Refurbishing old wooden doors and windows

Great – you’ve got a wonderful house which is nice and you’re proud of it with wooden windows and frames, but a few on the weather side of the house need refurbishing, or even replacement. 

Here's our basic guide to restoring wooden windows:

• Remove the window sash if you want to do a thorough job, and check the general condition of the window.
• Remove flaky paint and putty, and the tiny metal glazing points which help keep the glass in, and remove the glass. 
• Completely strip old paint back to the bare wood, and make sure that you wear a high grade professional dust mask and youngsters are out of the area unless you are certain the paint being removed doesn’t contain lead.
• Repair any problem areas, and where there is rot, dig it all out and refill the cavity with epoxy. Sand when hardened and make sure all dust has been removed before you clean, prime and paint. 
• Re-bed the glass and re-install your window.
• Remember to use oil based undercoat / finishes only to clashing area.

If the window or door has gone too far, match the look of your home with a second-hand door or window and refurbish it yourself. Here are the basics of refurbishing doors:

• Take the door off its hinges and remove hardware (and glass)
• Carefully remove any mouldings and moulding nails.
• Use paint-stripper to remove old coatings. Wear gloves and make sure the area is well ventilated.
• Sand with fine sandpaper and apply a sanding sealant.
• Re-attach mouldings
• When completely dry, paint, or apply a polyurethane finish with a soft brush.

If the door is too awful once you get a look under the coatings, Renovation Warehouse has one of the best selections of second-hand doors and windows in Northland!