How to stop old sash windows rotting!

[@PurpleSnowboots]

I've just discovered your channel and have tagged the lot to watch! Just wondering what your profession/ experience is?

[@WarmDryHome]

We run a conservation survey company. I used to run conservation buyilding company too - but got fed up with 18 year old apprentices getting too big for their boots and demanding £200 a day after they thought they were trained. They all work for wimpey now on about £50 a day. I'm also a geochemist - dont ask how - too long a story but involves running gold mines!

[@sionelias1031]

Hi Peter. Another great video. Thank you. The others are fascinating too. I'm about to take delivery of some hardwood replacement sash windows, and a modern Danish timber casement window. I'd like them to outlast me. We'll be installing them so I've taken to the internet for information... but it's awash with beautiful joinery being installed with expanding foam. Surely this can't be right? Are you using oakum solely for running repairs or could you use it around the entire frame? I've just read one installation approach that suggests, after wedging the new frame off the interior masonry with wooden (or plaster) lath, that you pack round the frame with hairy lime plaster and apply traditional burnt sand mastic, which is a mix of burnt sand, linseed and driers, to the exterior. Have you seen this approach? There doesn't seem to be much sensible advice for such an expensive investment. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts or good sources of information.

[@WarmDryHome]

Correct - don't use foam - it rots timber . Oakum is brilliant - hammer it in round window and then point over with a bit of lime. I'm not keen on the burnt mastic - although to be fair I've not seen it rot timber either. We sell a little oakum kit - with pot of lime putty, oakum, caulking iron for about £150 odd - on the www.heritage-house website... I'd also linseed paint the windows - dont use modern paints or you will just rot them. look up www.oricalcum.co.uk and linseed paints - or google otosson linseed paints - brilliant videos of what to do and how...

[@LukeStratton94]

So once you've stripped the paint off the window, what would you suggest re-painting this with? Presumably a non-gloss paint? Would you sand it down first (assuming it's not rotten)?

[@WarmDryHome]

we only use linseed paints - great vids on doing this from www.oricalcum.co.uk - or google otosson linseed paints.. sand or strip with hot air gun - not with chemicals or linseed may not work...

[@LukeStratton94]

Peter Ward thanks for your advice!

[@jtothew4201]

Good tip thanks

[@XavierKatzone]

Does "lime seal" go by any other name in the States?

[@WarmDryHome]

Dont think so - lime is used in the USA - should be easy enough to google....

[@gabrielbizzlebop4702]

hope it's not lead paint

[@WarmDryHome]

Probably not - mostly dulux plastic paints that cause problems - lead paint is good - its actually linseed based and wont rot the timber.