Painting upto Windows/Doors and Oak

[richo106]

Hi All

 

sorry for a very basic question but I have not done much painting before so was just wondering what’s the best way to paint upto a window/bi fold door?

 

I have attached my examples, I’ve caulked all my woodwork up but just not sure what to use now on my windows and bi fold door to get the best finish 

[ProDave]

Your 2 options are a good steady hand and a good paint brush, or a good quality masking tape such as Frog Tape.

[oliwoodings]

If you're new to decorating, tape is your best option in my opinion. Don't cheap out on it, get the branded good stuff - frogtape is my preference, and I personally always go for the 36mm over the 24mm. The extra width helps get extra straight lines and does that little bit more to prevent accidents. You've also got different types - if the surface is fragile/fresh paint, use the yellow stuff.

 

Make sure you plan taping into your schedule. Done properly it can take a good hour to prep an average size bedroom with doorway, window, other detailing etc.

 

After applying frogtape, make sure to rub over the tape firmly to get a good seal. If you just plonk it on the paint will wick underneath still. Some people even recommend rubbing over it with a damp cloth although I never noticed any difference personally.

 

When painting, don't push loads and loads of paint against the tape, you just increase the chances of it wicking underneath.

 

Remove the tape before the paint fully hardens to get a nice crisp line - max 48 hours after the last coat usually. And go slow, pulling at an angle away from the edge.

 

One final thing, I noticed from your pics the door and window frames could do with a clean. Make sure you do this before decorating, much easier than after! You can get uPVC cleaning stuff that works a treat.

[richo106]

Thank you @ProDave @oliwoodings for your replies - I will be most certainly going down the Frogtape route!

 

I will give all the windows and doors a good scrub before painting

 

Thanks again