Many modern people strive to make their home as environmentally friendly as possible and are in no hurry to replace the usual wooden windows with new plastic. And this is not surprising, because wood is considered a valuable natural material with a lot of advantages. One of its main advantages is the possibility of repair. Restoration of wooden windows is not an easy task, but it can be solved. It makes it possible to give the old design the look of a completely new product.
The feasibility of repairing windows made of wood
Do-it-yourself restoration of wooden windows allows you to save the budget and improve the shabby window construction. Before starting repairs, it is necessary to take into account the “life” of the material from which the frames are made. Larch and pine can last no more than 35 years, oak and beech - more than half a century.
Restoring wooden windows is unlikely to produce the desired result if:
- The structure of the wood is so loose that when pressed, strong dents form;
- There is a complete loosening of window frames in the openings;
- Large dark spots are visible under the paint, which usually indicate trash and decay;
- The frames are curved or severely deformed;
- Wooden windows are damaged very seriously (for example, broken frames).
What do you need for work?
Restoration of old wooden windows is usually carried out according to the "Swedish" system, which allows to combine repair and thermal insulation of the window structure. To work, you need a certain list of tools:
- A sampler (zenzubel) - a planer for forming and stripping recesses, folds and sharp edges;
- Several chisels 4-30 mm wide;
- Saw tape 0.3 mm thick and 4-6 mm wide;
- Palette knife or flat knife (boot);
- Carpenter's square;
- Core drill on wood (8-10 mm in inner diameter);
- Level and plumb.
Necessary materials:
- About 300 grams of "liquid nails";
- Drying oil;
- 0.5 kg of putty on wood or 0.5 kg of fine sawdust;
- Zinc or titanium densely rubbed white;
- Kerosene;
- Brushes;
- Cloves (500 gr. Small and 60-80 mm);
- Sandpaper;
- Plywood or plank shield slightly larger than the window frame;
- Plastic bag 0.5 m wide, 1.7 m deep;
- Pieces of water-repellent plywood with a section of 1-1.5 mm;
- Silicone-based aquarium glue - 10-20 ml.
A plastic bag and kerosene will not come in handy if you use a factory hair dryer. It is not recommended to use deep-penetrating polymer putties on wood on water, as they will significantly increase the thermal conductivity of wood parts.
Do-it-yourself repair of wooden windows is best started in warm, not damp weather. Recommended humidity - 40-65%. In case of inclement weather, window openings must be tightened with waterproof material on a temporary basis.
Dismantling and inspection of the surface
Repair of windows made of wood begins with the inspection and inspection of the double-glazed window. It is necessary to remove the sash, remove the glazing beads or remove the putty, remove the glass.
Dismantle the fittings (a new one will be installed in its place). Carefully remove the external wooden tides, remove all fasteners and iron squares.
Window restoration should only begin after thoroughly drying all the wooden parts..
Paint stripping
There are several methods to clean the windows of an old sample from paint.
Using a hair dryer
Removing the coating must be done carefully and carefully. It is recommended to remove the glasses in advance, as they can crack when directed by hot air.
The recommended hair dryer temperature is 250 0C. At higher rates, the wood will char and lose its characteristics. When heated, the paint will begin to bubble, and it can be easily removed with a professional knife or palette knife.
Using chemicals
Old wooden windows will not withstand the aggressive effects of solvents or solvent, so only kerosene should be used to remove paint:
- Wrap the wooden frame with fabric material and lower it into a plastic container;
- Moisten the cloth thoroughly with kerosene, close the container and leave for a couple of days;
- Take out the strips one by one and remove the paint. If you remove all the parts at the same time, then the kerosene will evaporate, the paint will harden again and will cease to exfoliate;
- Remove paint residues with an emery cloth or grinder.
How to repair rotten parts of the frame
The decayed section of the frame can be replaced or restored. For restoration, an epoxy putty for wood is required. Damaged area must be freed from paint and remove dust. Then putty, carefully filling all the recesses and cracks. Form the missing part. It should be slightly larger than the required size, as excess will be removed during subsequent grinding.
Leave the frame to dry for at least a day. Sand the repaired area with an emery cloth or a grinder.
It should be understood that such repair of old wooden windows helps to restore the appearance, but does not provide the necessary reliability, especially in areas of active use. But on a dull or rarely used window, this method will allow you to restore the structure without a radical replacement.
