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It'due south not uncommon for older homes to fall victim to rot, especially around unsealed areas like windows. If ignored, however, a rotten window frame could leave your home vulnerable to further damage, including mold growth, deteriorating insulation, and even crumbling framing members. The skillful news is that replacing the wood around a window doesn't take to be an expensive or complicated fix. Nearly small spots can simply be scraped out and filled with epoxy. To deal with extensive rot around the sill or trim, remove the entire department, and so cut a new slice to get in its place. If there'due south impairment to the sash itself, your all-time bet is to accept information technology rebuilt by a specialty contractor to ensure that the job gets washed right.

  1. one

    Probe the forest to decide the extent of the rot. As wood rots, it becomes "punky," which means it takes on a soft, spongy texture. To gauge how bad the problem is, become around the entire window frame applying pressure to the wood every ii–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) with your fingertip or a small tool like an awl or screwdriver. If you feel it give, it most likely means that in that location's rot in that section.[1]

    • Wood rot is ofttimes accompanied by peeling, wrinkled, or discolored paint.[2]
    • Be certain to touch-test the entire surface of each slice. Otherwise, you may miss a spot.

    Tip: It'southward best to use epoxy when the piece you're repairing is still 80-85% intact, or when information technology would be especially costly or difficult to endeavor to replace the slice with new wood.[three]

  2. two

    Scrape out pocket-sized rotted spots with a screwdriver or chisel. Dig the tip of your tool into the bad wood and work information technology free of the frame. Yous shouldn't encounter too much resistance since the decay volition have made information technology soft. Withal, you lot'll withal want to work carefully to avert dissentious the surrounding wood. Keep gouging and scraping until simply hard, good for you wood remains.[four]

    • Take your fourth dimension and focus on eliminating equally much of the rotted wood as yous tin. If you exit any backside, it could easily spread to another part of the frame.
    • If yous discover that the rot is more extensive than you originally thought, you may have no choice but to cut replacement pieces to install in the sections that can't be salvaged.

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  3. iii

    Mix up your epoxy according to the manufacturer'southward directions. Almost epoxies consist of two dissever bonding components that need to be combined in equal parts in order to be effective. Follow the mixing instructions listed on the packaging to prepare plenty epoxy to patch each individual spot you uncovered while probing.[v]

    • Make sure you choice upwardly a wood filler epoxy that's designed specifically for use on wood surfaces.[6]
    • If possible, do your mixing on a surface that the epoxy won't stick to, such equally a canvas of plexiglass, plastic tarp, or freezer bag, or the shiny side of a strip of packing record.

  4. 4

    Apply the epoxy to the damaged area using a putty knife. Slather on enough to overfill the spot slightly—you can sand away the backlog later. After edifice up each spot, glide the flat side of your putty knife over the epoxy a few times as though you were frosting a cake. This will help produce a smoother finish that you lot can hide easily with a couple coats of paint.[7]

    • Some two-part epoxy kits are sold with applicator guns that make it possible to mix and apply the filler simultaneously. Keep in mind that you'll notwithstanding need to use a putty knife to spread the epoxy even if you're using a gun to apply it.
    • It's better to utilize too much epoxy than too little. Partially-filled holes and crevices could result in unsightly dents and depressions once the surface area has been repainted.
    • You'll only have about 30-lx minutes from the time that you lot mix upward your epoxy before information technology begins to dry, so brand an endeavor to work quickly and efficiently. If you lot're patching multiple windows, whip up a fresh batch before starting on the next.

  5. 5

    Allow the epoxy to cure for at least 3-4 hours. As it sits, it will gradually aggrandize to proceed filling out the damaged expanse. Information technology will then harden to form a stiff, watertight seal that will do a much amend chore of keeping unwanted moisture out than new wood or pigment alone.[8]

    • You may need to let freshly-applied epoxy sit for upward to 24 hours if the weather is specially cool or damp.
    • Avoid handling the epoxy in whatsoever way equally it cures. Doing so could deform it, ruining all of your hard work.

