Some people love to take the initiative and work on home improvement projects by themselves, and painting is no exception. It may seem pretty straightforward, but you have to be careful when painting windows. If you rush it and don’t take certain precautions, you could end up painting them shut. At Clear Window Restorations, we specialize in performing Portland, OR window replacement, repairs and restorations. We have written this guide to help you successfully paint your windows without gluing them shut.

Just like any other part of your house, the key to painting windows is preparation. Start by dusting the interior of the windows with a brush and washing the exterior with water. If you have wood windows, let them dry for at least 24 hours. If they aren’t wood, let them dry for a few hours. Put painter’s tape around the perimeter of the window frame, but not on the glass itself. Apply a light, even coat of primer to prevent it from building up in the seams of your window. Give the primer plenty of time to dry (at least two hours) and open the windows every 20 minutes or so to prevent it from sticking. After that you are ready to apply the paint. Make sure to use thin, even coats to avoid globs of paint forming, especially if you are painting the window jamb. It is also a good idea to paint the jamb and the window tracks first so that they have more time to dry. Like before, open and close your window a few times while the paint is drying to prevent it from sealing. Once the bottom coat is completely dry, apply another even coat of paint, once again being careful not to use too much paint. If you discover that your window is slightly stuck after the paint has dried, run a thin razor between the frame and the sash.

Windows that are unable to open really aren’t windows at all. If you follow these simple tips, you can enjoy great looking windows that actually open and close when you want them to.