Had pretty much the same issue on my place—window sills were rotting faster than I could patch them up. Tried sealing, repainting, even marine-grade epoxy as a last-ditch effort. Honestly, none of it held up long-term. Ended up biting the bullet and swapping to composite sills a couple years back. Haven't regretted it yet...they handle coastal weather way better. Costs a bit upfront, but beats spending weekends chasing rot every storm season.
Composite sills are definitely a solid choice for coastal areas. I've installed quite a few of them over the years, and clients generally seem happy with how they hold up. Wood—even treated or sealed—just doesn't stand a chance against constant moisture and salt spray in the long run.
One thing I've noticed, though, is that installation quality makes a huge difference. Proper flashing and drainage channels are critical, even with composite materials. I've seen some composite sills fail prematurely because water was pooling underneath due to poor installation practices. So it's not just about the material itself, but also how well it's integrated into your home's overall weatherproofing system.
Curious if you (or anyone else here) have noticed any difference in performance between different composite brands? I've mostly worked with Azek and Trex, and both seem reliable, but I wonder if there's something newer or better out there now. Also, did you go with a full composite window frame or just the sill? I've had mixed experiences with full composite frames—some homeowners love them, others find them a bit bulky-looking compared to traditional wood.
Anyway, glad to hear your weekends aren't spent chasing rot anymore...that's always a win in my book.
"Proper flashing and drainage channels are critical, even with composite materials."
Couldn't agree more—my neighbor had composites installed but skimped on flashing, and he's already dealing with pooling issues. Any experience with fiberglass sills? Heard they're pretty durable too, but not sure how they stack up against composite...
Fiberglass sills can be pretty solid actually. Helped a buddy install some on his beach cottage a few years back, and they've held up surprisingly well through storms and salty air. They're definitely lighter and easier to handle than composites, but you still gotta nail the flashing details—no shortcuts there. Composite might have the edge in looks, but fiberglass durability is legit, especially if you're dealing with harsh coastal conditions...
Gotta agree on fiberglass durability. Installed a set of fiberglass sills on a client's place near the shore about six years ago, and they're still rock solid despite some nasty nor'easters. But you're spot-on about the flashing—seen way too many good installs fail because someone skimped there. Personally, I still lean composite for aesthetics if the budget allows, especially if it's a more visible area. Fiberglass can sometimes look a little too "plastic-y" for my taste, but that's just me being picky.
Funny story though... had another client insist on wood sills for their oceanfront property—wanted that classic coastal vibe. Warned them repeatedly about upkeep, moisture intrusion, all that jazz. Sure enough, after two winters, they called me back to swap everything out for fiberglass. Lesson learned the soggy way, I guess.
"Fiberglass can sometimes look a little too 'plastic-y' for my taste, but that's just me being picky."
Yeah, I totally get what you're saying about the fiberglass look. We considered it for our porch trim a few years back but ended up going composite—mostly for the aesthetics. Still, gotta admit, after the last storm nearly ripped our neighbor's wooden sills clean off, fiberglass durability sounds pretty tempting right now... Maybe "plastic-y" isn't so bad when you're not replacing stuff every other year, huh?
"Maybe 'plastic-y' isn't so bad when you're not replacing stuff every other year, huh?"
Haha, exactly my thoughts. We went fiberglass for our window frames about five years ago after a particularly nasty coastal storm left our old wood frames warped and leaking. Honestly, at first I was a bit hesitant because of that shiny, synthetic look you mentioned. But once they're painted and weathered a bit, they blend in surprisingly well. Plus, the peace of mind during storm season is priceless—no more frantic midnight towel runs to soak up leaks!
Still, I get the appeal of composite too. My brother-in-law used composite trim on his porch, and it looks fantastic—really natural and classy. It seems to hold up pretty well too, though he's inland a bit, so maybe not quite as harsh conditions as we get here on the coast.
Guess it comes down to balancing aesthetics with practicality...and how much you enjoy repainting and repairing every spring, haha.
"Guess it comes down to balancing aesthetics with practicality...and how much you enjoy repainting and repairing every spring, haha."
Haha, that's the truth. I was skeptical about fiberglass too at first—worried it'd look out of place on our older coastal cottage. But honestly, after a couple seasons of salty air and sun exposure, it lost that shiny "plastic-y" vibe pretty quick. And not having to patch leaks after every storm? Totally worth it. Sounds like you made a solid choice.
I get the appeal of fiberglass, especially with all the storms we've had lately. But honestly, I'm still not totally sold on it for older homes. Our place is a 1930s bungalow, and I just can't shake the feeling that modern materials might clash with the charm. Maybe I'm being overly picky, but aesthetics matter a lot to me... even if it means dealing with some extra maintenance headaches.
That said, your point about the salty air dulling the shine over time is interesting. Hadn't really considered that. Right now, we're sticking to wood and just budgeting for repairs each spring—it's kind of become a seasonal ritual at this point, haha. But who knows, maybe after another year of soggy window sills and stormy nights, I'll finally cave and give fiberglass a shot.
"Right now, we're sticking to wood and just budgeting for repairs each spring—it's kind of become a seasonal ritual at this point, haha."
I hear you on the seasonal ritual thing. Our first year in our coastal cottage, I stubbornly stuck with wood windows too. After one particularly brutal storm, though, I caved... fiberglass isn't perfect aesthetically, but man, it's nice not worrying about leaks every time it rains.