How to fix a window sill

in General by Ben Suiskind 0 Comments

It can be shocking when you first notice rot on your windowsill. This unique type of fungus thrives in moist climates and gradually eliminates wood. If left untreated, the rot will spread throughout the entire sill until it has completely decomposed. It will then spread to the rest of the window frame and potentially the structure of your home.

This complete step-by-step guide will take you through the DIY process for repairing your rotted window. You don’t always need to go ahead with a full replacement, so don’t panic! Just follow our steps, and you should be fine.

What Are the Signs of Window Rotting?

There are many indicators that your window sills have a rot problem. The first one, of course, is visible signs.

Not many of us spend much time staring at our window sills, but the occasional check-up can be beneficial. Visible signs of rotting may appear as mold or fungus, discoloration, peeling or bubbling paint, or warped wood that bows out instead of being flush with the window. Make sure to check around the window as well for any areas that water could be seeping into the frame.

Unfortunately, if you can already see the rot, it’s too late for repair (most of the time). Replacement is your best bet.

If you want to prevent outright replacement, there are some invisible signs of rot that you should pay attention to as well. The integrity of the wood is a big tell-tale sign. If it feels soft or seems to give way when you press it, then it is highly likely your sill has started to rot.

Your windowsill is most susceptible to rotting, more so than the frame. This is because all the moisture that windows combat year-round will sit upon these sills. Much like mold, excess moisture will always attract rot, so your window sills will always be the first to fall victim to it.

If you’ve noticed any of these signs, it’s time to repair them to halt the spread of rot before it affects your frame and house structure.

What Will You Need?

• Chisel or wide screwdriver
• Drill
• Waterproof wood hardener
• Wood filler
• Paintbrush
• Wood paint
• A variety of sandpapers from coarse to smooth

Step 1: Identify the Degree of Rot

The first step is to determine the extent of the rotting.

If the rot is already too deep-set, you shouldn’t even bother with a restoration process. The window’s framing (including the sill!) is likely already too compromised, so complete replacement is your best bet.

If the rot isn’t too bad, then you can proceed. Most of this assessment you can do just by looking.

Step 2: Remove the Rotted Areas

Using either a chisel or a wide screwdriver, remove the rotted wood from the windowsill gradually until you start to see ‘healthy’ wood.

Once you have fully dislodged the rotted wood, simply wipe away any extra debris from the affected area.

Step 3: Saw Off the Original Sill

Slice through the original caulking and sill once you have removed the rotted areas. From here, you can simply pry off each piece of the casing until you are back to the bare bones.

Be careful not to remove the original trim, as this can be helpful as a template when installing the new sills. Also, make sure the flashing is intact. Otherwise, your new sills won’t fix properly.

Step 4: Apply Adhesive

Once you have removed the old sill, drill holes roughly every sixteen inches along the original trim. You should then run a waterproof adhesive across the entire length of the trim.

The adhesive is where you will attach your new, rot-free window sill. It’s vital that the adhesive is waterproof to reduce the risk of rot reappearing in the future.

Step 5: Attach the New Sill

You should start by pressing your new sill onto the trim where you applied your adhesive. Then clamp the entire sill into place by drilling screws through the wood.

You can expect some adhesive to spill out the other side, but you can simply wipe this away once you’ve secured the screws.

You can use additional adhesive to fill the gaps between the new sill and the original trims.

Step 6: Hide the Screws

The appearance of screws in your new windowsill will be less than appealing, but we haven’t forgotten about them. All you need to do is fill in the screw gaps with adhesive.

Once it has hardened, sand it down so that it’s flat against the wood. Once it’s painted, it will hardly be noticeable.

Step 7: Apply Wood Hardener

The wood hardener will help in keeping your new sills in perfect condition. They will last for longer with the hardener, and it could help keep rot away for longer.

Apply a single coat, wait for it to dry, and then reapply a second coat. This layering will ensure that all bases are covered, and your new windowsill will be in the best position to resist the elements.

Step 8: Apply Filler

The filler is how you give your windowsill some much-needed shape. Apply generously to the wood sill and mold to the shape of the original frame.

This is a crucial part of the process as it will make your new sill look seamless compared to the rest of the window, rather than appearing as an apparent new addition.

Step 9: Sand Down the New Casings

You can sand however you wish to, but sandpaper is a perfectly valid option. Sand down the newly fitted areas until they are entirely smooth.

