Window Sills

A window sill, also known as a window ledge or window bottom, is the flat, shelf-like piece of window trim found at the bottom of the window.
Window sills play an important role in the design and functionality of a window.

Contrary to popular belief, the window sill is located on the outside of the house.
The stool is the part of the window that is commonly referred to as the “sill” inside the home.
However, even the industry refers to the stool as the sill these days, so the definition of the word “sill” has changed over time to mean both the interior (stool) and exterior sill.

What Is the Function of a Window Sill?

Traditionally, the main purpose of the sill has been to store items in the form of a shelf or to display items.
They also serve as weather protection and structural support for the window.
Exterior window sills direct rain away from the inside of the home, and without them, your walls and floors are likely to sustain water damage.

What Kinds of Materials Are Used in Window Sills?

Timber, stone, PVC and aluminium are the most common materials used to make window sills.

Timber

Timber is the most common type of window sill, and modern window sill coating technology makes them waterproof, allowing them to withstand the elements even when installed on the home’s exterior.

Stone

Many Sydney homes built of brick or sandstone have stone sills.
They last a long time, blend in nicely with the rest of the house’s exterior, and don’t require any special maintenance or repair.

PVC

PVC trim is quickly displacing timber trim as the most commonly used home exterior window sill.
PVC sills can be given a natural stone, marble, or wooden appearance during the manufacturing process.
At the same time, they are scratch and mould resistant, as well as waterproof.

Aluminium

One of the reasons why aluminium window sills are popular on commercial and residential apartment buildings is their low cost when compared to timber.
The disadvantage is that they have poor acoustic performance when rain drops hit their surface, which is usually mitigated by soundproofing windows.