I've been looking at sorting out some secondary glazing for the winter. It's important that whatever I do can be removed through the summer leaving no trace that it was ever there - my partner likes the windows as they are (19th Century cast iron with original wobbly/bubbled glass).
One possibility I have come up with is to buy some super-strong rare earth magnets, the little pill-shaped ones, and bury them in the woodwork around the openings. I'd only have to drill some shallow holes, set the magnets in them, fill over them and re-paint. The magnets are about £5 for 20. I think they would be completely invisible if I am suitably careful. One at each corner and one on each side for the length would do it.
The idea then is to get some perspex sheets cut to size, attach self-adhesive metal tape to the edges and just stick them in place, using the magnets to hold them. In the summer, I can take them down and stow them away somewhere safe.
Unless you can see a problem, this seems pretty well foolproof.
But of course there is a problem. I have been looking at 2mm acrylic sheet, and to get it cut to size (440 x 1150mm) I am looking at about £20 a sheet. Since I need three per window, that's £60. And I have two windows I want to start with, so that's £120 just for the acrylic. All in, it might be about £150 for both windows.
I could go to B+Q and just buy some sheet (it seems much cheaper) and cut it myself. But I'll end up with dodgy edges for sure, and I'd probably need to buy some edging to cover my handiwork...
Does anyone have any ideas? Is it possible to get someone to cut it for me at a reasonable price do you think? Or is there a cheaper way of getting the plastic? Or am I just being mean - is £60 a window cheap as chips?
What do you think?
One possibility I have come up with is to buy some super-strong rare earth magnets, the little pill-shaped ones, and bury them in the woodwork around the openings. I'd only have to drill some shallow holes, set the magnets in them, fill over them and re-paint. The magnets are about £5 for 20. I think they would be completely invisible if I am suitably careful. One at each corner and one on each side for the length would do it.
The idea then is to get some perspex sheets cut to size, attach self-adhesive metal tape to the edges and just stick them in place, using the magnets to hold them. In the summer, I can take them down and stow them away somewhere safe.
Unless you can see a problem, this seems pretty well foolproof.
But of course there is a problem. I have been looking at 2mm acrylic sheet, and to get it cut to size (440 x 1150mm) I am looking at about £20 a sheet. Since I need three per window, that's £60. And I have two windows I want to start with, so that's £120 just for the acrylic. All in, it might be about £150 for both windows.
I could go to B+Q and just buy some sheet (it seems much cheaper) and cut it myself. But I'll end up with dodgy edges for sure, and I'd probably need to buy some edging to cover my handiwork...
Does anyone have any ideas? Is it possible to get someone to cut it for me at a reasonable price do you think? Or is there a cheaper way of getting the plastic? Or am I just being mean - is £60 a window cheap as chips?
What do you think?
