Here's one for the wood experts

[Bill Verburg]

I'm replacing windows in my house, many of the 60 yr old sills need to be replaced, I have to buy stock and make my own.

The local specialist millwork says
Southern yellow pine
Fir
Red cedar

the expert at the boat yard says
Old growth southern yellow only, new growth will rot quickly
White cedar

Any opinions?

[dad911]

Bill, look at a product called Azek. PVC wood replacement that cuts and machines better than wood, can be glued with pvc glues, and will never rot.

[livi]

Canīt go wrong with cedar. Ages beautifully and very durable. I think any of the sorts on your list would do. Maintenance is at least as important for longevity.

[Moses]

I would go with cedar or a good PVC product. Funny, the PVC products are easy to work with, don't warp and hold paint better than wood. If your sills get wet and you don't need wood, consider PVC.

[competentone]

What's the nature of the damage to the sills now? Rot? Insect infestation? Is the sill in contact with a masonry surface? How is protection for the sill, is their good overhang protection from the roof?

The PVC is a good choice, if it will work in your situation. It would work well if your windows are vinyl. Be aware of the expansion and contraction of PVC -- especially if you're working with a particularly long piece.

As for wood, here in the South, where rot is a big problem, most of the better lumber yards sell kiln-dried pressure treated replacement window sill.

I've also made my own for some of the old houses where the style of the pre-made sill won't match. I just take the appropriate sized piece of kiln-dried pressure treated wood and start making cuts on my table saw until I get the shape I need. I smooth the blade marks and do final "shaping" with a grinder with a sandpaper disk.

With the new treatment materials being used, that can attack the galvanized coating on most fasteners, I usually use all stainless steel screws and nails. They're expensive, but will last forever.

For your climate, you'll probably be fine with the white cedar. Old growth southern yellow pine (can you find it?) would be the next choice. The red cedar is not very resistant to rot where it's not "red" and you'll probably be dealing with some cost issues. I wouldn't recommend fir.

The critical thing is to protect the wood from moisture. If you cut everything to size, then prime and paint the entire piece (all sides) before installing it -- and install it with caulk in all the right places, using galvanized or stainless steel fasteners, you're probably going to be pretty resistant to moisture damage to the wood.

[David]

I asked my buddy who's building my cherry kitchen cabinets. He recommended in this order: white oak (not red oak), cyprus, pine primed on all sides. You'd probably have to go to hardwood store for the white oak or cyprus, but he said if you prime all sides of the pine it should work fine.

[gr8fl4porsche]

Why use wood when there are better alternatives. PVC or cementitious board would be better. Leave a gap around all joints and fill with the best elastomeric caulk you can find. Apply a couple coats of premium paint and you should be set for a long time.

When you are finished you probably will not be able to tell the difference between real or fake wood.

[targa911S]

Originally posted by procon
Is there any chance that Hemlock is available in your area?

Come on it's not that bad...just a little wood.

[pwd72s]

I'd suggest consulting Milt (formerly Zeke) on this one. He's the resident expert...

[competentone]

Originally posted by gr8fl4porsche
Why use wood when there are better alternatives. PVC or cementitious board would be better.

I'm speculating here, but if the old sills are 60 years old, I'm thinking they might be 2+ inches thick. Finding PVC or cement-fiber board in those dimensions might be difficult.

If this is in any area considered "historic" there could be restrictions on the use of such materials. (I know most here probably wouldn't consider 60-years-old as being anything "historic," but where I'm living right now, anything more than 50-years-old is considered a historic structure -- nutty, but such rules are out there!)

Other issues can involve finish, if a stain finish on the sill is desired, the PVC or cement-fiber isn't an option.

I do agree they are great products if the specific situation will allow their use.

[Bill Verburg]

Thanks for the responses, I am replacing 10 windows, So far I have started 2 on the north side which are dry rotted. I'm hoping that the sunnier sides have fared better. Pressure treated and PVC are out.

I bought a nice 2" x10"x 10' slab of white cedar. The old ones apparantly were some kind of Fir. I am guessing that the white cedar will outlast me.

The white cedar works like a dream and smells great.

[RoninLB]

fwiw.. nice wood is available in W Canada instead of farm grown US woods.

For the neurotic wood guys there is a new book that just became available.
Piano The Making of a Steinway Concert Grand, by James Barron, Times Books, 280pp, $24.

[Moneyguy1]

The sunny side might actually be worse. It was in a house I had in upstate New York a few years back. I made mine from pressure treates lumber and a router table.