  6. half dozen

    Sand the dried epoxy flush with the surrounding wood. Start with an 80-grit sheet to shave off the backlog filler, then switch to a 120-grit sheet to take intendance of the fine detailing. Run the sandpaper over the epoxy in tight, polish circles to ensure a defect-gratuitous finish. The idea is to shape it to the contours of the section of the window you're repairing.[9]

    • Wear a facemask and safety glasses to protect yourself from dust and exist sure to vacuum upwards the loose residue later.
    • Past the time you're finished, the only indication that the spot has been patched should be the difference in color between the wood and the epoxy.

  7. 7

    Touch upwards the patched slice with 2-three coats of exterior paint. Brush at least 2 coats onto the epoxy and surrounding wood surface to ensure total coverage and consistency of colour. Allow the surface to dry out for the recommended length of time between coats. When yous're satisfied with the look of your window, let the paint set for at to the lowest degree 24 hours before making whatsoever additional modifications.[x]

    • An angled trim brush will work all-time for painting narrow trim, decorative moulding, and other small-scale, intricate features.[11]

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  1. ane

    Inspect the entire window to approximate how extensive the rot is. Work your fashion around all 4 edges of the frame pressing on the forest with a finger or pocket-sized hand tool. Pay attention to any spots that feel soft or spongy to the touch. These places volition often exist accompanied by visual symptoms of disuse, such as chipping, splintering, and peeling or discolored pigment.[12]

    • In areas with multiple boards or small pieces, annotation the verbal point at which the normal, healthy forest gives way to rot. Preserving as much intact wood as possible will cutting down on both the required labor and overall budget for your project.

  2. 2

    Cut or pry out the entire rotted department. Loosen affected trim and casing pieces with a prybar, so pull them costless past hand.[13] If you lot happen to come beyond a piece you tin can't budge, reach for a cutting tool that you can maneuver in tight spaces, such as a reciprocating saw or skill saw. Make a series of shallow cross cuts into the rotted wood, stopping simply short of the good for you wood below. After scoring the wood, forcefulness it out using your prybar.[14]

    • An awl, putty knife, or like tool may also come in handy for scraping wood lurid out of joints and gaps.[15]
    • Piece of work carefully to minimize unnecessary impairment to the nearby siding or capsule materials.
    • Unhook the balances from the within of the frame once yous remove the window sash.[sixteen]

    Tip: If your window has particularly complex construction, information technology may be a good idea to snap a photo of it before you begin the dismantling process. That style, you'll have a reliable reference that will show you how everything is supposed to fit together.

  3. 3

    Measure each of the pieces you remove individually. Employ a ruler or measuring record to find the length, width, and thickness of each element you pull from the window. Record your measurements on a separate piece of paper and label them accordingly. Your replacement materials volition need to friction match these dimensions as closely as possible.[17]

    • Making a note of standout features, such as mitered corners or fastening sites, can aid you replicate them after on.

  4. 4

    Seal whatsoever cracks in the exposed sheathing underneath. Visible openings around the edges of the window will need to exist addressed before you tin can continue to installing your replacement pieces. Caulk or use sealant tape on pocket-size and medium-sized cracks]], and use canisters of expanding spray foam insulation to fill larger openings.[xviii] If the surrounding capsule shows signs of water damage, you may also opt to install adhesive flashing to prevent whatsoever further moisture from getting in.[xix]

    • You're more probable to run across cracks and gaps in board sheathing, which is institute on many older homes.
    • It's important to seal up every last aperture you can get to—a small-scale crack has the potential to become a big one in no time at all.

  5. v

    Cut new woods to fit the rotted sections. Use the measurements you took earlier to cut your replacement forest to identical dimensions. Focus on making clean, neat cuts that will enable you to simply slip the new piece into place without the need for further adjustments. Don't forget to miter the ends of decorative moulding to a 45-caste angle.[xx]

    • Shop around for wood with a similar thickness and grain pattern to that of the window's original components.
    • If you're not sure what type of woods was used to construct your home, accept a photo or sample piece from a healthy, intact section of the window downward to your local domicile comeback center to have information technology examined past a professional.
    • A miter box or speed foursquare can make information technology easier to line up multiple 90- and 45-degree angled cuts quickly and with maximum precision.[21]

  6. 6

    Install the new pieces using galvanized nails. Home improvement experts typically recommend using 8D finishing nails to secure window trim. Drive a smash into the top and lesser corner of each piece, and then do the aforementioned at the heart. Echo this process for each individual element you're installing.[22]

    • For specially large windows, infinite additional nails 16 inches (41 cm) autonomously along the length in pairs to make sure your new pieces hold.
    • If necessary, fill sunken nail holes with wood putty to bring them level with the surface of the woods.

