DIY: Painting window frames

The inside of windows can get a bit grubby over the years due condensation washing dust down the glass which collects in the gap between the glass and the lower glazing bar. This can often get infected with mould growth, as it is an ideal environment - wet in the morning and dry and warm during the day. This must be cleaned up and treated with *Weathershield Multi-Surface Fungicidal Wash before painting.

Essential tools and preparation advice

• The window frame must be clean, sound and dry. Scrape back any loose, flaking paint to a firm edge. It is important to clean out all cracked and defective putty between the glass and the frame. It tends to become brittle with age and can fall out. Scrape out all the loose material using a suitable tool. Either a triangle shaped Shave Hook or a small Chisel Knife (like a small wallpaper stripping knife) will be ideal. If you invest in a few basic, good quality tools and look after them, they will last you a lifetime. • You will need to fill any gaps around the glass before you can paint the window, using a suitable Multi-purpose Putty. Use a proper Putty Knife for this purpose. Get a small amount of the putty in your hands and roll it into a small ball to get it nice and pliable. If it is very sticky, shake a bit of Multi Purpose Polyfilla powder over it and continue to work it (similar to making pastry). This will dry it out and make it much easier to use. Press the putty into the gap using the putty knife and smooth off and remove the excess. Leave the putty to harden thoroughly before painting. • Once all the preparation is done and the existing paint has been sanded down and dusted off (always wear a suitable face mask when dry sanding), any areas of bare wood must be primed with either Dulux Primer for Wood or Dulux Primer Undercoat for Wood, which is a water-based primer and undercoat all in one and dries in a couple of hours.