Replacing window sill walls

The need to replace window sill walls would normally arise for homes that were built before the 1960's- a time when the preferred building style was to have wood sash windows. These types of windows have sloped sills made of wood outside and the main function of this feature was to drain water away from the window.

There is the option of a pressure-treated replacement, which nips the problem in the bud and chances of recurrence are minimal but a faster and more economical solution would be an epoxy patch as an effective quick fix method. Most repair kits have a consolidator that hardens any wood as well as a two-part epoxy and if properly mixed and used with the necessary fillers, structural epoxies are stronger than the original wood. Replacing a window sill is relatively simple. One would be to take out the old sill and then cut a replacement for it and install the same.

Simple steps for replacing window sill walls:

First take the overall measurements of the window sill walls for width, length and thickness and then remove the sash channel trim and side pieces of casing trim to get access to the sill. With a small pry bar, work away any loose trim and rest this bar on a scrap lumber to keep it from spoiling other walls. Then pull away all nails or jambs from the window with pliers through the back of the trim. Using the old sill as a template for replacement, slowly ease it away with as little damage as possible. The pattern of the old sill can be traced directly on to the new lumber or precise measurements made for the same and then this can be cut out with a saber saw. Use of a fine toothed blade would give a smooth finish to the cuts made and reduce the need for hours of sanding, which may be restricted only for the grain cuts that are on the surface. The new sill can be fitted in place using a couple of nails and the same holds true for the trims that were removed. For added security, countersink all nails with a nail set and fill all nail holes with wood putty. Paint or wood stain to match the dcor would be the finishing touch required to round off the window sill replacement in your wall.

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