How to Remove a Window Sill
Windows let in light and air and remind us that the world is a much bigger place than our stuffy little rooms. From time to time, they also require repairs. A split sill can cause a window to leak, or allow air to travel in and out, robbing you of your climate-controlled temperature. Removing a window sill in preparation for repair or replacement is a simple task, although it may require a little elbow grease if the window is old. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Lift the sash of the interior window up as high as it will go and brace it in place, if needed. Open the storm window and remove the screen if your window is so equipped. This will clear the decks for the sill removal and help prevent broken glass being added to an already challenging situation. Locate the edge of the sill, which is the interior horizontal plate just inside the bottom edge of the window sash when it is in its closed, or lowered position.
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Cut along the edge of the sill on both sides and underneath with a utility knife to cut any old caulking or paint that may make the window sill difficult to remove.
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Tap on the bottom of the sill from underneath with a hammer firmly; if the sill lifts up, continue tapping and remove. If not, as is usually the case, set a wide-bladed wood chisel, beveled side up, with its blade horizontal in the seam underneath the front edge of the window sill at one side of the window. Tap this chisel firmly into the seam with a hammer until the seam begins to widen.
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Move the chisel over an inch or two and repeat the process, working across the bottom of the window. Insert a small, flat pry bar into this seam and pry up against the sill, lifting it up. Continue prying until the sill lifts free from its fasteners and is able to be removed from the window. If replacement is the goal, keep the old sill for use as a template.
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References
- Photo Credit window; image by lisichka from Fotolia.com
