You can always fit glass beads if you want Chris, but squeeze a thin layer of silicone behind them first.
Don't glue them - we use small headless nails called sprigs, but panel pins will do.
One downside could be more of a security risk I guess but there again I would have thought that your glass will be single pane anyway.
John

 

[JohnD]

you can get a thing called glazing tape.

It is like double-sided tape but it has a layer of plastic foam in the middle which takes up slight irregularites in the wood, and also prevents rattles. It sticks best to newly-painted surfaces, you should clean off oil. Here you can get it in black or brown, it may also come in white, not sure.

Different thicknesses are available depending how uneven your frames are. About 2mm may be enough. 4mm looks rather thick.

You stick it to the back surface of the glazing recess, all round, and press the glass firmly against it. You pin glazing bead over the front edges of the glass but it will be mostly ornamental since the glass will be sealed and secured by the tape.

Cut the corners neatly and trial-fit before you remove the non-stick layer. It sticks very tightly. It also revents removal of the glass and tends to hold it in place when cracked or broken.

 

[^woody^]

I don't think that you can rely just on beads and sealing with oil - the joints will open especially against the glass.

Presumably the glass is already sealed in so could stay fixed, so the best thing would be to use your glazing beads and with a clear silicone for added insurance of a good seal

Oh, the problems of having 10 hours sun a day ... instead of the 10 hours rain we get

 

[ChrisD200]

Thanks guys for the quick response. I'll look out for the glazing tape, and strongly consider silicone. What is a "glass bead"? Is that the strips of hardwood moulding nailed on to hold the glass?
Regarding security, once a burgler has got that far, (up to the walls of the ghouse) a sledgehammer works wonders. In any case they'd never get through such a small pane. Actually I wouldn't mind having broken fragments of glass sticking to the pane - it might cause enough pain to deter!
Haven't broken a pane in the glass for 20 years, so the fact that they'd be hard to remove doesn't deter me.
Cheer, ChrisDs

 

[Burnerman]

Glass beads are indeed timber strips, Chris. We can get them in a variety of planed sections from our DIY sheds.
Either silicone or tape will do - it depends on whats available out there.
John

 

[ChrisD200]

Thanks Burnermana, Woody and JohnD. End of winter, when all wood is dry, a New Beginning.
ChrisD