What to do if you are satisfied with almost everything about plastic windows, but you would like to change their color to a more current, stylish, and suitable one for the interior? Of course, paint! We tell you in detail how to do this – and not regret it.
1. Wash and dry the windows
Before applying paint, the surface must be thoroughly cleaned of dust and dirt, and then allowed to dry: of course, you should not paint dirty or wet frames. At the same time, pay special attention to the joints between the glass and the frame: dirt often accumulates there.
Be careful when choosing cleaning products: do not use too active household chemicals, they can damage the plastic and rubber seals. Choose products that are suitable specifically for PVC.
2. Sand the frame
Sand the surface of the frame with fine sandpaper to enhance the adhesion of the paint to the plastic surface (coarse sandpaper may damage the windows too much and leave scratches). Thoroughly clean the frames of any dust that appears during the process.
3. Protect glass with tape
So that you don’t have to wash the paint off the glass later, carefully cover it with masking tape (you can do it around the perimeter, or you can do it completely if you are not confident enough in your painting skills).
4. Prime the frames
Apply a primer to the surface of the frames to further enhance the adhesion of the paint and plastic. Choose a primer carefully: it must be suitable for plastic (most often the desired options are those based on acrylic). Follow the instructions on the package, apply a thin layer of primer, and wait for it to dry completely.
5. Choose the right paint
To paint plastic window frames in the desired color, not every paint is suitable. Choose options based on polyacrylates and acrylic resins – acrylic paints.
They are better suited than others for painting relatively smooth surfaces; give a good coating that covers the original color of the frame; resistant to sunlight (especially important for cases where the windows are planned to be painted from the outside).
In addition, such paints dry quite quickly, and their smell disappears in a relatively short time (which, you see, is a pleasant bonus, especially if you are painting windows in the apartment where you directly live).
Paints that contain aggressive solvents – for example, ether or alcohol – can seriously damage the rubber seal of the glass unit and the frames themselves.
6. Color it the right way
The secret to high-quality painting of plastic windows is using the right painting method. The main rule: the paint layer should be even and thin. If you are an experienced painter, you can achieve this with a brush.
However, the best option would be to use a special sprayer. When painting with it:
| Operating pressure | 2-3 atmospheres |
| Spray nozzle size | within 1.2-1.7 microns |
These are the optimal parameters at which you can paint the plastic frame with a neat, thin layer.
When painting, hold the spray gun at a 90-degree angle, and try to move it slowly and evenly, without sudden movements. Don’t forget to use a respirator while working.
An important point: as a rule, a thin layer of acrylic paint dries very quickly, up to 10 hours. However, for the coating to acquire its final durability and for the polymerization process to be completed, several more days are needed. Try not to touch the painted surface during this time and avoid physical impact on it.
7. If desired, varnish
If you want to further extend the life of the paint on the surface of the frames, you can coat the windows with acrylic varnish. Make sure that the paint layer is completely dry and wait enough time for polymerization to complete. Be patient when working with varnish: after applying it, try to let the coating dry thoroughly.
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