Woodwork painting and decorating preparation
Knots, putty and holes
Check the woodwork for any live knots which are oozing out resin. If you find any, strip off the paint over them and then play a blowtorch or electric hot air stripper over them to burn out the resin. Sand lightly and treat with knotting, then prime when dry. You should also check the putty fillet round each pane of glass, and if any has disintegrated, rake it out with an old knife. Then sand’and prime the wood and bed in new putty using a putty knife.
Use linseed oil putty on wood and metal glazing or all purpose putty on metal-framed windows. Smooth the putty with a damp cloth and leave it for about a week before painting. Rake out any cracks in the wood and cut back wood which is starting to rot. If a large amount of wood is rotten – usually along the bottom edge of a sash window – a larger repair is needed. This could involve replacing a section or all of the window.
Prime the bare wood, working the primer well into cracks and end grain as this is where the weather gets in. Small cracks can be filled with putty, but larger ones should be filled with exterior grade hard stopping or filler. Sand level when dry and spot-prime. Gaps between the window frame and wall should be filled with a flexible, waterproof, mastic compound applied with a special gun. Finally, sand down the whole of the woodwork to make it ready for repainting.