Sash Window Restoration & Rot Repair in London

Where a sash window has been let go for years — paint peeling, sills soft, sashes seized — it can nearly always be brought back rather than thrown out. We restore and repair timber sash windows across London, from a single rotten sill to a full overhaul of every window in the house. Unless the timber has decayed right through, there is no need for a replacement.

Rot repair and timber splicing

Rot starts where rain sits and cannot dry: the sill, the bottom rail of the lower sash, the foot of the pulley stiles and the frame. We cut back to sound timber, then either splice in new wood to match the original section or, for smaller areas, build it back with a two-part repair resin and re-form the moulding. The repair is primed and painted so it does not show and does not come back. For new timber we use well-seasoned softwood, oak, sapele or Accoya to suit the window.

A full sash window overhaul

A complete restoration of a box sash window usually takes in:

• Taking the sashes out and stripping back flaking paint
• Cutting out and splicing any rot in the sashes, sills and frame
• Renewing the sash cords, and worn pulleys and weights
• New staff and parting beads
• Draught-proofing the sashes and frame
• Re-puttying or re-glazing where the glass is loose or cracked
• Easing the sashes so they run smoothly, then rubbing down and repainting

The result is an original window that works properly, keeps the weather out, and looks as it should — set up to last for many years.

Sills, stiles and beyond

Not every job is a full restoration. We are happy to do the single item that has failed — a rotten sill renewed, a dropped sash re-hung, a cracked pane replaced — as well as whole-house work. If part of the window is beyond saving we will say so plainly; in most cases it is not.

Period, listed and conservation-area windows

Much of our restoration work is on Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian houses in London's conservation areas and on listed buildings, where the original sash windows are meant to be repaired and kept. We match the original mouldings, glazing bars and glass, and can help with consent where it is needed.

Free estimate

Send us a short description of the windows and a photo or two, with your London address, and we will let you know what the restoration involves and what it will cost. Please get in touch for a free, no-obligation estimate.