Sanding will help to improve how seamless the overall appearance is. If you can, change between coarse sandpaper and smoother selections as you go for an even better finish.

Step 10: Apply a New Coat of Paint

Congratulations, you’ve made it to the final step! All that is left to do is paint the finished product in the color of your choice.

Before you begin, make sure to place taping strips along the glass to avoid any bleeding. The last thing you want to do is paint your glass.

The paint will tie the entire process together, and (hopefully) once you’ve finished, you will never know there was even rot.

Repair or Replace?

The best route largely depends on how quickly you identified the rot and the extent of the damage before repairs.

Even if you do a great job fixing your windowsill, the structural integrity of the window itself may have become compromised. It could lead to more significant damage in the future, and you may simply be putting off the inevitable rather than fixing anything.

If you aren’t sure whether to go for repairs or outright replacement, contact a professional. They will be able to advise you on the best course of action, not only for your windowsill but for your structure as a whole.

How to Prevent Future Rotting

The most significant factor contributing to rot is excess moisture, especially with older houses—anything you can do to minimize the amount of contact your windowsill has with water, the better.

You can’t control the weather, so rain is fairly unavoidable, but you can watch for leaks. You should also look out for cracks around the frames and sills where water could potentially seep in and create water damage.

Once you have handled the leaks, investing in an effective fungicide can be a great way to keep rot at bay. It will kill any potential growth from the start, so significant damage can’t take place.

The old saying ‘prevention is cheaper than the cure’ holds even for rotting window sills. If you get in there quickly, you won’t need to spend as much on repairs or replacement.

Contact All Dry USA Today!

If you don’t feel confident about repairing the rotted windowsill yourself, or you need further advice, don’t hesitate to get in touch! All Dry USA will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Whether you want to do a repair or a replacement, we have the solution for you.

The most common reason for replacing a window sill is the usual tear and wear surfaces suffer due to use and weather. Moulded and rotten wood may not come as a surprise after years and, as we said before, cosmetic repairs can increase the value on a property.

We encourage you to change your window sill yourself but keep in mind this is a delicate process. You won't be working from scratch, hence it's very important to know how to remove the existing sill without messing up your window frames!

What you'll need to replace a window sill

We've put together a full list of the tools that you'll need for this job. You may have most of them already, but make sure you are fully equipped beforehand. Some tools you may be able to replace with, for example, an oscillating multitool. 

Set aside: a utility knife, a putty knife, chisel, pry bar, pliers, a mallet and/or a claw hammer, a multitool, a reciprocating saw, a drill, finishing nails, strong adhesive, a crayon or pencil, and measuring tape. Finally, you'll also need a table saw to cut the new sill, but of course, you can get this done at your closest warehouse.

Stage 1: Removing the old window sill

Once you've decided to get this done and you have your brand new window sill all good to go, you'd have to first remove the old sill. Always remember to proceed with care.

Cut through the layers of the window sill trim

After opening the window, use the utility knife to free the old sill. The goal is to loosen up the wooden sill trims, so first, you must cut through the layers of caulk, paint, and glue. Then, use your putty knife to help the sill loosen up even more. You can also do this with the blade of your oscillating multitool.

Pry the window sill up and out of the window frame

Grab the reciprocating saw and cut a vertical line into the window sill. We'd recommend using a power tool only if you are already quite handy! You can also cut 2 lines -one vertical and one diagonal that will help you remove a small piece first and then keep going. Be careful! You don't want to cut the outer sill, plus, you shouldn't hit the nails that keep both holding to each other by mistake.

If you'll do it the old way, use the putty knife, a small saw, a pry bar, and the chisel to pry up the sill. You may want to have your hammer or mallet, just in case. Depending on the condition of the window sill it may be quite tight or loose. Take the time you need to do this.

Most likely, the jambs will be nailed at the bottom, so keep the diagonal pliers handy and carefully remove the nails.

Stage 2: Installing the new window sill

Once you've removed the old sill, make sure to get the right measures so you can get the right sizes from the get-go. Use the sill you just removed as a template if needed to ensure the thickness is accurate.

Finally, once you are all good to go, follow the instructions for fitting the sill on Step 6 of this guide: "Fitting your window sill." Be very gentle during the process as you don't want to split your beautiful brand new sill! Remember to give the sill a tiny tilt to prevent mould and rot.

One of the advantages of getting a finished interior window sill is that you can count on professional design, great materials and a polished finishing, making the task way easier!