  7. 7

    Paint your replacement pieces as needed. Brush on 2-3 coats of exterior paint in a shade matching the surrounding intact elements. Permit each glaze dry for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer before starting on the next one, and allow your topcoat to dry for 24 hours. Plan on applying at to the lowest degree ii coats to achieve full coverage on unfinished wood.[23]

    • If you're making improvements to an older abode and accept no way of identifying the exact shade of paint used, just attempt to match it as all-time you lot tin. A set of paint fries or color-matching app can aid yous with your comparing.[24]
    • Another option is to simply repaint all of the window trim. A brand new pigment job will guarantee that yous won't end up with whatsoever color inconsistencies. And if the existing pigment is fading, information technology's probably fourth dimension to repaint anyhow.

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Add New Question

  • Question

    How practice y'all set up a rotted window sash?

    Michael Fox

    Michael Fox is a Window Repair Specialist and the President at Window Repair Systems and WindowHardwareDirect.com, based in Westminster, Southward Carolina. With over 25 years of experience, Michael specializes in commercial window repair and service. He holds a business degree from Monroe Community College and SUNY Brockport. Michael has helped Window Repair Systems and WindowHardwareDirect.com become an industry leader in commercial window repair and hardware distribution, servicing schools and businesses and training large public school systems.

    Michael Fox

    Window Repair Specialist

    Skilful Answer

  • Question

    Why is the wooden trim rotting effectually my window?

    Michael Fox

    Michael Play a joke on is a Window Repair Specialist and the President at Window Repair Systems and WindowHardwareDirect.com, based in Westminster, Southward Carolina. With over 25 years of experience, Michael specializes in commercial window repair and service. He holds a business degree from Monroe Customs College and SUNY Brockport. Michael has helped Window Repair Systems and WindowHardwareDirect.com go an manufacture leader in commercial window repair and hardware distribution, servicing schools and businesses and grooming large public school systems.

    Michael Fox

    Window Repair Specialist

    Expert Answer

    Back up wikiHow by unlocking this skilful answer.

    To observe out the problem, pop off all the trim, then expect for where there'due south moisture coming in from the outside. When yous discover that, fill it in either using caulk or some sort of sealant tape, and so reinstall the new trim.

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  • Get in the habit of performing regular maintenance on your outside windows, such as caulking, patching, and repainting. By doing so, you tin can keep them looking and operation better for longer and avoid the need for more intensive repairs.

  • The sash, or the sliding part of the window that actually contains the drinking glass, is much more than difficult to replace, as information technology'south made up of many pieces that have to be specially measured and cut. If y'all notice deterioration around any office of the sash, become in bear upon with a qualified repair specialist and have them assess the severity of the situation.[25]

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Things You'll Need

  • Awl, screwdriver, or chisel
  • Woods filler epoxy
  • Putty pocketknife
  • lxxx-grit sandpaper
  • 120-grit sandpaper
  • Exterior pigment
  • Angled trim brush
  • Facemask and safe goggles
  • Shop vacuum
  • Pry bar
  • Ruler or tape measure
  • Paper and pencil
  • Replacement woods
  • Circular saw
  • Miter box or speed square
  • 8D galvanized finishing nails
  • Exterior paint
  • Angled trim brush
  • Reciprocating saw or skill saw (optional)
  • Awl, screwdriver, or chisel (optional)
  • Caulk, spray foam insulation, or adhesive window flashing (optional)
  • Forest putty (optional)

References

About This Article

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    DeVera Jones

    April 26, 2021

    "It allow me know that my windows can be repaired."

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