Window sills

[nephilim]

What is the best way of securing a wooden window sill in place, screws of some kind of adhesive. The window surround will be plasterboard but I would like wooden sills, I will have to try to make these [8-)], is it best to go for one piece of cut timber or pieces tongue and grooved together, also where is the best place to get wood for sills.

[Postie]

Hi Nephilim

You say the surround is platerboard - will you sill also sit on plasterboard?

Postie

[thunderhorse]

If your sill is concrete then screw into that. But in any event, get decent timber. Once the sun gets on a sill, cheap wood will warp and split. A nice piece of oak from your local menuisier always looks good.

[nephilim]

Hi Postie,

No, the sill is currently just the stone that makes up the wall, so the wood would just sit on this.

[Postie]

As Thunderhorse says - fix with screws & use a good quality timber in one piece if possible. This reduces the chance of any movement should the pieces dry further at diffrent rates. I'd look out for some old rustic timber because it will be dry & be in keeping with old stone buildings. Bits of new timber can look totally out of place if not "aged" to match.

[Jonzjob]

I take it that the window frame is on the outside edge of the window'hole' as in the U.K. not on the inside edge as the French mainly do?

If it's going to sit onto stone, on the inside of the window, then would it be worth putting a 'screed' of lime morter over the stone to give a firm and flat bed for the wood to sit on?

[BIG MAC]

I would paint the underside with blackjack or similar prior to bedding the sill down on mortar. I would install the sill before the cheeks of the reveals are plasterboard lined and would temporarily place / staple some visqueen or similar plastic film over the window board to protect it from plastering/filling muck. Once walls are decorated simply cut the masking with an artists knife / stanley blade tight in the corners then apply a bead of mastic (Not silicone sealant..proper mastic) at the line of junction. give it a week then the window board can be oiled if you fancy a finish on it.