Paint Makeover: How to Breathe New Life Into Your Window Frames
New window frames don't come cheap – here's how to give your existing ones an affordable style upgrade with paint
Eliza Nugent
10 August 2019
Houzz Australia contributor. I am an experienced renovator and DIY enthusiast.
Houzz recently ran a story about how my husband, Sam Nugent, and I renovated our standard-issue, red-brick home to give it a Hamptons flavour, which was better suited to its coastal location on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. After the story was published, we were inundated with questions from readers about how we spray-painted the aluminium window frames. In answer, here’s a step-by-step guide on how we went about it.
The window frames after spray painting
When we updated the facade of our red brick home in 2017, the sliding aluminium window frames in Colorbond Classic Cream didn’t match the Hamptons look we wanted. The frames were in great condition, but after we’d painted the facade, it looked as though the whole house had been updated and the windows had been forgotten.
When we updated the facade of our red brick home in 2017, the sliding aluminium window frames in Colorbond Classic Cream didn’t match the Hamptons look we wanted. The frames were in great condition, but after we’d painted the facade, it looked as though the whole house had been updated and the windows had been forgotten.
Before Photo
The sliding aluminium window frames at Eliza and Sam Nugent’s home before the couple spray-painted them
Every time I looked at them they annoyed me, so we decided to paint them ourselves. It’s a job that we could have asked a painter to do, but it would have been expensive due to the amount of preparation time required.
As we were redoing the interior of the house too, we decided to paint both the inside and outside of the frames (you could easily just do the insides if you wish to).
Spraying window frames takes a lot of time and it’s fiddly work, but it can save you a lot. I estimate that we saved thousands of dollars – we were quoted about $6,000 just for the interior. It wasn’t a fixed-price quote either, as the company was unable to tell us exactly how long it would take before they started work, so it could have ended up costing more.
Every time I looked at them they annoyed me, so we decided to paint them ourselves. It’s a job that we could have asked a painter to do, but it would have been expensive due to the amount of preparation time required.
As we were redoing the interior of the house too, we decided to paint both the inside and outside of the frames (you could easily just do the insides if you wish to).
Spraying window frames takes a lot of time and it’s fiddly work, but it can save you a lot. I estimate that we saved thousands of dollars – we were quoted about $6,000 just for the interior. It wasn’t a fixed-price quote either, as the company was unable to tell us exactly how long it would take before they started work, so it could have ended up costing more.
When I started researching how to go about it, there wasn’t much information online. So I went to Bunnings and asked the person at the paint counter for advice. They were super helpful and gave me all the instructions I needed to successfully spray the frames. For the paint, he suggested I use Dulux Metalshield Epoxy Enamel, which comes in a range of colours.
I strongly recommend choosing a gloss finish as it is a much easier surface to clean. We sprayed one window frame in a matt finish to test it out, but it was so hard to clean that we repainted it using a gloss finish.
We used one to two cans of spray paint per large window. However, we found that as we got better at spraying, we became more efficient and used less paint.
Prefer to enlist the hep of an expert? Find a painting professional on Houzz to help you transform your interior and exterior
I strongly recommend choosing a gloss finish as it is a much easier surface to clean. We sprayed one window frame in a matt finish to test it out, but it was so hard to clean that we repainted it using a gloss finish.
We used one to two cans of spray paint per large window. However, we found that as we got better at spraying, we became more efficient and used less paint.
Prefer to enlist the hep of an expert? Find a painting professional on Houzz to help you transform your interior and exterior
Tools for the job
Here’s what you’ll need to spray your aluminium window frames:
Here’s what you’ll need to spray your aluminium window frames:
- Spray paint.
- Plastic painter’s sheets (to protect surrounding surfaces from paint splatters).
- Masking or painter’s tape.
- Newspaper or contact sheets (to cover the glass).
- Methylated spirits.
- A blade.
- Flyscreen mesh (if you decide to replace your flyscreen mesh entirely).
- A flyscreen spline roller wheel (to help you install flyscreen wire).
- A protective mask.
- Safety goggles.
Sam Nugent preparing the windows for spraying
Step-by-step guide to spraying sliding window frames
1. Take out the sliding section of the window and set it aside.
2. Take out the fly screen and remove the mesh; set aside. I suggest replacing the mesh completely after painting the frames, as it’s easier than trying to reinsert the original fly-screen mesh later (although it can be done if you really want to).
3. Clean window frames (both the fixed pane that’s still in the window and the sliding section that you’ve removed) with soapy water; dry.
4. Wipe over all aluminium surfaces with methylated spirits to ensure that all oils have been removed.
5. Apply a border of masking or painter’s tape to all the glass portions of the window (both fixed and sliding sections), the wall surrounding the fixed-pane section, window jambs and window seals. This helps limit the amount of over-spray when you’re painting.
