Aluminium windows frames can provide a long-lasting option for New South Wales homes. There is often a mistaken assumption that aluminium window frames do not require maintenance, however.
Can You Paint Aluminium Window Frames?
Yes, you can. Exposure to the elements will reduce the lifespan of aluminium windows frames if they are left untreated. The rate of corrosion is also significantly increased if your home is on or near the coast. Painting aluminium windows frames will add an extra layer of protection, as well as improving the aesthetics of your home.
In this blog post, we offer excellent tips on how you can paint aluminium windows frames effectively.
While you can use paint for this job, the general consensus among painters is that spray is a much more effective and cleaner method of application when painting aluminium windows. However, aluminium window frames tend to have a lot of grooves and hard to reach places, which is why using spray is the best option.
What You Will Need:
- Cordless screwdriver
- Safety knife
- Drip sheets
- Masking tape
- Nonporous plastic sheeting
- Primer
- Paint
- Sandpaper
- Cleaning rag
Preparing the Work Surface for Aluminium Window Painting
If you are able to remove your window frames, doing so will make spraying them a much less arduous task. If not you will first need to remove features such as curtains and frames so that you have a clear area to work with.
Thoroughly clean your window frames to remove dirt, dust or grease. If there is any rust on your aluminium window frames, use soft sandpaper to smooth the surface and then clean any remaining residue.
It is also important to ensure that you reduce the risk of other surfaces getting messy when you are applying paint. You will need drip sheets to protect your floors before preparing to paint aluminium windows frames, along with masking tape, and nonporous plastic sheeting to cover your windows and walls.
Rather than attempting to run a perfectly straight line of masking tape along the length of your window, tear off armed length strips. This will make it much easier to achieve a good seal around your window. Use the same principle to cover enough surfaces of your walls around the window frame.
Paint Application
Paint does not typically take to metal surfaces without a primer (and painting aluminium windows is no different!). There are metal surfaces that are manufactured as pre-primed, but it is less hassle to just assume that your aluminium window frames will need a primer before you apply the main coats.
With all applications, hold your can between 10 and 25cm away from the surface. Use multiple thin coats for each application, rather than saturating the window frame with concentrated spraying. Once the primer has been applied, you can move on to applying the main coats of paint. Once you have finished painting powder coated aluminium window frames, clean up should be minimal.
Quick guide:
- Remove curtains and other obstacles
- Thoroughly clean frame
- Secure drip sheet
- Use arm-length pieces of masking tape for easier application
- Mask surrounding surfaces
- Apply primer
- Apply Paint
- 10cm to 25cm from the surface
- Apply in multiple thin coats
The Takeaway
As DIY projects go, painting aluminium window frames is one of the simplest and most effective ways to make improvements to your home. You can purchase everything you need from most major paint suppliers and upgrade your home’s appearance at low cost.
Get in touch with Houspect New South Wales for Sydney Building Inspections or Termite and Pest Inspections