Painting Plastic Windows: How to Do it

10 min reading time

Are you still looking for the ideal colours for your windows?

Can you paint plastic window frames? Of course! It's very easy. With the right varnish, no long preparatory work is necessary. Within a few minutes you can get started and give interiors and facades a new character.

1. Ideas for painting vinyl windows from the MissPompadour painting community

2. Preparation: How to choose the right colour for your vinyl window

3. Painting plastic windows professionally: Instructions from MissPompadour

4. These are the accessories you need to paint your vinyl windows

Water-based paints and plastics - do they go together? Very well indeed! The fact that some recreational renovators have doubts may be related to old experiences from childhood. The water-based paints from the paint box in primary school didn't really want to stick to plastic surfaces. But our water-based and environmentally friendly varnishes are perfect for plastic surfaces. Our slogan #ipainteverything is no cheat. Many of our varnishes hold up so well that you can even use them as a sturdy exterior window coating with a clear conscience.

White plastic window frames in particular can yellow - not a pretty sight
But even if the colour shade is still intact, the original colour may simply no longer suit your living situation. So go on ...! In no time at all you can conjure up a new look for your home, whether you want to paint brown plastic windows white or give your white PVC windows a colourful makeover.
Want to paint wooden window frames too? Then take a look at our tutorial "How to paintwindows".

Ideas for varnishing vinyl windows from the MissPompadour painting community

Over the years, plastic window frames become covered in a yellow or grey haze that can no longer be wiped away, no matter how hard you rub. MissPompadour White with White makes the white shine like new again. Velvety matt, dark colours can look very elegant. With Black with Velvet or Green with Teal from MissPompadour, you can create a cool industrial look.

You can also paint dark or brown plastic windows white. The colours mentioned above cover well. It is best to apply our To Bond & Block primer beforehand.

Pro tip: Don't limit your framing plan to painting the PVC window frames alone. Paint the window sill at the same time - in the same tone or in a complementary colour.
Whether plastic, wood, metal or stone, the varnishes work on almost all common substrates.

Preparation: How to choose the right colour for the PVC-U window

Wind, rain, frost and, last but not least, the constant bombardment of UV rays can take their toll on window frames. That's why you should use colours that are as stable as possible. The right choice is the hard-wearing and durable Easy Eggshell! from the Just paint Collection. These varnishes are weather-resistant and suitable for outdoor use.

Pro tip: When cleaning windows, the varnish is naturally stressed. Your colour treatment will therefore not be quite as stable as with windows made of thoroughly coloured plastic.
However, you can always opt for a new look if you no longer like the old one.

Are you painting the plastic windows from the inside or the outside?

You can always paint plastic windows inside and outside with the same varnish quality. This is because our outdoor-suitable, water-based Easy Eggshell! is particularly environmentally friendly and has very little odour. This means that these colours for exterior vinyl windows are also ideal for interiors.

Indoors: How do you want to live? Do you like it colourful or more subtle? You can give free rein to your creativity on the inside of the window frames. Match the colour shade to the interior of the room.

Exterior: How you paint the plastic window frames on the outside will determine the look of the façade of your house. Pro tip: Our water-based varnishes also adhere very well to metal. So you can also use them on metal window frames.

What effect do you want to achieve?

Freshly painted, your window frames will look like new again. The colours should be as robust as possible and adhere well. It is therefore best to choose semi-gloss or gloss varnishes.

Matt effect: Matt paints are inherently less robust and not weather-resistant. They also adhere less well than semi-gloss, gloss paints or special outdoor varnishes. As the frames are also regularly rubbed during window cleaning, matt paints are not suitable if you want to paint PVC windows.
Silk matt effect: Silk matt varnishes are the most hard-wearing and have the highest protective effect. Easy Eggshell is an excellent choice !

Painting Plastic Windows Like a Pro: MissPompadour's Guide

Painting plastic windows – it's easier and quicker than you might think. What are you waiting for? Let's get started!

Step 1: Clean Them Up

If your window frames are in good condition, a thorough clean is all you need. Make sure to remove any greasy residue completely. MissPompadour To Clean is perfect for this. Afterwards, just wipe with water and let them dry. You usually won't need to sand the plastic frames beforehand.

Step 2: Masking

Now, carefully mask off all the areas of the window you don't want to paint. Cover your workspace with a tarpaulin or protective fleece.

Pro tip: Also protect the rubber seals from paint.

Step 3: Priming

For optimal adhesion, start by applying a coat of MissPompadour To Bond & Block primerusing a thoroughly cleaned brush. Then, let the primer dry for at least four hours. Depending on the room temperature, this might take longer. Be sure to clean your tools meticulously between primer and paint application, or use separate brushes and rollers.

Step 4: Painting

Now it’s time to apply your paint coats – as many as you need until you’re happy with the result. Two coats are usually sufficient. Allow around four hours drying time between coats before applying the next layer with a paint roller or brush.
For a super smooth finish, you can use a paint spray gun. Important: Depending on your spray gun, you might need to add 10-15% water to the paint.

Pro tip: Choose a day with as little wind as possible for painting the outside of your windows. Also, avoid days with high pollen counts in spring. Otherwise, flying dust and dirt particles could settle on the paint before it dries.

Step 5: Remove the Tape

It’s best to remove the masking tape while the paint is still slightly wet. If you've missed this window, you can carefully cut through the flexible paint film with a sharp craft knife.

Step 6: Let It Cure

Now, the paint needs time to cure properly. This process takes several days. It’s a good idea to leave the window slightly ajar during this period. If that’s not possible, you can dust the window rebate with a little baby powder. This prevents the window frame from sticking when you close it. After 10 to 14 days, the paint will have reached its full durability.

Pro tip: Fancy painting other plastic surfaces besides window frames? Then check out our tutorial.

You'll need these tools for painting plastic windows

Paintbrush: You can achieve great results when painting plastic windows, even with the MissPompadour fine paintbrush in 25 mm width.
Sanding fleece: You can roughen very smooth plastic surfaces before painting. To do this, use fine-grit sandpaper or the MissPompadour sanding fleece To Sand.
Paint tray: To make spreading the paint easier, pour it into an ergonomically shaped paint tray. This is the perfect solution, especially when working with a paint roller, as the roughened surface allows you to remove excess paint from the roller. Special paint trays for brushes let you stand your brush upright in the tray.