Repair Water Damaged Wood Window Sill

Where the damage in the photo above is large it fortunately has not extended to either side of the vertical trim board.

Repair water damaged wood window sill.

If you ve got badly weathered window sills you re not alone. Actual footage from a job repairing water damaged window sills. 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. Most window sash and sill damage is caused by moisture in the form of condensation getting into the wooden window sill.

How to refinish a stained water damaged window sash. Repairing window sills isn t a hard diy and i try to share simple ways to make diy improvements to your home. 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. They have direct water exposure from the outside and sometimes condensation forms on.

Repair any rotten spots on the old sill with epoxy. A water damaged window sill can however be brought back to its best with a minimum of knowledge or know how. Sand the wood with a fine grit sandpaper. Run a bead of waterproof marine grade adhesive along the old sill.

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. Drill pilot holes every 16 inches or so through the new sill s front and back edges. Moisture problems are common on wooden framed windows. But with the magic of a good wood epoxy you can save damaged wood like this and make it look like new.

What causes window sash damage. 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. Rot moving up vertical trim boards. Remove any splinters and rough or peeling paint until the damaged sill is as smooth as possible.

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. Oxalic acid wood bleach.