How to Repair a Window Frame

Rotten spots on a window frame are an eyesore as well as a safety hazard. A weakened window frame can allow water from rain or melting snow into the home, and eventually, the rotten frame may cause the window pane to fall. Repairing the window frame is one way to minimize the chance of serious damage occurring.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver or drill
• Wood preservative
• Wood putty
• Sandpaper
• Paint

Instructions

1. Assess the damage. If more than 10 percent of the window frame is damaged, replace the entire window.

2. Remove any rotten wood from the window frame. If the area is small, use a screwdriver to hollow out the rotten wood. If the area is large, use a drill. When using a screwdriver, use a scooping motion to remove the rotten wood. When you use a drill, start in the center of the rotten wood and hollow the area out using circular motions with the drill. Try to remove only the affected wood.

3. Treat the wood with a wood preservative. It is best to apply the wood preservative over the entire window frame. This minimizes the chance of wood near the damaged area becoming rotten. However, you can treat the hollowed out area and 1 inch around the hollowed area if you are unable to treat the entire frame.

4. Fill in the area with wood putty or epoxy. If the damage goes deep into the frame, you may have to build up the putty in layers to make it look like the frame. Let the putty dry 24 to 48 hours.

5. Sand the area to make it smooth. If the rest of your window frame isn't completely smooth, use an 80-grit sandpaper to rough up the frame.

6. Paint the window frame. If you want the repaired portion of the frame to look the same as the entire frame, paint the entire window frame.

Tips & Warnings

• Maintain the windows by cleaning them and repainting as necessary to prevent damage from becoming severe.