How To Fix Window Sill Rot
Here in the scenic Northeast, we are normally blessed with an abundant supply of precipitation. Sometimes, information technology'south even a tad Likewise abundant, resulting in inundation gutters. We'll evidence yous how to remedy that unhappy state of affairs, past adding a downspout, in an upcoming mail. Meanwhile, we'll show you lot how to fix one of the consequences of those overflowing gutters, every bit we detail how to set a rotted windowsill.
The sill nosotros're using as our test subject has been the victim of several years of water cascading downward on information technology from a gutter above it. While I'm thrilled we alive in an area where water is plentiful, that water can cause an astonishing corporeality of damage when it finds its way into your house. And it'south VERY good at finding its style in. Looking at our sill, there was apparently just a pocket-sized rotted area.
When I started pulling things apart, I found extensive harm to the sill. The siding behind it was too wet and rotted, too equally the apron trim under the sill. There was also a small expanse of rot at the bottom of the side casing. Unpleasant surprises are the norm when yous determine to fix a rotted windowsill. Don't let it intimidate you, though; it'southward not all that hard to deal with. Grab your tools, and let'south get it done, earlier it rains once again!
Tools You Need To Prepare A Rotted Windowsill
Fortunately, the tools and techniques needed to fix a rotted windowsill are pretty central. You'll demand a pry bar, a hook hammer, a utility knife, a record measure, a round saw, and either a precipitous chisel or an aquiver multitool to cut out the rotted stuff you're certain to notice backside the trim. If you take access to a table saw, it will make it much easier to cut the angle on the new sill. If non, it can be done with a circular saw and a steady manus. Y'all'll besides need some sandpaper, primer and a paint brush.
I Don't Mean To Pry…
Before you go shopping for materials to fix a rotted windowsill, you demand to know how extensive the impairment is. Note: Before you lot start your demo, make a note of how long your sill and apron are, as well equally whatsoever other rotted trim you'll be pulling off. At present allow'due south get cranking!
Start at the bottom, with the frock trim, and work your way upwardly. To avoid peeling pigment off of siding and trim that will be staying, use a utility knife to score the paint and caulk where they run across.
Get your pry bar behind the apron by gently tapping it with your hammer, and slowly piece of work your way from one end to the other, prying slowly and being careful non to scuff or dent your siding.
Once the apron is off, echo the process with the sill. Again, make certain you score any areas where it contacts trim that won't be removed. If there are nails left behind when the trim is off, brand sure you pull them out. Make sure y'all save a piece of the sill, then y'all tin can apply it to friction match the angle when it'due south time to cut the new sill.
If the rot extends vary far into your vertical trim, you may have to pull it off and supersede information technology likewise. If information technology's non extensive, there'south another choice: cutting out the rotted area, and employ epoxy woods filler to fill in the gap. It's non as well expensive, and when mixed and installed properly, it's actually stronger than wood, and it tin exist shaped, sanded, nailed, screwed and painted. That's what I use to fix pocket-sized areas of rot on whatever trim when I prepare a rotted windowsill.
Once the damaged stuff is off, accept a good look at what was behind information technology. If the sill was pretty rotted, at that place's a good chance that water worked its way in behind it, and rotted siding, and possibly fifty-fifty framing members. Employ your chisel or multitool, and get rid of any wood that's rotted, crumbling or punky.
I had to cutting out a piece of the siding that had been behind the apron, and some of the sheathing behind it was damp but not rotted. If you have any wood that's solid but damp, brand sure you let information technology dry completely before you put everything dorsum together. I left it open for a couple of days of sunny weather, and finished the water adjournment by using a heat gun for a couple of hours. If you lot go that road, don't proceed the gun close to the wood for long; some heat guns get hot enough to start a burn down. I had mine a couple of anxiety abroad, propped upward and aimed at the damp area.
Getting The Materials You Need To Gear up A Rotted Windowsill
Information technology's piece of cake to figure out what you need to gear up a rotted windowsill once the bad parts are out. There are many sizes and styles of windows, of course, and yous want to match what was there as closely every bit possible. Many window sills, including ours, are 1-1/two" thick. This makes replacement simple, as the new sill can exist cut from a standard ii×4 or 2×6. Measure the thickness and length of your sill, and add it to your list.
If yous had damaged siding behind the apron or sill, you need to replace that likewise. If it volition be completely covered when you install the new apron, you're in luck – you can employ any textile that's the same thickness as the sometime siding. If part of it will show, have a piece of the textile you cut out to your home center or lumberyard, and get the closest match you can.
