Oak Window Sills

A Timeless Look for your Window

Interior sills serve many purposes. They are no longer simply an additional storage surface - they have become an important element of personal style. Decorated with flowerpots, family pictures or other objects, they demonstrate personal taste and preferences. The natural look of an oak window sill helps to add a friendly and warm ambiance to the inside of your home. Sills are available in many different types of wood, perfectly matching your interior design, regardless of whether you are aiming for a primarily rustic or elegant aesthetic.

Solid Oak - A Natural Material

Oak is one of the most versatile types of wood native to Europe. For centuries, it has been used in the construction of boats, bridges, homes and pieces of art, because it is extremely robust while also relatively easy to work on. Especially interior designers favour this material for its warm brown and yellow colour and interesting grain that turns it into a real eye catcher when used for furniture. Compared to other timbers, it is relatively heavy, yet elastic, and less prone to be damaged by water. Due to its stability, durability and distinctive look, it has proven to be an ideal material for constructing window sills.

Window sills can easily be made to measure, typically measuring 24 mm - 400 mm wide.

How to Choose the Best Material for your Needs

Sills are categorised into two subtypes: internal and external variants. Aside from the possibility of using them as additional space for decorative objects, both subtypes have to fulfil a different set of functions.

An external window sill's main purpose is to protect the wall and the window from the effects of adverse weather conditions, such as rain water accumulating and damaging the masonry from within. It usually features a drip edge to achieve this.

An internal sill has mainly decorative tasks. It has to withstand scratching as well as spilled water and needs to be stable enough to support whatever decoration is put on top of it. It also adds to the atmosphere of the living space.

The choice of materials for a window sill thus depends on where the sill is installed. Generally, the following materials are available:

Wood
Stone
uPVC
Aluminium

Wooden sills are most commonly found on the inside only, since they are not quite as weather-resistant as synthetic materials, stone or metal. Other than oak, timbers such as beech, ash and walnut are also viable options for an internal sill.

The Advantages of an Oak Window Sill

Oak is one of the most durable timbers used in construction. Its aforementioned qualities make it an ideal material for window sill manufacture. It is less prone to the scratching that may be caused by moving decorative items around than other types of wood and can also endure the occasional spill when watering potted plants. Compared to other materials, oak also has a tendency to warp less frequently and less substantially.

If your oak window sill shows signs of scratching, rubbing a walnut kernel over the scratched surface covers up the damage without having to sand down or refurnish the whole element. However, exterior sills in particular should also be re-sealed against moisture.

Less warping is especially important for window sills. In direct proximity to the window, changes in temperature are very frequent, leading to the material expanding or contracting.

Moisture is also a major player in this regard. It can cause wood to swell up and rot. Oak is naturally somewhat resistant to water, as can be seen in its popularity for ship construction. Furthermore, nails or screws for fixed decorations hold especially well in oak and the timber can be worked on with tools rather easily.

Quality and Customisation

An oak window sill is a high-quality addition to your home. Even though its price is higher than that of a synthetic model or one made of a different type of wood, this investment pays off in the long run. Not only is it made of a very durable and robust material with a long life span, it also adds to the interior design of your home. Especially when part of your furniture is made of wood, as can be the case with shelves, for example, an oak window sill can compliment this rustic style.

Additionally, the sill can be customised and even coloured to match your preferences by treating it with varnish or lacquer. If you prefer a more rustic look, a solid oak window board can live up to this demand as well.

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