Restoration Primer: Site-Built Window Wells

On a recent project, I was called in to find an appropriate treatment for some deteriorating cellar windows. A local mason working on the house had already tried one solution—corrugated galvanized window-well unit; but foundation stones below grade kept him from installing the well to its full depth. Instead, he left 6 to 10 inches sticking up above grade. The shiny galvanized finish didn’t fit in with the 150-year-old Cape Cod house. The effect was so jarring we all stopped to see if we could come up with something more appropriate. This meant taking a closer look at what was causing the problem. We noticed that rainwater runoff from the roof was causing several problems. The soil was eroding