Sash Window Repair
‘At Renosash, our philosophy to sash window repair is to use high quality materials, with the best methods to gain the greatest results.’
Sash Windows have stood the test of time and offer excellent functionality compared to more modern designs, sash window repair is a fantastic way to keep your windows in great usable condition.
The timber used in traditional sash windows was of a higher quality than most modern timber windows, older timber allowed to season before put into production. Despite this we often find that over time many sash windows have been allowed to weather, received poor repair, have been neglected, sealed shut, or covered over.
Professional Sash Window Repair helps retain the architectural heritage of your windows and home, providing character, beauty, and performance hard to achieve with modern replacement windows.
With our sash window repair and master craftsmanship we can fully remove complete sections of your windows which have been affected by deterioration and rot, treat the surrounding areas, replace the required components with profile matched sections of hardwood timber. Jointing the new hardwood timber to the existing timber using high quality epoxy resins. This is an excellent method of sash window repair, the combination of new hardwood timber jointed to the existing quality original timber ensures your windows will last for many more decades to come.
The areas normally effected by rot are the sills and lower rails of each sash, as these are the areas most exposed to the elements, fitting hardwood to these weather effected is a great way to improve your windows to preserve and protect them for the future.
Things to consider when choosing your sash window repairer is the check the level of repair that is being undertaken. We have viewed and come across many inadequate repair methods. This ranges from cheap 2 part polyester filler repairs, more commonly known as 2 pac which although sold as an exterior repair system is usually unsuitable for major exterior timber repair. The 2 part polyester fillers are the same compound as car body fillers, they are prone to cracking and breakdown when exposed to movement and moisture. We’ve all seen cracked blistering paint on old car wheel arches when they have been cheaply filled rather than had metal replaced. The same theory applies to timber windows, timber expands and contracts as it is exposed to temperature and moistures changes, 2 part fillers often crack and come away from the joining timber and allow moisture in behind which then accelerates the rate of deterioration. There is also evidence that the 2 part filler compound actually absorbs moisture once the paint seal is broken. 2 part fillers still have there place for minor or decorative repairs but for major timber repairs in the heavily weathered areas a much stronger system or repair is required. Another example we have come across is removing part sections of rotten timber such as the front nose of cills and glueing new pieces to the remaining timber. To explain the main issue here we need to realise that the original section of timber was jointed to the surround timber and continues into the sides of the sash box, often just removing part of the affected area means the rot is still present in the surrounding adjoining timber and will continue to deteriorate, often prematurely causing the new sections of timber to rot or brake the joining seal. For full professional repair complete sections need to be removed which often involves removing and replacing or refitting joining timber to ensure the rot has been removed.
At Renosash our philosophy to sash window repair is to use high quality materials, with the best methods to gain the greatest results. Traditional sash windows have stood the test of time and with proper care and attention they will continue to serve us for many more years to come.
Though it may seem as though your windows are beyond economic repair, we find that even in the most extreme cases, the cost of sash window repair is more cost effective than replacing your windows for new. While also maintaining the original look and character of your period sash windows.
Sash Window Repairs We Provide:
-Full hardwood cill replacements: Removing lower parts of the sash box to gain access to remove the rotten cill, treating remaining sound surrounding timber, re-fitting new hardwood Sapele cills matched to original profile, replacing any rotten lower sash box sections of timber with new replacement hardwood. The hardwood cill and sash box timber is reassembled and jointed together with high quality epoxy resins.
-Bottom and top sash repairs: common areas effected on the sashes are the bottom rails and meeting rails. Similar to above cill replacement, we remove the complete effected rail, treat the surrounding timber on stiles and glazing bars, and refit complete new hardwood rails profile matched as closely as possible to your existing sash profile, professionally jointed and secured with epoxy. In some case where the rot has travelled up the stile we can also replace sections of stiles before fitting the new rails. This especially helps save sashes with particular historic value such as 6 and 8 pane sashes.
-Epoxy Resin Repairs: where areas of timber are only effected in a minor way, a professional epoxy repair can be efficient. Grinding the affected area back to solid sound timber, treating the affected area, and rebuilding with high quality listed building approved epoxy.
-Replacement bottom sash, top sash, or both sashes: In extreme cases the sashes either individual or both require replacement. We use high quality local joinery shops to produce sash windows matched as closely as possible to your existing profile and design and fit these to your existing sash box/ frame. This repair offers less disruption to surrounding brick work and plaster than complete replacement windows while retaining your period cord and a weight sash box.
For the best local sash window repair you can contact us on our contact page, we look forward to helping you with your windows.