How to paint a window inside and out

Start on the inside first. Before you begin, remove any fixtures like curtains or blinds from around your window and put down a Resene drop cloth to protect the floor.

Clean the window frames with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner. Give it a good spray onto the surface and use an old rag to clean the entire frame. This not only removes any dirt and grime, it efficiently prepares the surface for painting.

Put on your safety gear and use a scraper to remove any old and flaking paint, then give the surface a thorough sand to smooth it out and wipe away the sanding dust. 

Use a flat bladed scraper on interior paintwork.

Use a screwdriver to remove your window latches, remembering which window frame they go with so it’ll be a hassle-free reattachment. Fill any holes or dings in the frames with Resene EzyFill Quick or PAL Contract Filler and then sand smooth once again once it has dried. 

Give the frames a good dust down to remove any sanding from the surface that could adversely affect your paint finish. Remember to keep your mask on as you do this, to avoid inhaling dust.

It’s time to prime! Pour Resene Quick Dry into a paint pot and use a paintbrush to apply one coat to the window frame. Be mindful of your brushstrokes – you want them to follow the direction of the wood grain and use the junctions in the timber as the break point. 

Leave the window slightly ajar when you’re working on it. Once dry, lightly sand and wipe away sanding dust. 

If you don’t have a steady hand like Murdo, use painter’s tape to mask around the edges of the window glass to prevent any paint getting on it.  If you’re brave enough to go without tape, turn your brush on an angle to get a clean straight line

Now it’s time to apply two topcoats to your window frame with your chosen Resene paint, waiting the appropriate drying time between each coat. 

You have two options here: Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel or Resene Enamacryl gloss waterborne enamel.

Resene Lustacryl is most often used on wet areas, trims and joinery inside and out as the semi-gloss sheen provides a pleasing contrast to generally lower sheen wall finishes. For those who prefer a higher sheen finish, Resene Enamacryl gloss waterborne enamel is also a great choice. 

Murdo used Resene Lustacryl in Resene White.

Time to move to the outside of the window. Kill any present mould spores with Resene Moss & Mould Killer. Using a spray pack makes life easy here – spray it all over the frames and leave it on for 2-4 hours, or overnight for heavy infestations.

Then use Resene Paint Prep and Housewash and scrub the surface clean, doing your best to keep it away from the glass. Rinse off with water.

Once the window has dried, follow the same prep, prime and paint steps you did for the inside of the window. 

Murdo used Resene Lustacryl in Resene Permanent Green.

Job well done! Enjoy your refreshed window frames.