Exterior Window Painting Tips
These areas, though small, present a real challenge to the handyman. if tackled methodically, with the right tools and great window painting tips, they should not be a problem.A useful tool and and a fantastic painting windows tip is a cutting in brush which has bristles specially angled for the job. Failing this, a 25 or 35mm sash brush will do the job and you can use a 75mm brush for the rest of the trim. When painting a window, paint the mullions (the division between the glass panes) first, then the horizontal bars, the vertical bars, vertical parts of the frame and lastly the horizontal frame and sill. If paint splatters onto the glass it should be left to dry and removed with a paint scraper. However, you can keep paint off the glass by smearing the edges of the windows with soap or Vaseline, or by using a paint shield held against the mouldings as you work.
Window Painting Tips # 1 – Exterior Windows
Where weather has caused the putty to deteriorate and become brittle, it should be removed carefully with a knife or scraper and the hard or cracked putty tapped with care away from the glass. New putty is then pressed in. The frame is painted with the paint overlapping the glass about 3mm to give the putty a waterproof seal. A caulking gun can be used to apply weatherproofing to cracks around the exterior windows seal. Before painting exterior windows, make sure the wood is clean, dry and free of grease and any bare timber is primed. Bad quality priming or painting over a damp surface will result in flaking
Window Painting Tips # 2 – Painting Sash Windows
The frames must be free from dirt before painting sash windows or, when moving windows up and down, dirt will be loosened onto your freshly painted surface. After cleaning frames, paint the painting sash windows windows this way:
- Slide the top section down and the bottom section up so they are reversed.Leave a 3cm opening at top and bottom.
- Paint all the parts you can reach and the inside of the frame. Leave about 2mm unpainted along the edges of frame and sash windows where they meet. Avoid paint dripping into tracks.
- Using the openings at top and bottom, slide sections back to their normal positions leaving an opening at top and bottom.
- Finish painting sash windows on all surfaces including the edges, again avoiding having paint drip into the tracks.
- Finally, move both panels slightly before the paint dries completely to prevent the windows sticking.