Canal House Restoration

Canal house facades in Amsterdam require patience, precision, and an understanding of how the original builders worked. This listed property had original sash windows that were deteriorating — joints had opened up, paint was peeling, and draughts were significant.

We repaired the existing timber frames rather than replacing them. Each joint was cleaned out, reglued, and re-pegged using the same technique as the originals. Where sections of timber were beyond saving, we spliced in new oak cut to match the profile exactly. The frames were then primed, filled, and painted in the period-accurate yellow that the client and heritage office agreed on.

The restoration was carried out without scaffolding where possible, using access equipment that kept disruption to the neighbours to a minimum. The result is windows that look as they should — and will last another generation.