As I have been scraping the old paint away from the surface of my old wooden windows lately, then I encountered a window that has a rotten spot in the lower left hand corner (on the outside).

Apparently this is not all that uncommon of a problem on old houses and I have mostly seen that people generally fix a place like this with some bondo (followed by some primer & paint).

I'm not sure though (in my particular case) if the rotten portion might be too extensive for bondo though and in fact, the rot is on more than just the window jamb too.

Here is the series of photos that I took of the problem:

Window Rot #1

Window Rot #2

Window Rot #3

Window Rot #4

(you can see how deep the rot goes in this photo)
Window Rot #5

Funny thing is that the sill and the sill plate don't have much rotted area on them at all and it's mostly the vertical portion of the jamb (and deep behind it) that has suffered the predominant extent of the rot.

What's the best remedy for my situation?

Thanks!

 

Yeah, it looks as if the damage is too deep for a cosmetic repair. From what we can see of your close up pictures (4), and that isn't much, is the window frame will need replacing. Or the entire window may need it depending on the age of the unit. How old is the house? Are the present windows insulated or single pane?

 

Thanks for the reply, chandler...

I think this old place was built back during the 1950's and the windows are the original windows (single-pane wood windows).

What I intend to do is to replace these windows (probably some time in the spring) with some new energy-efficient windows....so as part of my ultimate grand strategy, then I was going to give all of my window sills a "cosmetic infusion" (as they are mostly still in a pretty healthy state with no rot spots at all) before I get somebody to rip all these windows out and replace them later on.

In that respect, then the original window frame is actually of no use to me (long-term anyway), however I was mostly interested in filling this space temporarily in order to keep cold drafts from surging in during this winter.

I probably should have said that originally but I was trying to keep it short and simple.

Is there a way to patch this spot up for a few months 'til I can get the new windows?

 

I'd probably cut out a portion of the jamb, kind of like you did with the face trim, and just replace a section of it. Use PL advanced construction adhesive and glue the pieces in place. If you can't cut all the rot off, (because it goes back too far) then just cut in a nice straight line (such as cutting straight along your vinyl jamb piece) then coat the rotten wood with the PL and set your new piece of wood into the glue. It will set up rock hard in a day or two. That should get you through the winter.

A oscillating tool like the Fein Multimaster works good for cutting out sections of rotten trim.

 

The only way bondo or any other filler will work long term is if ALL the rot is removed and it's sealed well to keep the moisture out..... but even for short term I'd go with X's advice - IMO it's easier and looks better.

Using an oil base wood primer on all 6 sides of the repair piece will help it to last longer if you think there is any chance of the window replacement getting delayed.

 

Wait a minute. So you have no intention of saving this window if it can be repaired?

I don't think you need to remove all the rot for a short term fix. Just cut enough back so you can affix a new piece of wood to cover the opening. I doubt I would even use PL. Just a bunch of caulk around the edges to seal out moisture and nail it into place.

 

Caulk would work... I only suggested the PL cuz it sets up faster and harder than caulk would, which would hold the new wood to any rotten wood that's left remaining on the jamb that can't be cut out cuz its way back behind the jamb liner.

 

Thanks for this idea, XSleeper...

I probably have just enough room in this confined space to do a little "surgery"....

I have a Multi Max oscillating tool (that I used to cut off the piece of trim with) and I may have just enough room to both saw off the rotted end of the jamb and to get to the lower portion of the frame piece (that's really, really rotted) that's located behind the jamb.

As I said, it just needs to hang on for a few more months to keep the draft out until I can make the arrangements to have some modern windows installed...

The only real difficulty will occur in trying to draw and subsequently cut a straight line in such a confined space.

 

I know it is a little scary, but you can hold or rest on your finger, the back part of the multimaster blade to guide it a little along your line. I use mine almost every day and for intricate work I guide it like that. The vibrations are a little daunting, but you can get used to it. I noticed the original cut, and KNEW you had the TOOL. Nothing else cuts like that.

 

you could also repair this with a two part epoxy wood rot system. Depending on the brand you get, this can actually be a pretty simple permanent fix. ************