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Repairing Checked or Rotted Sills
Sills suffering from years of neglect can be returned to sound structural and cosmetic condition. Original sills in the 18th and 19th century were frequently 2" thick and made of old growth wood. Even with decades of neglect, they are still recoverable.
Modern epoxies such as Abatron, PC Woody or Flextec, to name a few can,
be used to fill checks and voids and even rebuild large areas of
damage.
The basic process is to remove the rotted or punky wood and use a liquid epoxy sometimes call consolidant to strengthen the damaged wood. Once the punky or rotted area is solidified, you can apply the epoxy paste/putty to rebuild the damaged area. It can then can be shaped with woodworking tools and sanded smooth. When painted they will look as good as new.
Caution: Do not apply epoxies to wet or damp wood. Use a heatgun on low or a
fan to dry the rotted area before applying any consolidant. Failure to
do so will create a repair that will fail.
Damage to nose of sill: Sills made in the 20th century are more prone to rot and failure than their antique cousins. Sometimes the damage on the nose of a sill can repaired by removing the damaged area and splicing in a new piece.
Did you build one of the OWRs steam cabinets?
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your photos and stories. Email to oldewindows@gsinet.net and I will
post on a page with other restoration stories. If you have a blog, send
us a link.
Note: There was no March newsletter as my staff of one fell behind..
Have suggestion for a future newsletter or would like to contribute a short article. Just send me an email.. Share your success stories as well.
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