Paint the windowsill: Instructions and tips

Window sills are important design elements of a flat or house, both inside and out. Inside, they often provide space for attractive decorations or plants. Outside, it is not enough just to paint the windows cleanly; the window sills must also look neat and tidy. Only both together in combination with a beautifully finished front door can make a house look inviting. If your window sills no longer look neat and attractive, you can paint them beautifully. We'll show you how to do this here

Table of content

1. Before and After photos from our community
2. Which colour for which windowsill?
3. Step-by-step guide to painting window sills
4. The right tools
5. Which material do you want to paint?
6. Frequently asked questions and answers about painting window sills

Painting the windowsill: Which colour is suitable for which windowsill?

It always makes sense to repaint a window sill. And we recommend the stable and hard-wearing MissPompadour Eggshell Varnish for this. Depending on the material the window sill is made of, you should prepare it with a primer. The following materials always require a primer: marble, stone and granite, concrete, metal and aluminium. Read details on the different materials.

Aluminium is a special case. Here it is important that you first find out whether it is anodised or non-anodised aluminium. If it is not anodised or already painted, you can simply paint over it after priming with To Bond & Block. No paint will last on anodised aluminium in the long term.

You can find out whether it is anodised or non-anodised aluminium by trying to make a scratch in an inconspicuous place with a copper coin. If this does not work, it is anodised aluminium.

As window sills often only have small areas, varnishrests from the last project are also great to use here. This allows you to embellish your window sills to match your furniture. You can also use leftover paint from the Matt Varnishesfor a window sill that is less exposed. If you have untreated wooden window sills in the children's room and would like to paint them to match the furniture or walls, you can also use the LittlePomp chalk varnishes. These are available in 15 delicate colour shades to match the LittlePomp chalk paints for your walls.

Simple instructions: Painting the windowsill

Step 1: Cleaning

The first step is to carefully clean the window sill. This works particularly well with the MissPompadour To Cleaner. Wipe with clear water and allow everything to dry thoroughly. Don't forget to mask well!

Step 2: Priming

Depending on the nature and material of the window sill, the surface may need to be sanded a little (aluminium) and primed with the adhesion and stain block To Bond & Block(for smooth surfaces or wood). If you use the primer as a stainblock on untreated wood, it should dry for approx. 8 hours or overnight. On smooth surfaces such as plastic, 3 hours drying time is sufficient.

Tools for painting window sills

You will need:

• Adhesive tape to protect all surfaces that are not to be painted
• Cleaning agent, cleaning cloths and water to clean the surfaces
• Depending on the material, the adhesive and stainblock To Bond & Block for the primer
• Sanding pad to sand aluminium
• The varnish MissPompadour Eggshell Varnish in the colour of your choice
• MissPompadour To Seal for finishing the interior under certain circumstances
• paint tray
• varnish roller
• Brush

What material do you want to paint?

It makes a difference whether your windowsill is made of stone, wood, Eternit or another material. Here you can find out what you need to consider:

Stone window sills made of marble

Marble window sills are very often found in the interior of houses. This material is stable, hard-wearing and has a high-quality appearance. However, marble is also porous and can become stained over the years, which can no longer be removed. These window sills may then no longer look attractive. Sometimes they simply don't match your interior design style. The only solution is to use paint and a brush.

As marble is usually sanded and has a very smooth surface, it is best to pre-paint it with a primer such as MissPompadour Primer To Bond & Block. You can then apply the colour shade of your choice. If you assume that your window sill will be subject to heavy use, you can finish your coat with MissPompadour Topcoat To Seal to be on the safe side.

Stone and granite window sills

In many houses, the interior window sills are made of granite. Granite is a rather indestructible material that lasts a very long time. Unfortunately, granite is usually patterned and often has a not very attractive beige tone, which is also polished to a high gloss. With a glossy granite surface, you must always prime it with MissPompadour To Bond & Block primer so that your paint can adhere well to the smooth surface.

Window sills made from Eternit

Eternit is a fibre cement and is normally found on the outside of a house. It is extremely weather-resistant. Of course, you can also paint Eternit, but bear in mind that although our paints are weatherproof, they cannot withstand standing water. If the water is able to run off your Eternit windowsills, you can definitely paint them. As Eternit has a rather porous surface, you do not need a primer.

Concrete window sills

Concrete also tends to be used outdoors and only in exceptional cases indoors. Concrete can be painted very well. A primer coat of MissPompadour To Bond & Block is recommended. This will give you an even surface to which your chosen colour will adhere well. You can also use the varnish Eggshell Varnish outdoors if the water from the windowsill can run off easily.

Aluminium window sills

First find out whether it is anodised or non-anodised aluminium. To do this, try scratching an inconspicuous area with a copper coin. If this does not work, it is anodised aluminium. No paint will last on anodised aluminium in the long term.

If it is not anodised or has already been painted, clean the window sill thoroughly before working on it. The best way to do this is to use MissPompadour To Cleaner. You can then roughen the surface slightly with fine-grain sandpaper or Sanding Pad. Then prepare the aluminium window sill for painting with MissPompadour To Bond & Block primer. After the primer has dried for a few hours, you can apply the actual colour.

Wooden window sills

Window sills are often made of wood, especially in old houses. They are then particularly easy to paint. Old varnish can simply be painted over as long as the varnish layer is still stable. If the old varnish peels off, you will need to sand these areas a little. Untreated wood or stained surfaces should be primed with our To Bond & Block primer. This will prevent unsightly discolouration from appearing on your new coat. Then apply 2 coats of your desired colour.

Plastic window sills

In newer houses, plastic window sills are often used in conjunction with plastic windows. Unfortunately, they are not as hard-wearing as you might think. Rust from flower pots and other substances often penetrate deep into the plastic and these stains can no longer be removed. Painting helps here too.

Clean the surfaces very carefully, as plastic attracts dust particularly well due to electrostatic charging. If the surface of the plastic window sill is very smooth, it is best to prime it once with MissPompadour To Bond & Block primer. You can then apply the colour of your choice and your windowsills will look like new.

FAQs: Frequently asked questions about painting window sills

All products for your project