DIY guideWindows
Check the glazing putty and paint on single-pane windows
Old wood windows keep rain out with putty and paint. Look for cracked or missing putty, bare wood and soft corners, and know when it's time to reglaze.
- 15 to 30 min
- 7 steps
- Every step animated
7 steps
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On a dry day, look at the putty where each pane meets the wood, on the outside of the window.
Cracked, shrunken or missing putty lets rain in behind the glass.
Look for bare grey wood and peeling paint on the frame, the sill and the bottom rail.
Older home? Don't scrape or sand: test the paint for lead first.Press the bottom corners gently with a finger. Firm is good. Soft or spongy means rot.
Tap each pane lightly with a fingertip. A pane that rattles has lost its putty.
Take a photo of each window, close and wide, and note which ones.
Missing putty, loose glass, soft wood or bare, peeling paint: ask Handyman for a window pro to reglaze it. Old paint is tested for lead first; don't scrape it.
What you need
- Your phone, for photos
- A lead test kit, for an older home
Call a pro if
- Putty cracked, loose or missing
- A pane that rattles
- Soft or rotten wood
Handyman says: Time to reglaze. I'll find a window pro.
Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.
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