ᐅ Can Wooden Windows Still Be Restored?

Hello dear forum,

We recently bought a (still quite) nice house, and as is often the case, once the initial excitement after signing the contract has settled, you start noticing a few defects here and there.

The windows in the bedrooms and children's rooms face the weather side (full sun all day, often windy). During the viewing, we already noticed the wood looked very dry, and there were some areas where the paint was peeling. The seller promised to take care of this (including a full repainting of the facade, as he owns a painting company). However, after the work was done, we realized he just painted over it. Below the surface, the paint is peeling again, and the wood between the seals doesn’t look very good anymore.

Our relatively generous budget has quickly shrunk due to various renovation works (bathroom, wallpaper in a smoking household, kitchen) and many unexpected issues. That’s why we are now looking for a way to refresh the windows for a few more years. Unfortunately, these are not standard windows but an expensive and complex batten dormer.

Attached are two pictures of the two worst spots. Is it still possible to make the windows good for a few more years, and what would be the best approach? They are still sealed well and close properly.

Regards

Is the wood still solid, or is it soft and rotted? It’s hard to tell from the pictures.
Best regards,

Andreas

Hard to describe. With enough pressure, it can definitely be pushed in. I would describe it as very dry but still somewhat firm.

Then one idea would be to simply sand down and repaint. That should last a few more years if the material underneath is still in good condition.

Best regards,

Andreas

I just came across my own thread while searching for something else. To clarify, we ended up replacing the window after all. Later on, a large rotten piece of wood was discovered in the frame because the exterior windowsill had been installed with the wrong angle back then (water was pooling instead of draining away). Unfortunately, we went with an affordable carpenter who installed a cheap plastic window for us. Don’t get me wrong, the carpenter’s work was fine — hardly any mess, clean installation, no need for further touch-ups. However, the window itself is poor quality; they have already come back three times to adjust it (including removing the sash and re-shimming it), but it still doesn’t open and close properly. On top of that, the seals are very basic, so it noticeably lets drafts in during winter and storms. Well, we’re both just under 30 years old and you learn from mistakes. Next time we’ll choose something better.

Now to the main point: We wanted to properly secure and repaint/stain our ground floor windows. My wife and I tried, but it looks absolutely terrible — we’re both pretty clumsy with these tasks. Now I have the problem that nobody wants to do this work.

Who is responsible for window renovation? The carpenter says to go to the painter, and the painter says to go to the carpenter. Right now, I don’t even know who to contact.

In the end, it doesn’t matter whether a carpenter or a painter does it. Call everyone and see who is willing to take on the job. I believe larger companies don’t have time for such small tasks. Either use MyHammer or a similar platform. There are quite a few tradespeople who get small jobs that way, often based on recommendations.