Timber window and rot repairs we do
Window sills and frames
Sills take the most weather, and rot starts where water sits. We cut back to sound timber, splice in a new piece of matching profile, glue and fix it, and prime it ready for paint.
Sashes that stick or rattle
Double-hung sashes painted shut, broken sash cords, loose joints and worn beads. Freeing and re-cording an old sash often brings a window back into use.
Weatherboards and fascias
Soft or split boards replaced with matching profiles, and rotten fascia lengths cut out and joined, so the gutter has something sound to fix to.
Door jambs and thresholds
The bottom of an external door jamb often rots where water splashes. We splice in a new section rather than replacing the whole frame.
Repair or replace a timber window?
A window with a rotten sill and sound frames is usually worth repairing: the glass, sashes and frame keep their character, and a splice costs less than a new window. When most of the frame is soft, or the window no longer suits the room, replacement makes more sense.
In some of Canberra's heritage precincts, timber windows have to be kept or replaced in matching timber. Check the ACT Heritage Register entry for your street before changing a window; our Inner South and Inner North pages cover the precincts there.
Rot in wall, floor or roof framing
Rot that has reached the wall studs, bearers, joists or roof framing is a different job: those timbers carry the house.
Structural repairs need a licensed builder
Repairs of a structural nature are building work under the ACT Building Act, so they need a licensed ACT builder. Get a quote from a licensed builder for rot in the wall, floor or roof framing.
Older homes and asbestos
Old fascias, eaves linings and wall sheeting around windows can be asbestos cement. WorkSafe ACT says any property built before 2003 must be assumed to contain asbestos, so tell us the year before anything is cut. See the asbestos guide.
What to send us
- Photos of each soft or rotten spot, close up and from a step back
- How many windows or boards are affected
- What it's painted with, if you know
- Whether the house is in a heritage precinct
- The year the house was built
Questions about timber & window repairs in Canberra
Can a rotten window sill be repaired?
Usually, if the rot hasn't spread far into the frame. The soft timber is cut out and a new piece spliced in, then primed and painted.
How do I know if timber is rotten?
Rotten timber feels soft or spongy, crumbles when pressed with a screwdriver, and often sits under flaking paint where water collects.
Can you fix a sash window that won't open?
Often. Most stuck sashes are painted shut or have broken cords. We free the sash, replace the cords and ease the beads.
Will the repair match the old timber?
We match the profile and use a durable timber. Once primed and painted, a splice is hard to see.
Do you paint after the repair?
We leave the repair primed. We can include the finish coats in the quote, or leave it ready for your painter.
Where this information comes from
The rules and figures on this page come from these published pages, checked on 8 October 2026.
- WorkSafe ACT: identify and remove asbestos before residential renovations · WorkSafe ACT safety alert, 16 January 2025