For the apron trim, and the side casing if needed, mensurate the width, length and thickness of the old piece. If you're lucky (once again!), information technology may be a standard dimensional slice, similar a one×4 (actually 3-1/2" wide) or a i×half-dozen (5-1/2" wide). If it's an oddball size – ours was four-1/two" – get the adjacent size up, and rip information technology to the width you need with a tabular array saw or circular saw.
Something you may want to consider when yous're shopping for replacement parts to gear up a rotted windowsill: Many trim parts made of PVC are available. They can be cut and nailed but like forest trim, and they DON'T ROT! They are a fair flake more expensive; the 1x6x8' piece of PVC trim I bought was $20, clear pine would have been around $8. If you're planning on staying put awhile, I call up it's coin well spent. At least next time you accept to supercede a rotted windowsill, information technology shouldn't be that one.
While you're shopping, catch a tube of practiced paintable acrylic caulk, and some galvanized nails. Y'all'll desire some 8-penny finish nails for the apron, and 16-penny sinkers for the sill. Don't skimp and apply regular "bright" nails; they'll rust and eventually disintegrate if they get at all damp.
Prepare A Rotted Windowsill – And Help Prevent A Relapse
Once you lot've retrieved all your parts, information technology's fourth dimension to start putting everything back together. Get-go, cut the angle on your sill. Near sills are designed with a few degrees of down slope, to assist them shed water. Some water, anyhow. If you have a table saw, fix the angle on the blade to match the angle on that bit slice of sill you saved. Then prepare the cutting width to lucifer the width of the sill, and simply run information technology through.
If you're using a circular saw, gear up the angle of the blade to match the former sill, and marker a cutting line on top of the work piece. Make your angled cutting in the center of the piece. Go along the saw as steady and direct every bit you tin can; apply a guide if one is available.
Once your angle is cutting, the hardest part is done. Now cutting your piece to length, and requite the edges, and any surfaces that will exist exposed, a skillful sanding. This will help them take paint better, and they'll look much amend when you're finished. Pigment ALL surfaces – fifty-fifty the areas that will exist hidden – with a glaze of good primer. Exercise the same with your apron trim, and any other trim pieces or siding y'all're replacing. This will as well help delay the next occasion you lot'll have to prepare a rotted windowsill.
Work your way from the inside out. Make sure everything is completely dry within, and supplant any sheathing and siding, attaching everything with galvanized nails. Caulk any seams. Next goes the sill. Unremarkably the sill extends a short distance across the side casing trim on each side; make certain the sill is centered, with an equal overhang on each side.
Push the sill upward snug to the bottom of whatsoever vertical trim, and nail it in place using your 16D galvanized nails, making sure the nails are positioned to become into the framing members (studs or window framing). Now attach the apron. Usually the apron is shorter than the sill, and sized to line up with the outside edges of your side casing. Push the apron upward snug against the sill, and nail it with 8D galvanized end nails, again trying to hit framing members whenever possible. Caulk any seams.
If you have vertical trim to replace, cut it to fit, keeping in listen that the surface that rests on the sill should have a slight bending cutting, to match the slope of the sill. Make certain to match whatsoever reveal on other areas of the window, and to line upwards the outer edge with the edge of the apron trim. Caulk any seams.
If you had a small surface area to patch, like I did, at present'south the time. Unless the space you're filling is very pocket-size, information technology's a good idea to add a petty "rebar" to give the filler something extra to grab onto. I used a couple of construction-grade screws, screwed into the siding and studs, and set nearly ane/four" beneath where the finished surface will exist.
Mix up your epoxy woods filler post-obit the directions on the container, and fill in the gaps. Apply a putty pocketknife to become the surface every bit smooth and close to the existing trim as possible. Permit it set up according to the directions, then sand information technology to blend in with the residuum of the trim, caulk it, and prime it.
In one case everything is in place, the concluding step to ready a rotted windowsill is to put a coat or two of practiced-quality exterior paint on all your repairs. This, of course, will look all spiffy and new, whereas the residue of the trim may not have seen a paintbrush for a while. Try cleaning the remaining trim, and hopefully it will exist shut enough that information technology won't bother you. If you just tin can't stand it, repaint the residuum of the trim on the window.
And that'southward it – now you lot know how to fix a rotted windowsill! Hopefully that was the simply one; if non, rinse and repeat. And if the issue was due to an overflowing gutter, check back presently, and we'll show you how to add a downspout, and then you can make the h2o become where YOU want information technology to go.
Source: https://homefixated.com/how-to-fix-a-rotted-windowsill/
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