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    How To Paint An Old Window

    By Stacy 59 Comments

    The window on the side of our garage is one of the first things you see when you walk in our backyard. It was faded green, chippy, paint was on the glass, and it had a broken pane. It was sad. It was not a huge project to tackle and yet it sat there that way for 6 years. Sometimes the little things on my list get skipped so I can do the more exciting jobs. Painting windows is not as fun as other things. But when faced with unemployment, sometimes the big fun things like bathroom renovations have to come to a screeching halt and smaller, more affordable projects get a chance to be crossed off the (giant, ever growing) to-do list.

    old-window-makeover-

     Sorry for the low quality picture. I forgot to take a real before shot (head hung in shame) so I found one on my cell phone that had the window in the background and enlarged it. The fuzzy picture actually makes the window look better!old-window

    Let's do a little side by side comparison......

     

    window-before-after

    I have teamed up with 3MDIY.com again to show you the way to repaint an old window. I went a little further and made it all perdy :)

    Here is what you will need:

     

    *Paint Scraper          * 3M Tekk ProtectionGoggles           *Paint Brush      *High Quality Exterior Paint & Prime

    *Wire Brush             * 3M Tekk Protection Respirator      *Paint Thinner       *ScotchBlue™™ Painter's Tape

    *3M Wood Filler     *Paintable Window Caulk                   *3M Advanced Abrasives Sandpaper          *Gloves

    (Not pictured)          *3M Lead Check Kit                            *Paper Towels

    window-painting-supplies

    The first steps are here in this handy dandy video. I shot it in two days in 100+ degree weather while our air conditioner was broke. It was miserable. So enjoy watching it while you are sitting in your air conditioned house :) I recommend doing a project like this on a cooler day.....

    There is a lot of important information in the video. Plus you should watch so you can check out my sweet farmer's tan. :P

    (if it is blurry, adjust the settings to make it 350p or higher by clicking the gear icon under the video)

    (many snow cones were consumed while filming this video)

    Okay so now that you have tested for lead, removed the paint from the glass, removed loose caulk, scraped off the paint, and sanded, you are ready for the next steps!

    window-paint-putty-caulk-prime*If you had to remove any or all of the caulk, you will need to re-caulk the window now. Make sure you use an exterior window caulk that is paintable. And make sure you have plenty of paper towels handy! It can be messy.

    *If your window has any hole or cracks then use a sandable, paintable, stainable putty. Let it dry completely and light sand it to smooth it out.

    *Tape off the windows to protect the wall and the glass. I know after all this prep work you will want to tape it off quickly. But go slow enough that you have all the glass (even the little corners) taped and rub the tape to make sure it is all the way on there (especially edges). This will make it so you do not have to go back with a razor blade or paint scraper.

    *Use a quality primer that will bond well. When the primer is dry, paint it the desired color. If you are painting the window a darker color you can have your primer tinted at the Home improvement store (and by "home improvement store" we all know I mean Home Depot :) ).

    window-makeover-1

    I built simple shutter and a custom window box to finish off the look. I didn't take a lot of pictures of the process since I had so many projects I was working on at the time. If you want me to throw a tutorial up let me know.

    window2

    Because the window ledge is slanted I had to make the box a little different that a regular square box. I really love the x detail in the front!

     

    window-box-yellow
    A big thanks to 3MDIY.com for providing the products I needed for this project. Y'all know I do not share products unless I  LOVE them, here on my blog. And I love theirs :)

     

    This post is a collaboration with 3M DIY. To keep up-to-date on projects, products and sampling visit 3MDIY.com.

    FOLLOW ALONG ON 3M's SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES FOR EVEN MORE IDEAS!!!

    3M DIY Twitter Page
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    Filed Under: DIY & Tutorials, Favorites, Painting 59 Comments

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Liz Fourez

      July 02, 2013 at 5:14 am

      Thanks for sharing, Stacy! I guess I have no reason now to keep avoiding this task on MY checklist : )

      Reply
    2. Amy @ The Happy Scraps

      July 02, 2013 at 7:04 am

      I love love love the way your window turned out! I think the yellow planter and shutters are the perfect finishing touch. I bet seeing this makes you happy every time you go in your yard! :)

      Reply
    3. Amanda - Cupcakes and Corndogs

      July 02, 2013 at 11:01 am

      Looks great!! How did you hang the shutters?

