Windows tell stories, stories that live outside the four walls of the home. Every day when you stand at your window, you realize the value of having it for you like a faithful friend. Just like friends need attention, windows too need attention, care and some yearly rejuvenation. For windows to keep the charm and lend that to the house, they need renewal, repairs at-least once in a year. Usually, homeowners prefer to replace windows in case of major damage. But the fact remains that they can refurbish the old wooden windows by following some simple steps. Here are some.
- Remove the glass
In case of major repairs, it might become necessary to remove the glass completely, particularly a broken pane. Panes need to be handled carefully as there is a very high risk of breaking while repairing or removing them. First, soften the window glazing using a heat gun or hair dryer. Then, using a putty knife, gently remove the glazing off the frame. Remove the pins using pliers from the windowpane. Using a glass scraper, remove the glazing from the glass and loosen the pane by tapping on the pane along its entire length. Now the frame is loosened enough for the pane to come out unbroken.
2. Removing paint from Window Frame
Be it repainting the whole window frame or touching up certain spots, the process should be done with some care. Of course, the repainting depends on the state of the window and what you want to do with it. If you are aiming to retouch only certain parts of the frame, begin with chipping or flaking with a paint scrapper. To remove large areas of paint, you can apply chemical paint stripper–but do with a protective gear on and in fully ventilated areas. Just in case, if the windows are coated with lead paint, it requires a much more careful type of removal.
3. Repairing wood work
If beautifying windows is one thing, repairing them for rots and breakage is quite another. In case the damage is way too complicated to handle all by yourself, it is highly recommended you leave the job to a professional. Otherwise, following some simple steps can restore the damages. Use wood fillers to fill the cracks and holes using a wood filler and a wood glue to repair splintered or broken pieces with wood glue after removing the rusted and damaged hardware
4. Sanding down the window
Creating a smooth surface for painting is not a quick job. Running the sand paper across the surface would not give the required smoothness. Get hold of an orbital or hand sander and sand little by little so that the wood doesn’t get warped, preventing the pieces falling off. First remove the large nicks with a 40-grit sandpaper and then a finer sandpaper in case your window has finer details. Vacuum clean the entire window pane and apply mineral spirits to remove the leftover particles.
5. Painting old window frame
Now that the window frame is clean and polished, it is ready for beautification. Start with a primer or a pre-stain and then apply the actual paint. Two-in-one paint products are also available in the market. In that case, you can skip the first step. To protect the paint from the onslaught of harsh weather, apply a coat of wood stain or enamel paint. It also helps in preventing the window from sticking in the jambs. After applying the required number of coats, scrap the surface with 240-grit sandpaper so that the coats stick together. Fix the glass panes and your windows are ready for the next season.
