How to paint internal uPVC
You don’t have to spend a fortune on replacing uPVC when a coat (or two) of paint works just as well, for a fraction of the price.
I have been working through all of the dark brown internal window frames in my house and painting them all white. The fresh, bright colour has completely transformed and lifted the space. The whole process takes a few days to complete, though I would recommend leaving the windows slightly open for as long as you can bear to wait. Gloss requires at least a few hours to dry, though I leave mine open for about two weeks until I’m sure the paint has cured. With this in mind it’s probably best to do this when it’s not freezing cold outside, or prepare to wear some coats around the house.
As with all DIY the key is preparation! I can’t emphasise this enough. This is the first and most important step. Below is a guide for how I prepared and painted my uPVC window frames.
STEP ONE: Remove any traces of mould from around the windows
Use a mould killer spray all over the window frames and leave it to sit for about 5 minutes. Then wipe away with a damp cloth. If necessary repeat this step. The window frames have to be completely clean for the paint to adhere properly.
STEP TWO: Clean the window frames using sugar soap
If your frames are damaged in any way then make sure the damage is repaired prior to cleaning with sugar soap. Presuming your uPVC is in good condition you can just give it a really good scrub and clean. Make sure there is no remaining dirt or debris at this step so your paint adheres properly without clumps or flaking, etc. Once clean, make sure it’s well rinsed with no product residue, then leave to dry.
STEP THREE: Tape
Use masking tape (or frog tape) around the outer and inner window frame edges. You might want to use a low tack one if you’re sticking the outer edges against painted walls. Or you can just wing it and try applying the paint freehand. I’ve tried both methods and think the tape leaves a much cleaner line once it’s pulled off. It’s a lot quicker in the long run as you can apply each coat of paint much faster!
STEP FOUR: Primer
STEP FIVE: Top coat
Once you have applied your primer it’s time to paint your top coat.
Lets talk briefly about which topcoat is best…
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- Oil based gloss –
notorious for turning yellow as the oil in the paint does eventually come to the surface. You also need white spirit to clean your brushes (and yourself). Oil based glosses do also smell quite strong. I’d only recommend this for painting areas like your bathroom where you might need a weather shield paint (the weatherproof paint film is more mould resistant and flexible to resist cracking. This keeps your paintwork looking better for longer so some would argue it’s better for bathrooms).
- Satinwood –
This water based paint is by far my favourite topcoat, as it doesn’t contain oil there’s never any discolouration! It also doesn’t smell as strong (in my opinion) and you don’t need turps to clean your brushes so it’s a bit easier to use.
Regardless of which you prefer, the window frames will likely needs 2 coats of gloss, with about a day between coats (depending on what the tub recommends).
- Oil based gloss –
STEP SIX: Dry vs Cure
Once the gloss is completely dry you can remove the masking tape and clean up any small mistakes. However, the paint has to cure for about 1-3 weeks, which means if you’ve painted a window ledge you can’t put anything heavy onto it until it has fully set. Or else the paint can unfortunately peel off completely and leave you back at square one! Confused?
Paint “DRY” happens when the solvents evaporate from your paint coating leaving the paint dry to the touch even though it is not 100% dry. This takes 1-2 hrs for water based paint and 6-8 hrs for oil based paint.
Paint “CURE” happens when your paint has reached its maximum hardness and is completely 100% dry. This takes 21-30 days in water based paint but only 3-7 days for oil based paint.
I hope this has been helpful to anyone who is thinking about changing the colour of their uPVC, don’t let anyone tell you that it can’t be done or that you’ll end up making it worse, etc. If you are worried then practise somewhere first like a small inconspicuous window or just a small ledge. It’s definitely worth giving a go!!
