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 removed, no matter how hard you rub. MissPompadour White with White - Eggshell Varnish makes the white shine like new again. Velvety matt, dark tones can look very elegant. You can create a cool industrial look with Black with Velvet - Eggshell Varnish or Green with Teal - Eggshell Varnish from MissPompadour.

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.

MissPompadour Black with Black

Before After

Dark window frames were used here to accentuate the living space.

MissPompadour White with White

Before After

This window has been optically brightened.

MissPompadour Grey with Black

Before After

Now the formerly light brown windows are a successful eye-catcher.

MissPompadour Black with Black

Before After

The new colour brings chic into the room.

MissPompadour Grey with Black

With a new colour, the plastic looks high quality again.

Professional tip: Don't limit your frame plan to painting the plastic 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 colours work on almost all common substrates.

Preparation: How to choose the right colour for the vinyl window

Wind, rain, frost and, last but not least, the permanent bombardment by UV radiation take their toll on the window frames. That's why you should use the most stable paints possible. The first choice is the environmentally friendly and durable Eggshell Varnishes from MissPompadour. These varnishes are weather-resistant and contain effective UV protection.

Professional tip: Cleaning windows naturally puts a strain on the varnish. Your colour treatment will therefore not be quite as stable as with windows made of thoroughly coloured vinyl.
But you can always opt for a new look if you no longer like the old one.

Do you paint the plastic windows from the inside or from the outside?

You can paint plastic windows inside and outside with the same quality of varnish. This is because our outdoor-suitable, water-based varnishes are particularly environmentally friendly and do not smell unpleasant. This means that these paints for exterior plastic windows are also ideal for interiors.

Interior: How do you want to live? Do you like it colourful, do you prefer it more discreet? 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 exterior of your vinyl window frames will determine the face of your home's façade. With theMissPompadour app's eyedropper , you can determine the exact colour. You will also receive colour suggestions.

Professional tip: Our water-based varnishes also adhere very well to metal. So you can also use them for 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. Therefore, it is best to choose satin or glossy varnishes.

Matt effect: Matt paints are inherently less robust and weather-resistant. They also adhere less well than silk matt, glossy paints or special outdoor varnishes. Since window cleaning also involves regular rubbing of the frames, matt paints are not suitable if you want to paint PVC windows.
Silk matt/glossy effect: The silk matt varnishes are the most durable and have the highest protective effect. MissPompadour Eggshell Varnish is an excellent choice.

Paint plastic windows professionally: Instructions from MissPompadour

Painting plastic windows - it's easier and quicker than you think. What are you waiting for? Get started!

Step 1: Cleaning

If the window frames are still in good condition, all you have to do is clean them thoroughly. Remove any greasy residue completely. MissPompadour To Clean does this perfectly. Then just wipe with water and leave to dry. You don't usually need to sand down the plastic frames beforehand.

Step 2: Masking off

Now carefully mask off all parts of the window that you don't want to get any paint on. Cover the surface you are working on with a tarpaulin or fleece.

Pro tip: Also protect the rubber seals from paint.

Step 3: Priming

For optimum adhesion, first apply a well-covering layer of MissPompadour To Bond & Block primerwith a well-cleaned brush . Then leave the primer to dry for at least four hours. Depending on the ambient temperature, it may take longer. Make sure to clean your tools very thoroughly between priming and colour application or use other brushes and roller brushes directly.

Step 4: Varnish

Now you can apply the varnish layers - as many as you need until you are happy with the result. Two coats are usually enough. You should allow around four hours drying time before you can apply the next coat with a varnish roller or brush.
If you want a very even application of paint, you can usea paint spray gun. Important: To do this, you must add 10 per cent water to the paint.

Pro tip:Choose a day with as little wind as possible to paint the outside of the windows. You should also avoid days with very heavy pollen counts in spring. Otherwise, flying dust and dirt particles can settle on the varnish before it is dry.

Step 5: Remove the adhesive tape

It is best to remove the adhesive tape when the varnish has not yet dried. If you have missed this point, you can cut through the elastic varnish film with a sharp cutter.

Step 6: Allow to harden

The varnish now needs to cure properly. This takes several days. It is best to leave the window slightly open during this time. If this is not possible, you can also dust the window rebate with a little baby powder. This will prevent the window frame from sticking when you close it. After 10 to 14 days, the varnish will have reached its full robustness.

Pro tip: Would you like to paint other plastic surfaces in addition to window frames? Then take a look atour tutorial.

These are the accessories you need for painting plastic windows

Brush: You can also achieve good results when painting plastic windows with the MissPompadour brush in 25 mm width.
Sanding pad: You can roughen very smooth plastic surfaces before sanding. Use fine sandpaper or the MissPompadour Sanding Pad To Sand.
Paint spraying equipment: Our paint spraying systems from Wagner are the first choice if you want to apply the varnish perfectly evenly. Even hard-to-reach areas can be painted well this way.
paint tray: To spread the paint more easily, pour it into an ergonomically shaped paint tray. This is the perfect solution, especially if you are working with a paint roller, because its roughened surface allows you to remove excess paint from the paint roller. Special paint trays for brushes allow you to place the brush upright in the tray.