Repair Water Damaged Wood Window Sill

Repair rotted window sill.

Repair water damaged wood window sill.

Most window sash and sill damage is caused by moisture in the form of condensation getting into the wooden window sill. A water damaged window sill can however be brought back to its best with a minimum of knowledge or know how. While most wood rot starts at the window sill the length of time the damage is ignored will affect the amount of damage that needs to be repaired. Sand the wood with a fine grit sandpaper.

Restoring a sill ranges from the application of toothpaste and baking soda for water stains to the more labor intensive process of repairing rotting wood with epoxy primer and wood filler. If you ve got badly weathered window sills you re not alone. Actual footage from a job repairing water damaged window sills. Condensation forms on the windows when the temperature outside cools down and in return lowers the temperature of the glass on your window.

Remove any splinters and rough or peeling paint until the damaged sill is as smooth as possible. Where the damage in the photo above is large it fortunately has not extended to either side of the vertical trim board. They have direct water exposure from the outside and sometimes condensation forms on. Run a bead of waterproof marine grade adhesive along the old sill.

A window sill is the bottom portion of the window and usually but not always has a lip that overhangs the trim molding and over time these can get damaged or even rot. Drill pilot holes every 16 inches or so through the new sill s front and back edges. Repair any rotten spots on the old sill with epoxy. Wood that has been exposed to the sun s destructive rays for years without a protective layer of paint can begin to weather so badly that it may appear to be beyond saving.

Repairing window sills isn t a hard diy and i try to share simple ways to make diy improvements to your home. What causes window sash damage. Oxalic acid wood bleach. Trim the back edge of the new sill as needed so that its lower edge fits tightly against the siding and its back edge fits against the old wood.

But with the magic of a good wood epoxy you can save damaged wood like this and make it look like new. How to refinish a stained water damaged window sash.