Repairing Wooden Window Frames

Regardless of the age of our home, many of us have replaced our old wooden framed windows with the more efficient plastic UPVC type of double glazed units. While these look OK and keep the heat in, on older style properties they can look out of place. For that reason (and the cost factor) some people still have wooden framed windows which take some maintenance to keep in good shape.

Windows which are exposed to the wind, rain and strong sunlight may have issues with peeling paint, cracking, loss of compound holding the windows in place and even rot or wood lice getting into the wood and causing holes and damage. It is surprisingly easy and cheap to repair a wooden framed window and it is a job which can be done in around 2-4 hours per window and for just a few pounds.

• Start by checking the frame by giving it a good prod with a screwdriver. This will identify any holes or rotted wood. Sand off old paint leaving the whole frame clean and dry.
• Scrape out any loose or cracked window putty and apply new putty to hold the window in place.
• Remove rotten wood with a chisel making sure you remove around 2 cm of material on each edge of the rotten material. Keep the edges as even as possible to make the repair even easier.
• Large areas may require the use of a saw. In rare cases you may even have to replace whole sills, but for our purposes we will keep to the smaller patching jobs.
• Hold a new piece of wood to the cut hole and mark the approximate size. Use a saw to cut the piece to size and insert it into the hole to check how well it fits.
• Use a wood preservative to paint the hole and the new piece of wood to prevent future mould issues.
• Glue the patch into place and leave to dry overnight. Large pieces my need to be screwed into place or you can use wooden dowels if the patch is in an obvious spot.
• Sand the patch until it is completely flush with the rest of the frame and use a wood filler to fill any small cracks, including those anywhere else on the frame. Wood filler can also be used to recreate any shapes or mouldings which might be on the frame.
• Allow the filler to dry and reapply if required. Filler will shrink as it dries so reapplication may be required. Sand the filler so it is smooth.
• You should now have a complete window frame ready for painting.
• Apply tape around the edges of the window, so you don't have to scrape paint off later and apply a primer to the whole frame, paying special attention to the new sections.
• Use an exterior paint to the colour of your choice. The windows could be simply varnished and left natural, but the filler and new pieces of wood may be visible.

By using these methods once every few years you can expect that your wooden windows will last you for a very long time. Regular maintenance is the key to keeping wood in good condition. Not much can be done about the loss of heat through the single glazing, but at least they look professional, cared for and in keeping with a period home.