      Reply
      • Stacy

        July 02, 2013 at 11:10 am

        We predrilled holes, added plastic anchors in the holes and then screwed the shutter directly into the brick. Outr house is so old that the mortar and brick are flush instead of there being a different in depth. Otherwise I would have tried those nifty brick clips or something like them.

        Reply
    4. Amelia

      July 02, 2013 at 11:05 am

      LOVe this project!!! Nice work ❤

      Reply
    5. Heidi

      July 02, 2013 at 11:20 am

      Love, love, love, LOVE the result!! Pinning!

      Reply
    6. debbiedoos

      July 02, 2013 at 11:32 am

      WOW what a difference. It looks so pretty, and charming like it was always meant to be just this way! Nice job.

      Reply
    7. kim- Today's Creative Blog

      July 02, 2013 at 11:33 am

      Great job! Your tutorial was perfect!!!

      Reply
    8. Jenn Desrochers

      July 02, 2013 at 11:33 am

      I love the "x" detail on the window boxes and the cheery yellow color! I am thinking of redoing two windows at our house. Thanks for the walk through!

      Reply
    9. Rebecca Cooper

      July 02, 2013 at 11:36 am

      Love the makeover and thanks for all the great tips! :)

      Reply
    10. kiki comin

      July 02, 2013 at 11:38 am

      stacy, you are amazing. i LOVE the finished window..the shutters and window box are perfect. i just adore how you can make something that looks dead..feel so alive again!:)

      Reply
    11. Kadie

      July 02, 2013 at 11:39 am

      Love the new window!! The video was great, I an terriable at repainting things so this was perfect for me!!

      Reply
    12. Carolina

      July 02, 2013 at 11:41 am

      Wow! The end result is so much more inviting. It looks like it was a lot of work - but worth it because it will last for years!

      Reply
    13. gail

      July 02, 2013 at 11:42 am

      Stacy

      the window looks great! I love the addition of the window box and shutters. I agree it's important to be safe and use caution. I often use my safety glasses and masks.

      gail

      Reply
    14. Michelle A. Dessler

      July 02, 2013 at 11:46 am

      I love the tutorial! I know how difficult it is to have your husband lose his job ( it happened to us twice during the first year of our marriage). I admire you for keeping your chin up and contributing to your household (blogging, tutorials, etc.). It is SO stressful and I know with your AC out you probably want to grab a one way ticket to Antarctica (my Mom's AC has been broken for months, we live in Florida). Y'all are in my prayers, just know that your readers notice your efforts to be positive and keep it movin! Go girl! ;)

      Reply
    15. Mique

      July 02, 2013 at 11:46 am

      The finished product is AMAZING Stacy! You are so great at breaking it down and made it seem like I could even do it myself. (ha!) I love 3M too.

      Reply
    16. Laura @ Laura's Crafty Life

      July 02, 2013 at 11:48 am

      Looks great Stacy! It made such a huge difference in how it looks! I love the shutters and window box, too! :)

      Reply
    17. Carissa

      July 02, 2013 at 11:52 am

      What an amazing transformation!

      Reply
    18. Vicki O'Dell

      July 02, 2013 at 11:54 am

      I LOVE it. That flower box is amazing.

      Reply
    19. Beverly {Flamingo Toes}

      July 02, 2013 at 12:01 pm

      Oh my gosh you are a rockstar! I can't believe you did that whole project. You've really inspired me to tackle some big projects that I was too nervous to do, and had asked my husband to do for me! No more!! Thanks Stacy!

      Reply
    20. Jessica @ Mom 4 Real

      July 02, 2013 at 12:02 pm

      Wow! I wouldn't have known where to begin! Thank you so much for sharing! I'll be passing this along to my father in law as well!

