Painting Double Hung Windows

I had all my windows replaced a few months ago. The are exterior clad and primed wood interior. So far I have painted one of the windows. I removed the sashes and painted all of the wood with two coats semi gloss latex paint.

The problem I have is that the sashes stick to each other at the rails. The top sash sticks to the weather stripping on the sides and top. Is there something I can do to avoid this? It's very difficult to get the top sash down.

It was painted months ago. At the beginning I would loosen them up and have them open thinking it was a drying issue. I even took them out for a day.

I'm currently thinking about using flat paint insteand of semigloss in the locations where they tend to stick.

 

Flat latex paint will probably do better. Latex enamels are bad to stick It would be better to use either an oil base enamel or waterborne. They will dry to a hard film and won't stick Some of the better latex enamels won't stick or have minimal sticking. Most of the cheaper grades of latex enamels are prone to stick.

I'd sand them down and apply a coat of waterborne enamel in whatever color you have chosen. You won't find waterborne enamel at a big box. I use SWP's proclassic waterborne [yes it's expensive] IMO it's the best enamel I've ever used. BM also has a good waterborne enamel. They can match any competitor's color - just bring them a sample.

Did you use a primer?

 

They came factory primed so I left them as they were.

I picked up a quart of the flat already so I will try that. I tried to get it in a sample size, but they couldn't mix that light of a color in that size. Oh well.

 

What I know about painting windows could fill a thimble, but we do occasionally have to paint the wood windows that we install. You normally never paint the sides of window sashes at ALL. Your questions about sticking make me wonder if something got painted that should have been left bare. But I'm just guessing.

 

I did paint the sides. I figured they deserved some protection. The other points that stick show when the window is open, so they really need it.

 

I didn't realize you painted the sides too. Sanding the sides should help, maybe wax the sides? but don't get any on the face where you need to repaint.

 

Sand it off or just enough to get the sheen off?

Just so things are clear, these are brand new modern double hung windows. The sashs do not ride in a wood channel. The sides are sticking to the plastic weatherstripping.

 

I wouldn't think you would need to sand it all off - unchartered waters, I've never painted the sides.

I understand what type of window you have, I've painted 100's of them it is still possible for the sides to stick if they have contact with the plastic frame[?]

 

They don't touch the frame at all. They only touch the weather stripping and each other.

 

Try some silicone spray on a rag, and wipe the weatherstrip with the rag. It might make the weatherstrip slick enough that it won't want to stick. You don't, however, want to attract dirt, so don't slather the weatherstrip with anything that would attract dirt.

 

I gave the windows one coat of paint yesterday. I used flat paint on the locations where I had the sticking issues on my first window. So far no sticking at all. Seems like the flat paint did the trick. I'll be adding the second coat this coming weekend.

I think on the original window I will give it a good sanding on those spots and hit it with the flat paint.

 

The only problem with using flat latex is it will get dirty and may not wash well.

 

Hmm. Interesting point. The flat paint is not visible when the window is closed. Only a tiny bit will be seen when open. I suppose I could just paint those areas again if they get too dirty.

 

I assumed you painted the whole sash, if you just painted what rides under then weather stripping and/or areas not seen - there shouldn't be any problems

 

Hah! Flat paint on the whole thing would be terrible! I'm not that adverse to asthetics.