Industrial windows

[jerryl]

I know I've seen older industrial buildings with some of the windows painted out, usually green or white. can't find any on the net & was wondering if any of you remember seeing this also. I'm making a mill turned warehouse & would like to include this feature, but would like to know if anyone could direct me to some pictures.  I think the workers did this to block the sun.  Thanks   Jerry

[OldTimer]

I recall seeing painted out windows in factory buildings, and I expect that you are right about the sun.  Also, a pane of glass was sometimes removed to allow a vent to exhaust.  The space would have been filled with sheet metal and a hole cut in the metal to allow a pipe to exit.  In a similar vein, at different times of year, greenhouses will have sections white-washed out to protect tender shoots from direct sun.  And...the other side of the coin...back in the time when street lights were common in residential areas, folks would often paint over some of the glass to keep light from illuminating a bed room--easier to do when the streetlamp had panes rather than a globe.

[lesak1]

Windows were painted because they were welding inside the building.  this would keep outsiders from getting welders flash.  also some building were close enough to houses that he welding was annoying

[OldTimer]

Who'd have guessed!  Thanks for that!!!
Old Timer

[NarrowMinded]

Hi, google "old warehouse building" then click images thats where I found this.
NM

[jerryl]

Thanks, must have missed that one.   Not sure about the welding.  The blocked out windows were usually on the top floors & being a welder I don't think much welding was done on the top floors. First, because of the wooden floors & secondly, because of experience,I know that most welding produces something bigger & heavier & you wouldn't want to carry it down 3 or 4 flights of steps.  I would agree that it would work on the ground floor.  Jerry

[Santa Fe buff]

Click Here

Tichy Train Group makes a large assortment of framed windows. Follow the link above to see their what hey have. Trust me, they make good details, and nice kits. I believe the windows that are identical to what your looking for are on the last page. (Page 3 for me).

Cheers,
Joshua

[NarrowMinded]

It's has been my experience the painted window were usually found in buildings that were used for storage and or floors of a building used for storage. In the olden golden age there were no self-storage centers, your item were marked and placed on an open floor. painting the windows did two things, it helped control the noncliment controlled buildings of the times and stopped furniture and other items from becoming sun damaged.

I was an Ironworker Local 509 and 433 for years and most welding shops even today are as open is practical and the rays are really only a problem from 20ft and closer.

NM

[CNE Runner]

I would have to say that windows were painted (usually white or someother translucent color) to control the outside lighting. If you compare older buildings with newer ones, one thing becomes apparent: newer buildings generally have less window area. Before lighting technology advanced, solar lighting was extremely important - hence the abundance of windows. With today's climate controlled interior spaces; windows become undesirable (with greater window area HVAC has to be increased in capacity and greater capacity = greater expense). Additionally, solar illumination can produce considerable glare that can interfere in some industrial concerns. As a young college student (yes, we had electricity back then), I worked in a factory that assembled electrical wiring harnesses. This business was located in an old bleachery complex (old as in mid-1800s...lots of windows). Management elected to 'whitewash' all the windows on the southern side of the building to control the sun's glare.

You can do the same thing, with your factories, if you paint the individual window panes with well diluted white (or eggshell) acrylic craft paint. To represent those panes replaced by metal, use a different color.

Ray

[jerryl]

Click Here

Tichy Train Group makes a large assortment of framed windows. Follow the link above to see their what hey have. Trust me, they make good details, and nice kits. I believe the windows that are identical to what your looking for are on the last page. (Page 3 for me).

Cheers,
Joshua
[/quote    Yes, I use Tichy products whenever i can, but the question was about painting some of the windows out. I already have the windows mounter. Just want to come up with some kind of pattern. Can't take it off afterwards.