window painting

[Tim Lamb]

Pressure has been gradually building (over the last 2 years) to re-decorate the exterior finish on our wooden windows.

My original ambition was to use a penetrating preservative woodstain; Sadolin classic etc. The windows supplied by the builder came with a light coloured basecoat so Sadolin extra was used.

Exposure to Sun led to cracking and peeling. Further coats over the next

10 years have built the colour so that African walnut is now a muddy chocolate brown:-( and still peeling on the exposed surfaces, particularly softwood sills.

The plan.... take out the hinged windows for workshop attention, scrape, sand etc. all visible surfaces back to bare wood. Treat with one coat of Sadolin Classic followed by one coat of Extra.

While poking around the Crown site I came across Sadolin Woodshield which is a water based acrylic. Very limited colour range but I wondered if it might do a better job on the sills?

I tried Ronseal woodstain on our extension windows (no basecoat) and am unimpressed. Significant peeling and cracking where exposed to sunshine.

[stuart noble]

If you manage to get back to bare wood I wouldn't miss the opportunity to apply a wood hardener, preferably a 2 part formulation (epoxy or polyester).

[Capitol]

Makes you appreciate PVC or aluminium. Maintenance free for 50yrs IME.

[Tim Lamb]

Yes. There is a plan afoot to downsize to a modern cottage already in the family ownership. Plastic windows are on the menu:-)

[Tim Lamb]

Umm.. I plan to use it where there is obvious deterioration but nervous of preventing the chosen stain penetrating the surface and getting a good key.

I've not used it before and was considering the *ready use* stuff from Ronseal.

[stuart noble]

Any wood hardener is likely to stop a stain penetrating the timber but, since what's on there has peeled, one assumes it was more of a surface coating than a stain. Some kind of tinted epoxy might work. I'm sure boat builders would have suggestions.