      Reply
    21. Meredith @ Wait Til Your Father Gets Home

      July 02, 2013 at 12:05 pm

      This turned out GORGEOUS!! I LOVE that yellow you chose and the colors of the flowers are to die for!! So glad you made a video too...now it all makes sense :)

      Reply
    22. Leanne

      July 02, 2013 at 12:10 pm

      Thanks for the informative video! I love the final result. The shutters and window box are the perfect touch.

      Reply
    23. Heart and Haven

      July 02, 2013 at 12:11 pm

      Wow, what a difference! Love the smaller projects like this, that wind up making a huge impact.
      Love the yellow flower boxes...i'd love to see a tutorial on that!

      Reply
    24. Jamielyn@iheartnaptime

      July 02, 2013 at 12:11 pm

      Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing the video! :D

      Reply
    25. Pamela Bendall

      July 02, 2013 at 12:12 pm

      Thanks for the blog, I need to repair some wood, and the 3M Primer & Patch will work great! Going to the store now to pickup so I can start my project!

      Reply
    26. Natalie @ A Turtle's Life for Me

      July 02, 2013 at 12:19 pm

      Oh wow, what a difference!! Love the white trim against the brick. It looks so crisp and sharp! You did awesome and gave me some ideas for when we rebuild our shed! Be proud, girl!

      Reply
    27. Paula@SweetPea

      July 02, 2013 at 12:25 pm

      Thanks for this great tutorial. Your window looks great!

      Reply
    28. Bonnie

      July 02, 2013 at 12:29 pm

      I absolutely love it!! And unemployment? I think I've missed a post! I hope everything is OK.

      Bonnie

      Reply
    29. Michelle

      July 02, 2013 at 12:31 pm

      Awesome job and so so "perdy". :)

      Reply
    30. Johnnie

      July 02, 2013 at 12:36 pm

      wonderful improvement! love tackling the small projects that make a HUGE difference overall! xo!

      Reply
    31. TidyMom

      July 02, 2013 at 12:40 pm

      I LOVE what you did Stacy!! makes a huge difference!

      Reply
    32. bonnie@uncommon designs

      July 02, 2013 at 12:54 pm

      Gorgeous redo Stacy! Love the added window box. So much work but oh so worth it!

      Reply
    33. Pamela

      July 02, 2013 at 1:14 pm

      Great job and super great tips! Pinning for reminders later!

      Reply
    34. Lindsay

      July 02, 2013 at 1:20 pm

      I hope you have been able to get your a/c fixed. I live in Bountiful and work in SLC so I know the temperatures you're dealing with, and I had to replace mine 2 years ago so I know how expensive it is. I was just telling someone at work about your broken a/c and saying I can't imagine how miserable it must be. Yay for a drop into the 90s later this week!

      Reply
    35. Michele @ The Scrap Shoppe

      July 02, 2013 at 3:03 pm

      Amazing transformation! The window box and shutters really make the window pop!

      Reply
    36. Ann Marie @ whitehouseblackshutters

      July 02, 2013 at 3:16 pm

      Okay, seriously. That window box is adorable! What a great transformation, and I think I might add this to our never ending list. :) We have a similar shaped window off of our garage and the area always looks gross. Your after looks so happy!

      Reply
    37. LJ

      July 02, 2013 at 3:35 pm

      I love this transformation. I am not kidding when I say your "before" window looks a lot like the windows in the house and garage where I grew up (same gross green and everything).
      I love how the "after" window looks so much longer thanks to the shutters and flower box, and how the side of your garage looks so crisp & cared for. I think it's wonderful that you took a little old house and garage and have made them your own in hundreds of beautiful ways.

      Reply
    38. Kara

      July 02, 2013 at 3:50 pm

      Great tutorial & the video was so helpful. I need to fix/beautiful the windows on my home too. Love 3M!

      Reply
    39. Sarah @ Craft Quickies

      July 02, 2013 at 4:24 pm

      Holy moly! What a difference!!! Wonderful work!! I LOOOVE that bright yellow flower box!!

