# Refurb of Sunroom windows



## bluekingfisher (Mar 30, 2010)

I knew I had to replace a couple of glazing beads but soon relished the damage was worse then I had initially thought on my conservatory/sunroom windows.

The following photos show the damage from rot and the subsequent repair. From start to finish the job took me three full days although there was a little teeth sucking and chin scratching at first which took a good part of the first morning.




























As you can see, the damage was quite extensive and so the frame had to come out. This I have to admit caused me some Concern at first as I was not sure how the sections were made up. As it turned out they were screwed together with 12G 2.5" screws. Simple.

As you see, the damage permeated into the sill. In order to replace the whole section would have meant taking out the adjacent window to the left, so I soaked it in wood preserver, let it dry overnight and then two coats of wood hardner. Once dry I set about filling the hole with a two part polyester filler. The instructions recommended that a dollop of the filler the size of a golf ball and a squirt of hardner the size of a pea. I followed this instruction, just as well I did because it goes off quick, sets hard enough to sand in about five minutes, so I didn't,t take long to fill the hole in the sill. I have to say I am very impressed with this product. Very quick to set and takes stain well. Time will tell if it holds up to a British winter/s



















When I got the frame n the bench the bottom rail had completely disintegrated.










Not only were the two styles of the frame and sill rotted out, so too was the vertical support beam where as window frames turn the corner it being a hexagonal shaped room the beam was 56mm with a chamfered fronts then tapered back to 4mm at the back towards the inside of the room. If memory serves the chamfers were 14 degrees and the taper angle was 23 degrees. The cross section photo below shows the angles.




























At this point I will say all of the timber I used was recycled parts from door jambs I found in dumpsters or in some cases the parts from our original,front door we had replaced earlier in the year. The timber was a mix of mahogany sapele, or meranti and teak.I didn't,t have enough, or thick enough sections for the triangular shaped section so I laminated two 30mm boards together with title bond III glue. Hope it holds.



















Next I had to make up the sections to match the existing frames. I milled these parts from an odd shaped section of an old door jamb.










The sections of frame were 75mm x 50 mm and needed groves milled to take the weather seal. All of this mill work was done at the table saw.










I cut about 200mm off the bottom of each style of the frame and cut a scarf joint to give as much glue area as possible. I cut a single biscuit joint in each section to help with alignment and to keep the parts from sliding around when I was screwing them together.

The bottom rail was attached to the vertical styles with a stub through tenon. I marked out then cut the mortices at the bandsaw. This was cut and milled from the hinge side style of the front door we replaced early this year.



















A little hand tool work finished the joint.



















I drilled holes for 50mm screws then filled the holes with plugs cut at the drill press.



















The distance between the verticals was exactly 550mm so to aid glue up and to keep the frame square I cut a scrap to that size then clamped it to the inside of the frame near the base and held it tight with a lightweight bar clamp.










Once the glue was dry I applied two coats of dark oak stain, let it dry then a coat of red mahogany. This got the colour close to the original colour. The final exterior coats would blend any difference in the colour.

Once I had it glued it forgot to mill the weep or drain holes on the bottom rail. After I measured where they should be I cut them with a back saw. I made sure I tapered the slop from back to front to let the water wick away. I think this is what may have been, or at least partly responsible for the rot.



















With the frame about done I had to mill the new glazing bead and the trim to cover joints between the frames. The bead was milled from and old teak door threshold. Teak should last my time but I gave it liberal coats of wood preserver. Compare the original bead to the new beading I milled at the table saw. Some awkward angles here but I think it turned out OK.




























The joint trim was just over 6mm thick, I managed to get the thickness at the planer quite close lol.



















The importance of accurate milling of the weather seal groves paid off when I reinstalled the weather seal.










Surprisingly the frame went back into place very well despite being a friction fit. Once in I had to pack the glazed unit a tad to ensure it was square and level. The glazed panel is held in place by a plastic weather guard to wick away the water. It just slipped into the frame between the glazed unit and the frame. The whole unit is held in place with the glazing bead which I pre drilled and nailed home with galvanised panel pins. I had a box of 50mm pins so I cut them back to 30mm with snips, why buy pins??










An "action" shot of moi fitting the trim.










After a couple of coats of exterior stain and finish the windows look as good as new. I am very pleased with the repair, the joints are barely visible, infant even I have trouble finding the joint.

For the price of a tin of filler, £6.49, and a can of exterior stain and finish £9.99, I have to be pleased with the whole job. Should, and I expect to, find more decay at some point then I will have no concerns as to making the repair. After my initial concern I actually enjoyed making the repairs although I had to have the frame out overnight but thankfully no passing burglars took advantage..














































Of course no story should be complete without a mention of thanks. I would like to thank my darling SWMBO for her dedicated cleaning and sweeping of the shop and for her photographic assistance.








!

Thank you.

David

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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

Behind every good carpenter is an even better woman


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## BusterB (Nov 25, 2012)

Impressive repair David…. would a small bead of clear silicone maybe help seal out moisture along the seams? Well at least where window trim meets the sill…anyhow, way to make a very complicated repair look complicated…lol The conservatory wasnt at all as I had it mentally pictured…where is the piano? Great job


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## JR45 (Jan 26, 2012)

Well done! Looks better than the original.
Jim


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## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

That's a great looking save. I'd have panicked and just started tearing out rotted pieces until I was down to the foundation. And three days would be a world record in my book for a project that size. You made it look too easy.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

nice save.


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## HillbillyShooter (Feb 15, 2012)

Great looking save! And, I'm sorry about all that time you had to spend in the shop cutting those nasty angles. LOL Also, looks like you had great photographic assistance in recording your work, and no doubt great encouragement. Three days is nice time for all the work you needed to do on this project. I've been there and done that, and can appreciate what you've been through. However, you win as a thrifty Scotsman in the saving category since I went out and bought oak to do my job without using scrap from my shop. Congratulations on a job well done.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Well done Dave. Wow! Gr8 to see you havin fun


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