Step-by-step guide to spraying sliding window frames
1. Take out the sliding section of the window and set it aside.
2. Take out the fly screen and remove the mesh; set aside. I suggest replacing the mesh completely after painting the frames, as it’s easier than trying to reinsert the original fly-screen mesh later (although it can be done if you really want to).
3. Clean window frames (both the fixed pane that’s still in the window and the sliding section that you’ve removed) with soapy water; dry.
4. Wipe over all aluminium surfaces with methylated spirits to ensure that all oils have been removed.
5. Apply a border of masking or painter’s tape to all the glass portions of the window (both fixed and sliding sections), the wall surrounding the fixed-pane section, window jambs and window seals. This helps limit the amount of over-spray when you’re painting.
Protect glass and surrounding areas with a covering of newspaper
6. Cover all nearby exposed areas (such as glass, walls, the exterior next to the window opening) with newspaper or contact paper to protect them from overspray, leaving only the window frame exposed. If you’re worried about overspray, you can cover a greater expanse of wall with plastic painter’s sheets.
7. When all surrounding areas are protected, you’re ready to start spraying your window frames. You can spray the fixed window frame in-situ. Spray the sliding section that you’ve removed flat on the ground on painter’s plastic or on a saw horse.
8. Spray with one light coat and let it dry as per the manufacturer’s instructions; then re-coat. If your coats are very light, you may need to apply a third coat.
9. When the paint is completely dry, remove tape and newspaper – your painted window frames are now ready.
10. Be aware that you can still get overspray on glass that has been fully taped and covered, because the paint particles are so tiny. If this happens, you can rub it off with methylated spirits, scrape it off with a blade or use a combination of both.
11. When your window frames are completely dry, replace flyscreen mesh and reinsert it into the window.
12. Fit the sliding window back in place.
5 Expert Tips for Testing Paint Colours
6. Cover all nearby exposed areas (such as glass, walls, the exterior next to the window opening) with newspaper or contact paper to protect them from overspray, leaving only the window frame exposed. If you’re worried about overspray, you can cover a greater expanse of wall with plastic painter’s sheets.
7. When all surrounding areas are protected, you’re ready to start spraying your window frames. You can spray the fixed window frame in-situ. Spray the sliding section that you’ve removed flat on the ground on painter’s plastic or on a saw horse.
8. Spray with one light coat and let it dry as per the manufacturer’s instructions; then re-coat. If your coats are very light, you may need to apply a third coat.
9. When the paint is completely dry, remove tape and newspaper – your painted window frames are now ready.
10. Be aware that you can still get overspray on glass that has been fully taped and covered, because the paint particles are so tiny. If this happens, you can rub it off with methylated spirits, scrape it off with a blade or use a combination of both.
11. When your window frames are completely dry, replace flyscreen mesh and reinsert it into the window.
12. Fit the sliding window back in place.
5 Expert Tips for Testing Paint Colours
Eliza Nugent transforming her window frames
Tips for success
Tips for success
- Be prepared for this job – particularly the preparation work – to take a long time. We aimed to do one window per weekend. With smaller windows, we were able to do several in a day.
- It’s not easy to get the paint consistency right, and if you apply too much paint, you will end up with drip marks. Practice your spray painting technique on newspaper first before going anywhere near your window frames.
- When it comes to coats of paint, less is more. It’s better to apply several lighter coats than apply a heavy spray coat that drips.
- This job is best done in the warmer summer months as the paint will dry faster with the increased temperature and airflow.
- When spraying, protect yourself by wearing a mask and safety goggles.
Your turn
Could your aluminium window frames benefit from being resprayed? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Want more renovating advice? Don’t miss Cut Costs: How to Choose the Right Insulation at the Right Price
Could your aluminium window frames benefit from being resprayed? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Want more renovating advice? Don’t miss Cut Costs: How to Choose the Right Insulation at the Right Price
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Thanks Eliza. I really appreciate you sharing your experience and advice. We had a quote -$11k to do our 90s cream window frames. We have quite a few and several large windows. When I got the quote they said they’d also sand the aluminium frame and prepared to ensure the paint sticks and is long lasting.
You didn’t need to do this?
They also suggested getting window frames painted before exterior of house. Your thoughts?
And do you have any tricks for getting window tracks super clean?
Feeling like we might be able to tackle them ourselves now.
Cheers.
Would this work just as well if the old frame was anodised and not painted aluminium?
I had a painter friend do mine when we were renovating the bathroom. He didn't sand or use a primer only the spray paint and when we bumped the frames the paint scratched easily. I re-taped etc and resprayed which covered the marks but did not do any other prep as I had shutters being installed soon after. For future windows I'll be doing more research about sanding and priming and try to do myself.