The most common problem with sash windows in Worcester’s Victorian housing stock is excessive paint build-up. Decades of overcoating without stripping cause the sashes to stick, the glazing putty to crack, and moisture to collect in the joints.

We strip existing coats back to sound timber on windows where build-up has reached a critical level. On Victorian sash windows in Barbourne and St Johns, stripping is often the longest part of the job.

Failing putty is the primary route for moisture entry into sash window timber. When putty cracks or detaches from the rebate, rainwater tracks directly into the joint between the glass and the frame.

We rake out all loose and cracked putty to a sound base. We re-point with linseed oil-based glazing compound on original timber sash windows.

Minor rot on sash window rails and sills is treated with two-part timber hardener before priming. For more significant rot we cut out the affected section and splice in new timber, matching the profile of the original rail or sill.

Properties in flood-risk areas of St Johns WR2 and along the Severn flood plain frequently show accelerated sill and lower-rail rot.

Stripped and repaired sash windows receive an appropriate timber primer before any topcoat. On original nineteenth-century timber we prefer oil-based primer for its superior penetration and adhesion.

Finish coats are applied in exterior gloss or exterior satin. Sashes are checked to run freely in the frame before we leave. We do not paint sashes shut.

The Victorian detached villas on Battenhall Road and surrounding streets in WR5 are among Worcester’s finest period properties. Many have original sash windows across multiple elevations, including bay window sashes and upper-storey windows.

We coordinate the sash window scope with the full exterior painting programme where required. See our Victorian property painting page for the full exterior scope.