How to prepare window frames for painting?

[AmberM]

Hello - I have some very damaged window frames I’d like to get painted in the new year.

Is there anything I can do to prepare these for the painter? Would it be worth chipping off the existing paint and splinters or sanding the wood back?

I don’t know if some of this is actually ‘wood rot’. I think some of the windows have copped some rain over the years.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

  

[EricL]

Hello @AmberM 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your window frame.

A quick way to determine if the frame is rotten is to push a screwdriver on its surface. If the wood sinks all the way in the wood is rotten. But if it only marginally sinks then it is just soft surface damage and can be repaired using Earl's 250ml Wood Hardener. Uneven sections or sections that have sunk deeper can be patched using Turbo 500ml Builder's Bog.

I suggest sanding the entire surface and chipping away all the old paint. I then recommend removing all the sanding dust on the surface and masking the glass sections of the window to prevent overpainting. I recommend using Dulux 1Step Prep Primer, Sealer & Undercoat 4L to prime the surface and Dulux 4L Aquanamel Semi Gloss White Enamel Paint for the top coat.

Here are some handy guides that will help:

• How to paint window frames
  
  
• How To Paint Timber Window Frames

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[AmberM]

Thanks Eric - this is awesome. I’m excited to tackle this now 😊

[AmberM]

Hi again,

So I tested the wood with a screwdriver as suggested. The corner of the frame is soft but not completely rotten (might be okay with wood hardener), but the inside of the frame crumbles completely when pressed in that corner. I think maybe there is some localised wood rot and it’s only just spreading to the front of the frame. 

I can’t find issues with other sections, but I was wondering how this could possibly be resolved without replacing the entire set of window frames. I assume it will keep spreading if the wood is not replaced…

If I do replace the frames, would double glazing be an option? I think it would be great for energy efficiency…

What kind of contractor would I need for a job like that?

Thanks,

Amber 

  

[JacobZ]

Hi @AmberM,

Wood rot is a sign that water is getting in somewhere, so if you were to repair and not replace the frames, you would need to track down and seal the source of the water. This can be a bit tricky as water can find its way in through a small gap somewhere around the window and track its way down through the wall, along the window frame and eventually pool at the bottom of the window where it will sit and rot out the timber. If you have a look around the outside of the window frame, can you identify any gaps that could be potential entry points? If so, they would need to be sealed in some way, likely with silicone or a similar filler.

Typically, a timber window is constructed as a whole unit and then is installed into the frame. The rot you've shown in your images is on the stiles and bottom rail of the window unit, meaning you couldn't really remove the individual timbers and replace them without taking the whole window out. You could repair them with a wood hardener and filler or by cutting out a section of the timber and replacing it, but the viability of this all depends on how bad the rot is. If you could gently push on it with your finger and it crumbles, repairing with wood hardener is probably out of the question.

If you wanted to look at a repair involving cutting out a section and replacing it, I'd suggest speaking with a carpenter or glazier with experience with timber window repairs. If you Google "timber window repairs near me", you should be able to find some companies that specialise in this sort of thing.

I imagine you would be able to install double glazing if you decided to remove and replace them, but it would be best to speak with the professionals to ensure there is a method that would suit. Again, a carpenter or glazier with experience with timber windows would be the way to go.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[AmberM]

Thank you so much for this advice, Jacob. Much appreciated ☺️