Perhaps you have decided to take on the task of painting your new windows yourself. Maybe you are looking to spruce up your house with a new coat of paint on old window trim, or you just may feel an urge to try out a new color.
Regardless of your reason for painting your exterior window trim, proper preparation can be the difference between looking beautiful for one year or one decade.
Instructions
1. Tape windows to protect them. Using painter's tape, lay the tape along the edge where the glass and the wood meet. This will protect the glass from cleaning solutions, primer, and paint through the process.
2. Wash with TSP or TSP substitute according to manufacturer directions. TSP, or trisodium phosphate, is a cleaning product found in the paint aisle of any hardware or home improvement store. In addition to cleaning the surface it will encourage bonding between the wood and the primer.
3. Scrape loose paint. Use a putty knife to scrape old paint away from the surface.
4. Sand the surface. Use a medium-grit sandpaper to sand down any remaining paint and debris. Then switch to a fine-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface.
5. Apply the primer. Begin your painting with any decorative wood that may cross the surface of the glass, then move on to the wood surrounding the edges of the glass. Finally, prime the remaining wood trim.
