Painting upstairs wooden window frames - looking for advice please

[Jan]

Our double glazed window surrounds are made from mahogany and badly need a new coat of Sikkens, a kind of preservative varnish. I am going to try and have a go myself by doing it from the inside of the house through the opened windows. I was thinking of using a brush with a long handle on the uprights and paint pads on the horizontals. Anyone got any thoughts and recommendations on this method. Or any other ideas? We simply do not have the spare cash to pay someone. 😟

One problem I cannot seem to resolve is where I should have the paint pot. Any clues on this too please?

[malt1977]

In all honesty, you’d be better off getting it done professionally. They would sand back the wood and then apply the Sikkens, most likely 2 coats.

[jdouds]

Really daft 😀, get ladders rub down properly and then coat with whatever product is best.

[Jan]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Firstly, we are retired and on ever-shrinking pensions. Due to circumstances over the last 12 months, we have no spare cash.

Secondly DH is 80 and I am 75. Neither of us are keen on climbing up a ladder to the first floor.

For both reasons DIY seems to be our only option. 😩

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Jan. yes a ladder is the best way but in your circumstances not recommended. So we come to what can you do.

My advice is to accept you can only do so much and it won’t be a top job but whatever you do is better than letting it rot. So windows wide open, rub down as best as you can and wash down properly. When dry get two coats on.
Now some of that will be impossible to reach but I’m sure with a long handled brush most of it will be accessible.

Something like this. This is from Screwfix but you can get them on Amazon etc.

screwfix/p/harris-tr...-brush-2/9736x

[Jan]

Thank you, Mr T, for your continued support. Much appreciated.

[kiwiinabd]

Buy a small paint scuttle so you don't have the full weight of a can of paint. There are different shapes of scuttles on screwfix that get good reviews from decorators

Could you use a clamp or fabricate a bracket so you can support the scuttle on the window sill outside ?

Have plenty of cloths available to wipe any drips ? Also think about how to reach a paint drip that's further away !

Could you install some masking tape to limit any overpaint on the glass ?

Practise on a downstairs window first if possible to perfect your technique !

[kk20]

You should really rub down first. Sikkens oil will clump split dried varnish and look awful. As for the pot, pour into a smaller pot and hook onto open window.

It can be done, me and OH did the 'lean out of window' as one window is over the large conservatory (it would have needed scaffolding).

[Bellasmummy]

We’ve just done all of ours this summer. For the high windows that weren’t easily accessible we hired a mini scaffold tower for the week. Much safer than a ladder as you climb inside and stand in the box formed at the top. I think we paid about £100.

Our windows were rubbed down thoroughly with sandpaper and then a dremel used on the fiddly bits. Three coats of sikkens, I think 2 base coats and 1 top coat but might have been 1 & 2.

We spent a fortune just on the sikkens, that stuff is pricy.