How to paint windows?

Maslyakova Svetlana

Window frames are exposed to moisture, wind, sun temperature daily. This explains the need for regular trim updates. To perform restoration of window frames as rarely as possible, you need to do the job correctly.

How to paint windows

Staining conditions

The durability of the coating depends on the conditions in which the finish is carried out. The restoration of window frames is recommended to be performed at an air temperature of +5 to +30⁰C. You need to choose a day when the sun does not shine, but not overcast. Do not finish immediately after rain. The wood must be dry. Wet material will cause bloating, which will necessitate a new restoration. If raw wood is stained, it will also rot the frame. As a result, you have to change the design.

Methods for removing old coatings

When it comes to how to paint windows, professionals say that you can’t paint on an unprepared surface. If you do not remove the old coating, then it will move along with the new material. In the event that the paint peels off the frame and is easy to peel off, simply sweep the construction base several times with a spatula, emery cloth or grinder. In most cases, such manipulations are enough to remove the coating. If the paint adheres tightly to the surface, it will be difficult to remove the composition mechanically. If you try to remove the coating with a spatula or sandpaper, the frame may be damaged. You can quickly and easily remove paint in the following ways:

• Wash with paint. To remove the old coating in this way, apply fluid to the frame. Exposure times are indicated on the packaging. When the paint swells, take a spatula and carefully remove the material. Sand the areas where the coating remains.
• Industrial hairdryer. The essence of the method is the effect of high temperatures on the coating. To remove the paint in this way, you will also need a spatula. Process a small area of ​​the frame with a hairdryer, and when the paint swells, remove it with a spatula. Next, use a hairdryer again. Treat small areas of the surface. If you immediately apply hot air to the entire frame, the area that was processed before the others will cool down and the manipulation will have to be done again.

Paint removal with a spatula

Necessary materials and tools

To color the windows, you will need:

• paint and varnish;
• primer for wood with antiseptic properties;
• wood putty;
• solvent;
• a small brush;
• brushes of different sizes for applying primer and paint;
• small putty knife;
• metal mesh with small cells;
• clean container for primer and preparation of the coloring composition;
• screwdriver, chisel, hammer and small nails for fixing glazing beads;
• masking tape;
• sandpaper with a small grain size - P 100, P 120 or P 150;
• glazing beads.

Window racks

Foundation preparation

Preparation of the construction foundation is not only about dismantling the old coating. Glass must be protected from paint. Fix the masking tape on them around the frame perimeter at a distance of 2 mm from the base (as in the photo below). Such a gap must be made so that the paint flows here. When the material fills the gap, water will not accumulate here. Next, remove the locks, handles and glazing beads. If some parts cannot be removed, cover them with tape. Dispose of the beads. Prime the new parts and paint.Do this before doing the bulk of the finish.

The main rule of painting is that the surface should be clean and dry. After removing the old coating, take a small brush and brush the dust off the frame. Then impregnate the base with a primer using a brush. It is recommended to use a wood product with antiseptic properties. Such a primer will protect the tree from mold and fungus. If the store did not have a primer with such properties, you need to purchase a wood preservative. Then at first the frame is impregnated with this agent and only after that it is treated with a primer. Continue the finish only after the product has dried.

Drawing masking tape on windows

Putty

Doing the finishing yourself, it is important to properly putty the surface. If you apply the product in a thick layer, the material will fall off with the paint.

Putty Algorithm:

• Inspect the frame for cracks. Fill defects with material and wait for it to solidify.
• Sand the surface. Brush the frame and apply a primer. The tool will improve the adhesion of wood and putty. Wait for the primer to dry.
• Apply a thin layer of putty on the frame. Take a break to dry the composition and clean the surface. Primer the material. Suspend work again so that the product dries.
• If after the first layer of putty the surface has become smooth and without flaws go to the finish. In the event that the base is uneven, put another layer of putty and perform the appropriate manipulations after the material has hardened: cleaning the surface and priming.

Putty window frames

Paint application

Instructions for painting windows:

• Open a container with a paint and varnish coating and pass structure through a metal grid. Measure as much material as you need to apply one coat in a clean container. Add solvent and stir composition. The consistency should be liquid, but at the same time, the product should not drain from the surface, like water.
• Apply paint to the frame with a thin layer. Stop work before the material dries.
• Prepare the next portion of the coloring agent. To do this, again pass the composition through a metal grate and mix it with a solvent. Consistency should be thicker than for the first time.
• Apply material to the surface. If high-quality paint is used for restoration, then two layers will be enough. In the event that after applying the product there are imperfections, it will be necessary to apply a third layer of the composition. To do this, after the second treatment, take a break to dry the material.
• Prepare the third portion of the coloring composition. If material remains from the previous application, use it.
• Apply paint to the surface. Without waiting for the material to dry, remove the masking tape from the glass. Perform the manipulation at this stage of the finish, and not after the product has hardened, otherwise dismantling the material will cause cracking of the finish.
• Wait until the product dries and attach the fittings.

In the video in this article, see how to properly paint windows.

If the staining of the window frames was done correctly and high-quality paint was used for restoration, then the finish will last for several years. Use only material from trusted companies, even if the price seems high.