Home Renovation Tips: How To Replace A Windowsill

by

Rot, natural elements, and wear and tear are few of the many reasons why you should replace a windowsill. Damaged or destroyed windowsills aren’t aesthetically appealing and can ruin your chances of improving the curb value of your home. Herein lies the challenge as you now need to replace these parts of your home’s windows. In this post, you’re going to learn the necessary steps to replace a windowsill. 

What Tools Do You Need To Replace A Windowsill?

Before you start removing your old windowsills, you need to procure the necessary tools and materials first. Adequate preparation is essential to reduce the stress involved in this particular remodeling job.

Also, make sure to measure the room using an online calculator, like the one at the Skirting Board Shop. Remember to add a 10% allowance for wastage.

Now, here’s a checklist of items you’ll need to get you started in your search:

  • Drill
  • Nails or screws
  • Hacksaw
  • Hammer
  • Handsaw
  • Matching lumber
  • Measuring tape
  • Paint
  • Pliers
  • Primer
  • Pry bar
  • Reciprocating saw
  • Shims

Take note that different windowsill designs may require different replacement methods. Thus, you may or may not need some of the equipment listed above. Assess the job properly, and you can save money from buying extra tools and materials.

How To Prepare Your Windowsill For Replacement

After procuring the appropriate pieces of equipment, it’s time to prepare the area for windowsill replacement. Follow these guidelines to help get the area prepped the proper way:

  1. Use a hammer or utility knife to break and remove the caulking or sealant from the old windowsill.
  2. Use a pry bar to remove the windowsill from the frame.
  3. Pry the trim material or side casing if needed.
  4. Set the side casing for reattachment.
  5. If your home has sloping windowsills, you also need to remove the wooden supports.
  6. Use a rag and other cleaning materials to remove any debris left in the frame.
  7. Apply sandpaper and solvents to remove flushed parts of the sill.
  8. Use a screwdriver or hammer to remove leftover nails or screws.
  9. If you have rotten windowsills, remove all rotted wood from the frame.
  10. Measure the now empty sill space. Determine if you need a 2-by-4 or 2-by-6 board afterward. Ensure that the procured board is larger than the sill space.
  11. Use the old sill as a template to determine the correct measurement of the new sill.
  12. Use a jigsaw to cut the new windowsill to the correct size and shape.

After getting the desired size and shape for your new windowsill, it’s time to affix the new piece to the frame. But, you may want to repaint the sill before installing it. If so, consider painting the windowsill first before affixing it into the frame.

Make sure that you wait for an ample amount of time for the paint to dry before the installation. Otherwise, sliding a newly painted windowsill will ruin the paint job. ‘

How To Install A New Windowsill Correctly

Now that you have the new windowsill prepared, you should have everything ready to place the new piece into the frame. Here are the steps to help you install the new windowsill correctly:

  1. Look at the new sill and determine if you need to make extra adjustments.
  2. Make all the additional adjustments as needed.
  3. Grab your drill and create holes on the new sill. The holes will avoid cracks to appear as you affix the sill into the frame.
  4. Place screws on the sill’s outer areas, ensuring that all screws are in the exact place.
  5. Set new screws about six inches apart from each other. These new screws will help secure the sill in place.
  6. Add caulk to the screw heads.
  7. Apply caulk around the windowsill edges.
  8. Wait approximately 24 hours for the caulk to dry and settle.

At this point, you can go back to any step that might need additional fine-tuning. After waiting for 24 hours or more, you should now have a windowsill that you can flaunt with the rest of the house.

Conclusion

Sills are integral components of the overall window design. Don’t disregard replacing these components when they become damaged or rotten. Replacing a windowsill might look challenging at first, but it’s not impossible to accomplish. Let this guide help you replace your property’s windowsill efficiently and correctly. Also, it would be wise if you don’t rush the replacement job as hurrying may open rooms for error.

Please comment