Putty and primer for small defects
Before carrying out this operation, it is necessary to identify cracks, chips and other defects of wooden windows, mark them with a marker and process with sandpaper. Then cover marked areas with latex or oil filler. The work is carried out with a rubber spatula, immediately removing excess material. If necessary, then after drying the first layer, apply the second. Finally, the wooden surface is treated with fine-grained sandpaper. The primer is applied in 2 layers.
Impregnation of wooden windows
In order for the repaired old and Soviet windows to last as long as possible, they need to be covered with drying oil. It will block the development of new rot germ and, if possible, restore the structure of decrepit wood.
Drying oil is applied with a brush in 3-4 layers: the next - after absolute absorption and drying of the previous. This treatment is enough for 2-3 years (until the next repair). Impregnation for many decades is carried out in a piece of iron pipe 10-12 cm thick, sealed at one end. All actions need to be performed only on the street, away from residential buildings.
Install the pipe at an angle of 300, fill it with ¾ linseed oil and heat it from below with hot air from a hair dryer or electric stove. With increasing temperature, the drying oil begins to swell - this will release moisture and air. With a sharp increase in odor, you need to move the heater and wait a bit. Impregnation begins after the disappearance of the bubbles:
- Prepare an iron hook with a sharp end 5-6 mm thick;
- Place the part in the pipe and press down with a hook for 4-5 minutes;
- Hook the bar with the point of the hook, remove and lay it to dry;
- It is forbidden to touch the parts with your hands (even with gloves), as the temperature of the hot oil exceeds 130 degrees.
Such processing allows you to extend the service life of wooden window frames by more than 100 years, and if they are coated with an oil composition, then repainting will be required no earlier than 15 years.
Casement assembly
Prepared sashes are laid on the shield and carefully aligned in rectangularity. Particulars of the air vent require special attention: 1 mm difference in the diagonals will provide a gap of 0.7 mm.
The aligned area is fixed with glue or nails, carefully driving them into the shield near the sash. Browse the old pins ("choppies").
They are drilled in the middle of the corner using a drill of a larger diameter. If any of the pins is shifted to one side, then you need:
- Fix it along the border with a few drops of "Super Glue";
- Drill the correct location;
- Stretch the saw band in the cracks between the fixing mustache and cut the old nose.
After assembling all the corners, you should get a pretty rigid structure. Now you can take the frame and install the sashes in it. They will sit more tightly if plywood strips of the appropriate width and thickness are glued to the frame.
Place all parts on a flat cloth and press down with a load (approximately 100 kg). Leave to dry and level for 2-3 days.
Insulation of wooden windows
High-quality repair of wooden double-glazed windows includes their insulation, which can significantly reduce heat loss at home. Do-it-yourself windows can be insulated in several ways:
- Silicone sealants;
- Special paper;
- Fabric strips;
- Tubular profiles;
- Heat-saving film;
- Sealant in casement frames.
The last two methods are considered the most effective. First, the junction of the sash and glass cover with silicone sealant. Then they take a cutter and saw out a perimeter of 5 mm around the casement at an angle of 450. Clean it from shavings. They press in successively, but do not stretch the PVC sealant into the groove obtained.
Painting wooden windows
Most often, the repair and restoration of wooden windows ends with painting. To do this, it is recommended to use special compounds that are well resistant to temperature extremes and the effects of precipitation: oil paints, acrylic and alkyd enamels.
It is advisable to cover the windows with two or three layers of paint, spreading it as it finishes. Optimum density allows you to create a uniform, non-spreading layer. Initially, it is better to work with more liquid paint. Do not try to immediately close all visible defects on wooden windows, since the bulk of the initial layer is still absorbed. The second layer is applied only after the first has completely dried.
The window frame is preferably painted with the windows removed. This will skip the unpleasant smudge removal procedure.. But if the glasses were not pulled out, then to protect them, you can use a special masking tape glued close to the frame.
Glazing of wooden windows
Restoration of wooden double-glazed windows ends with the installation of glass. The procedure consists of several stages:
- Squeeze a little silicone aquarium glue under the inner corners of the frame;
- Insert glass and secure with studs;
- Remove glue streaks with a cloth dampened in vinegar;
- Do not completely scrape off silicone from fasteners: it will protect them from rust;
- After the glue hardens, fix the glass with putty (chalk + drying oil) or pre-treated glazing beads.
Conclusion
Repair of wooden windows with double-glazed windows is not a very difficult undertaking. The main problems can be easily fixed with your own hands. A skillful combination of old restoration technology and modern materials can work wonders. A little patience and a ragged window yesterday will take on a new, restored appearance, preserving all the useful properties of wood.