When your window frame starts to rot, it is important to take immediate action to stop the spread of the rot and to protect the rest of your wooden window frame. Here is what you can do over the weekend to easily and quickly patch up a rotten window frame.

#1 Remove The Rotten Wood

The very first thing that you need to do is remove the wood that is rotten from the frame. This is a relatively easy task and only requires the use of a chisel and knife as well as a small brush.

You are going to want to start removing the rotten wood with the chisel. Take the chisel and place it next to the rotten wood, and apply a little pressure, but don't bang or hit on the chisel. Use the pressure to gently work the rotten wood loose from the window frame. Since the wood is rotten, it should easily fall apart without the use of a lot of pressure.

If there is rotten wood that you can't seem to get loose with the chisel or that just doesn't work based on the angle of where it is located, that is where your knife becomes handy. Use your knife to cut away any rotten wood that you couldn't remove or get to with your chisel. Make sure that you remove all visible rot from your window, as it can easily spread if any is left behind.

Finally, clean the area with the soft brush. This will help ensure that no small particles of rot are left behind.

#2 Harden The Wood

The second thing you need to do is harden up the wood on your window frame now that the rot is gone. You can find wood hardener at your local home repair store. Be sure to have the hardener ready to use as soon as you remove the rot. Wood hardener can have a strong smell to it, so you'll want to wear a breathing mask as well as gloves when handling it.

Use a paintbrush to apply the hardener to the area where you remove the rot. Be sure to use a lot of hardener; it will dry out the wood and really ensure that rot doesn't keep spreading. After you apply it well to the rotten wood area, be sure to apply it to the rest of your window frame as well to protect it from potential rot.

#3 Repair Damaged Areas

Third, it is time to repair the areas where you removed the rot from the window frame if you don't want your window frame looking damaged. You are going to want to use an epoxy resin to repair the damaged areas. Just like with the wood hardener, it is a good idea to wear a mask and gloves when dealing with the epoxy resin.

You are going to need to use a putty knife to apply and move the resin around the areas where you removed the rotten wood. If the holes are really deep or large, you may want to apply a couple of layers of epoxy in order to build up the wood and to ensure that your window frame retains its strength.

If the epoxy is uneven, you can sand it down once it has cured.

#4 Repaint Or Stain The Frame

Last, you should either re-stain the wood frame that you repaired or repaint it. This is a great way to protect the wood and make your window frame look as great as possible.

Be sure to keep an eye on the frame, and if rot appears again, you may just need to replace the entire frame with another wood frame or with a different type of material, such as vinyl, that will not rot. Contact an installation company like Unique Home Solutions if you decide it's time for new windows.