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Doors and Windows Windows and Paint Q's & A's Can't find a solution to your problem? Post a question in our Forums. Windows Painted Shut My windows have never opened since I purchased my 30 year old condominium. I have carefully inspected the perimeters and frames, and there do not appear to be nails or other things preventing this. Do you have any suggestions. You can try using a sharp knife cutting along the edges and seams. Using a block of wood placed against the underside of the frame, you can tap up on them lightly with a hammer. Tap gently and evenly on both sides. More Windows Painted Shut I live in a 1920 Arts and Crafts home, whose windows were painted shut before I arrived to live in the house. I'm going nuts because I can not seem to the windows to move at all. I have cut the paint away from the window sash but they seem to be solidly stuck! Any suggestions, without breaking and replacing the windows? Get a pizza cutter (the rotary kind) and run it around the sashes. Don't forget between the sashes, if they are double-hung windows. You might also try tapping on the window frame (NOT the sash!) with a mallet and a piece of wood to loosen things up. Try forcing a putty knife through the painted over seams at the sides and bottom of the windows and between the sashes, all the way around the window inside and out. Next, get the biggest, burliest guy you can lay your hands on to push the lower sash up from the top outside corners with all the force he can muster. If it still doesn't move, get a couple of thin prybars, such as Wonder Bars. Have the second and third burly-burliest guys you can find pry up on the bottom outside corners of the sash while the first guy repeats what he did before. Its a good idea to tape newspaper over the glass and have everyone involved wear safety glasses and gloves. Also, before trying this, think about replacement windows. You may need them anyway if this doesn't work. Still More Windows Painted Shut My painter just put one coat oil based primer and two coats latex paint on my closed 20 year old Malta casement windows. He misunderstood and thought none of the windows opened so he never opened them after he painted them. We have scored them inside and out, wacked them with hammers and they won't even budge. Any suggestions? He only painted them 2 weeks ago. I suggest you use the painter to pry them open.( just kidding of course.) Did you try a putty knife in the cracks so you can push way in?? Then try a pry bar.. one side then the other....

Last Bit on Windows Painted Shut

I just bought a house and apparently the previous owners painted the frame and pane of all the windows causing them to become stuck shut. I have tried to hit them by hand and placing a towel over the frame and hitting it with a hammer to no avail. What can I do to get these suckers open?

Be careful.. you can break the glass easy enough. Here's what to do. Break the paint seal by using a hammer and a wide putty knife.. and hit the knife to break the seal between the parting strip and the window sash. All the way around. Use a pry bar first under one outer side then the other... back and forth. You want to pry under the outside edges so you are prying up against the wood stiles, not the glass.

Removing Paint on Windows

Is there any way to remove dried paint from windows besides using windex and a razor blade? Is there any product that can remove dried paint from windows?

A razor blade works best as far as I know. ANything that will remove it from the glass will remove it from the wood frame too.

They do sell small plastic holders for the blades if you want to make it easier.

Painting Vinyl Windows

During a remodel several years ago we replaced 1/2 our windows with Andersen sandtone casements. We are now replacing the other 1/2 and putting up vinyl siding. The new windows are not sandtone, they are white. What is the best way to color the other windows white? Can they be painted? If so, is it better to spray than use a brush?

I would suggest using a good brush and high quality paint such as Dutch boy exterior gloss. It is roughly
$21/gallon, but well worth it. As for spraying, you are only wasting your time and money by covering the entire window, renting a sprayer (unless you purchased one), overspraying-wasting paint, etc...

Applying a Tint to Windows or Glass

I am planning to apply tint film on a window with glass can you direct me how to do it best.


The only thing I can help you with is to warn you NOT to place a tinted film right on the glass if you
have double paned insulated windows. The tint will reflect heat and cause heat build up between your panes and can damage your windows never mind the possibility of breaking and cracking your windows. Instead you can go with the tinted roller shades which trap that heated air between the window and the shade instead.



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