Rant: My uncle's "just use a sledgehammer" advice ruined my window frame

My uncle Bob, a guy who built his own deck in the 70s, told me to just whack a stuck window frame with a sledgehammer to loosen it up. I took one swing and the whole thing splintered into three pieces, plus cracked the drywall behind it. Anyone else ever follow old timer advice and instantly regret it?

2 comments

2 Comments

willow7323h ago

Not gonna lie, a sledgehammer on a window frame feels like overkill from the start. Could probably have fixed it with some WD-40 and patience, but hey, now you got a story for the next family dinner.

noahcampbell2h ago

Yeah, but WD-40 isn't really a lubricant for rusted window frames. It's more of a water displacer and light cleaner. You'd want something like PB Blaster or even just a silicone spray for that kind of sticking window issue. WD-40 will work for a little bit but it'll dry out and get gummy again pretty fast. A sledgehammer might be dramatic, but if that frame was painted shut for twenty years, sometimes you gotta break the seal with some force before you can get to the fix.