So you want to do a sash window repair project on your old window. I tell you, the fulfillment of having to bring it back to tip top shape is gratifying.
But before you start, do consider that it takes skill and the right tools to repair and old sash window. Also, personal safety is important as you will be using power tools. (Read our DIY safety guide)
Now since there would be no way for me to know how good you are at fixing old windows, the best thing I could offer is guide you through the entire process.
For your sash window repair project, you need to start with;
Tools & supplies:
• Flat head screwdriver
• Pry bar or crow bar
• Utility knife
• Heat gun with nozzle shield
• Putty knife
• Dremel or a rotary tool with carving bit
• Natural bristle brush for oil-based primer
• Synthetic filament brush for the top coat
• Flexible epoxy wood repair system
• Plexiglass
• Oil-based primer
• Acrylic latex paint
• Glazing compound
• Glazier’s points
• Weatherstripping, if necessary
• Sash cord or chains
• Silicon spray
Step by step DIY sash window repair:
Step 1: Removing the sash
• Remove the mouldings in front of the lower sash
• Gently pull out the lower sash and remove the chains or cords on either side
• Remove the parting beads, they’re the vertical strips that hold the upper sash in place
• Take away the upper sash and remove its chains or cords
• Remove the sash hardware
Step 2: Removing the glass
• Set the heat gun to medium and use it to soften old, hard putty.
• Use a putty knife to scrape the putty and expose the metal glazier’s points.
• Pry these points out of the wood.
• Carefully remove the glass making sure you label it so you can put it back properly.
Step 3: Cleaning out the joints
• Use the Dremel or rotary tool to grind away rotten or soft wood. Look in places where sash joints are open or loose.
Step 4: Rebuilding the cleaned-out joints with epoxy
• Brush the epoxy primer on the joints and leave it to set for at least 20 minutes.
• Mix the epoxy to a Vaseline-like consistency.
• Place the mix into the joint and spread it over the sides making sure you restore the original shape
• Leave it overnight
• Use a utility knife to trim excess epoxy
We’re halfway through the DIY sash window repair and things are still quite simple, right?
Step 5: Priming the sash
• Wait another day for the epoxy to fully cure
• Sand the sash using 100 grit paper
• Seal the wood using oil-based primer
Step 6: Bedding the glass
• Place the sash with its exterior side up
• Roll glazing compound into a rope and press into the groove
• Press the pane gently into the compound until it’s bedded about 1/16 of an inch from the bottom of the groove
Step 7: Inserting points
• Use a putty knife to slide the new glazier’s points onto the glass pushing the points first into the wood sash.
• Place at least two evenly-spaced points on each side of the pane
• For large panes, don’t space them farther than 12 inches.
Step 8: Finishing and painting
• Make another rope of compound and press it around the edge of the pane.
• Use a putty knife to make a smooth bevel between the sash and the glass
• Repeat for the other panes
• After a week, coat the putty using oil-based primer
• Apply top coat on the putty and sash using acrylic latex paint
Step 9: Putting the sash back in place
• Remove the old weatherstripping and apply a new one
• Clean and reattach the hardware
• Lubricate the pulleys
• Reattach the chains or cords of the upper sash
• Reinstall or replace the parting beads
• Hook the chains or cords to the lower sash then reattach the stops to keep the sash in place.
That’s it, you’re done!
I hope this article has helped you with your DIY sash window repair project. If it did, do share it with others or leave a message below. But in the event that you actually damaged it more, send us an email and let us fix it for you.
