A tired and uncared for window will stand out for all the wrong reasons. So, if you’re thinking about carrying out some DIY to your property in the coming months while the weather should be reasonably dry, your windows are a great place to start. Here are a few pointers on prepping your wooden window frames ready for painting.

Start proceedings with a thorough check of your windows for any signs of mould or debris. Windows withstand some harsh elements and are often exposed to conditions that can create the perfect breeding ground for mould. Give your windows and frames a good clean with a non-abrasive cloth, warm water, and a fungicidal wash/mild detergent to be certain that any signs of mould are removed. Be sure to change the water frequently and rinse thoroughly with clean water (avoid using a hose or pressure equipment as they can cause damage to the window.
Fill any gaps between the wooden frame and the glass with a multi-purpose putty or sealant by using a putty knife and make sure you give the putty/sealant plenty of time to dry. All our windows here at New Forest Joinery are custom made using softwood with hardwood sills as the sills are the most exposed and susceptible to the weather and are at increased risk of decay. The softwood we typically use is a kiln dried redwood which is generally more thermally efficient than most hardwoods.
Remove locks and handles from the frame (maybe just leave one screw in so you can open and close the window easily while painting).
Carefully remove any old, loose, flaky paint (you can use your putty knife for this). Find the loosest part of the peeling paint and get under it, lifting and scraping as you go.
When you’ve removed as much flaky paint as you can, lightly sand the frame with sandpaper to remove any stubborn bumps and to slightly roughen the surface – this will help your new paint coatings to stick. Wear a mask if you can, as breathing in the dust created from sanding can be uncomfortable and dangerous.
Have a good clean up of the area around you so you are ready for painting and give the fames another quick wipe down with a damp cloth to get rid of any lingering dust.
When the windows are clean and dry, you’re ready to prime. We use Teknos for all paint and treatments of our timber windows and doors. Teknos is a well-respected and trusted manufacturer of high-quality paints made up of low volatile organic compounds. Prior to painting our windows, we use a Teknos End Grain Sealer which seals the wood on the face/end grain and prevents it from starting to dry, so that it evens out the drying on the timber. We then apply two coats of Teknos Water-Based Primer (ensuring that the timber dries between coats to offer full protection).
Following the primer, two coats of Teknos Water-Based Topcoat is applied, and we are very careful to check each frame between coats to ensure full adhesion and protection.
One your primer is dry; you can finally get painting! Take your time with painting to avoid paint runs. We use spray paints here at New Forest Joinery in order to create a nice, perfect, smooth finish so there are not brush strokes or paint drips that you can often get with hand applied paint. As standard we use White Gloss or White Satin on our frames. However, you do have the option of choosing a Farrow & Ball, Dulux, Little Greene, Fired Earth or other preferred paint brand – we can colour match any of these paint colours for you. You can even choose a different colour for your internal woodwork to match your interior and have white or another colour on the exterior woodwork.

Naturally, if you would prefer to save the DIY element of your task to another day and call in the professionals instead, we are only a phone call away! Likewise, if you feel it’s time for your timber windows to be completely renewed, we can help. All our products and all our timber come from FSC or PEFC certified forests. So, if your windows are installed by us, you can rest assured that the wood used to create your products is of exceptional quality, sustainable and good for the environment.