Window Putty Repair Official

—it will shrink, crack, and ooze out. Patience pays off. When to Call a Pro (And When to DIY) DIY if: You have basic hand tools, one afternoon, and the wood frame is solid.

Once your putty is fully cured (check the manufacturer’s time), prime and paint the entire sash, overlapping the putty by about 1/16” onto the glass. That tiny lip of paint locks out moisture for decades. window putty repair

Here is your complete, step-by-step guide to window putty repair. Window putty is a sacrificial seal. It protects the gap between the glass pane and the wooden sash. Over 20-50 years, exposure to sun, rain, and extreme temperatures turns flexible putty into a rock-hard, cracked, or powdery mess. —it will shrink, crack, and ooze out

Warm the old putty with a heat gun on low heat (or a hair dryer). Once it softens slightly, use your putty knife to scrape it out. Work parallel to the glass, not toward it. Once your putty is fully cured (check the

The good news? Repairing window putty is one of the most satisfying (and budget-friendly) DIY projects you can tackle. For the price of a few tubes of caulk, you can stop drafts, prevent rot, and save hundreds on replacement windows.

For $20 and a few hours, you can extend the life of a historic window by 30 years. That’s a win for your wallet, your home’s character, and the landfill.

Wipe the bare wood with a brush and denatured alcohol to remove dust, oil, and old paint residue. —new putty will not stick to dirty or oily wood.