      Reply
    40. Michelle

      July 02, 2013 at 5:23 pm

      It looks amazing! Love it with the window box and shutters!

      Reply
    41. Jenn/Rook No. 17

      July 02, 2013 at 6:27 pm

      Oh my word -- what a beautiful transformation! Home & Garden magazine perfect!

      Jenn/Rook No. 17

      Reply
    42. Staci

      July 02, 2013 at 6:53 pm

      Looks amazing. This was super helpful for a project I'm doing with an old window not on my home, just a window I bought!

      Reply
    43. Trish @ Uncommon

      July 02, 2013 at 9:07 pm

      It looks so good and you were totally prepared to work! Love the yellow, too!

      Take care,

      Trish

      Reply
    44. Barbara

      July 02, 2013 at 11:16 pm

      I love the way it turned out Stacey! Great video too, I'm inspired to work on my own wood windows now!

      Reply
    45. kelley @ Miss Information

      July 03, 2013 at 5:23 am

      Stacy this is beautiful and so happy! Makes me wish I had an ugly window to do this too! hmmm wheels are churning!

      Reply
    46. jessica @fourgenerationsoneroof

      July 03, 2013 at 6:39 am

      Nice job Stacy! I love the video :) You have inspired me to add a window box to one of our shed windows! Happy 4th!

      Reply
    47. Katrina

      July 03, 2013 at 7:54 am

      Love this transformation! Awesome job! And...such an inspiration for me to get on my project lists. Enjoy the rest of your week!
      youngnasawife.blogspot.com

      Reply
    48. Tauni

      July 03, 2013 at 10:16 am

      Oh my gosh Stacy. The new window looks AMAZING. What a transformation! xoxo

      Reply
    49. Linda @ Home is Where My Heart is

      July 03, 2013 at 12:55 pm

      Absolutely beautiful job Stacy!!! i love it! ~Linda

      Reply
    50. Karah @ thespacebetweenblog

      July 03, 2013 at 1:00 pm

      Absolutely beautiful transformation!! Love your bun, too. Great video!!

      Reply
    51. Deneen

      July 03, 2013 at 7:18 pm

      Beautiful job! Love 3M stuff. The window is a showstopper now!

      Reply
    52. Emily@Decorchick

      July 03, 2013 at 7:58 pm

      LOVE it!! That's a huge transformation!

      Reply
    53. Kelly @ Eclectically Vintage

      July 03, 2013 at 8:55 pm

      Curb appeal on a garage - you did it! Love that window box - so fun and colorful!
      Kelly

      Reply
    54. Funky Junk Inteirors

      July 05, 2013 at 12:05 am

      Gorgeous! Loving the brightness of the window box and the shutters set everything off perfectly! I didn't know about the paint thinner before the scraping part... great tip I will definitely use!

      Reply
    55. Diane C

      July 06, 2013 at 12:27 am

      What a perfect post for me to read! I have a large flower box that was on the front of the house and I'm thinking of attaching it under the windws=s on my garage.

      Reply
    56. Sabrina

      July 07, 2013 at 7:52 am

      I would love a tutorial on the window box. Everything looks great!

      Reply
    57. Cathy

      September 24, 2013 at 8:05 am

      Question. I have some old windows that I am trying to repaint. I have scraped and scraped, but there are still major sections where the paint is intact. (I would prefer not to use chemicals to strip the paint if I can avoid it.) I know that when I go to paint this, it won't look very good because you will be able to tell that I am painting over patches of paint in some areas while painting on bare wood in others. I don't mind so much on the windows on the far side of the house, but I would prefer not to have that patchy look on the window that is next to the door though which we enter the house. Do you have any suggestions?

      Reply
    58. Advanced IQ Supplement

      September 21, 2017 at 2:05 am

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    stacyHey! I'm Stacy and am a DIY addict. I love to get my hands dirty, whether it's sawdust, paint, or dirt. My goal is to help YOU learn to fix up your home and yard. No matter the style or size, I think everyone should love their home. And it doesn't takes a big budget to get there. Let's DIY together!

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