When we talk about uPVC we mean the material used to manufacture window frames, doors and conservatories and it stands for unplasticised polyvinyl chloride, it is a strong and low-maintenance but lightweight plastic building material.

Well, if you are wondering can you paint uPVC the simple answer is YES, but please be aware that there is a lot of preparation involved before you get the brushes out.

However due to the materials used to construct the polyvinyl chloride you need to choose a specific paint that will adhere to uPVC and there are some paints out there that do not require a primer but can be applied directly to the fully prepared surface.

So, we hope to be able to guide you on how to paint uPVC windows and uPVC doors successfully.

uPVC windows in a range of colours
uPVC windows can come in a range of colours, but you don’t need to pay for a refit

Why would I need to paint my uPVC windows and doors?

That is another good question, but for me, it was just a matter of aesthetics as I wanted my white double-glazed windows to be darker, so I chose an anthracite grey as not only does it refresh the old windows and doors but gives it a modern twist. You can always go the whole nine yards and get them frames replaced by a window fitter but on an average 4-bedroom house in the UK you could be looking at anywhere between £7000 and £20,000 so the cheaper solution is to change the colour or spruce up

That is another good question but for me, it was just a matter of aesthetics as I wanted my white double-glazed windows and doors to be darker, so I chose an anthracite grey as not only does it refresh the old windows and doors but gives it a modern twist.

The list of colour options is quite limited as this type of paint is not your average consistency and the popular colours are those that are available to you when you choose your windows and doors.

You can always go the whole nine yards and get those window frames and doors replaced by a window fitter but on an average 4-bedroom house in the UK you could be looking at anywhere between £7000 and £20,000 so the cheaper solution is to change the colour or spruce up yourself.

I have looked at designated double-glazing companies that offer this service and again for an average 4-bedroom house you would look at paying in the region of £3000 to £5000.

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What tools and skills do I need?

As far as skills you need it is just a steady hand and an aptitude for heights.

The tools you need are all fairly basic and can be bought or hired depending on your needs.

As before, most of the above can be bought at any hardware store but the scaffold tower may need to be hired in which case you will pay for a daily or weekly rate.

Along with delivery and insurances which would cost roughly anything upwards of £120 per week but well worth the investment as it is so much easier to work from a tower than a ladder.

The electric sander is not a necessity but again it is much easier than hand sanding however some hand sanding will be necessary for those small, hard to reach places.

h would cost roughly anything upwards of £120 per week but well worth the investment as it is so much easier to work from a tower than a ladder.

The electric sander is not a necessity but again it is much easier than hand sanding however some hand sanding will be necessary for those small, hard to reach places.

How to paint uPVC

Step 1: Clean the frames

clean the frames

The first job to undertake is to clean the frames and there may be residue stuck to them that has been there for some time. A simple sponge with warm soapy water but if they have never been cleaned before a harder scouring type sponge may be required.

Step 2: Sand down the uPVC

sand the frames

Sanding down the uPVC. This will require a fine grade sandpaper, and in my case, I would recommend a 220 grade as you do not want to damage the surface just make it slightly rough for the paint to adhere to it.

A small orbital sander is a great tool for this but if you only have a larger sander that will also assist but be aware that it will not get into every small crevice such as the corners so you will need to use your hands but have no fear as you are not going to need to exert too much force.

You must ensure that all of the surface of the uPVC has been “scored” as any smooth surface may lead to the paint flaking at a later date.

Step 3: Clean dust and dirt

Once you have sanded the uPVC to a sufficient standard you will need to clean it again and this time the window will need to be cleaned to remove and dust or excess dirt. Once the window and frame are cleaned and dried you can move onto the next phase which is to apply the masking tape..

Step 4: Tape glass

tape the glass

The edge of the window where it joins the frame will now need to be covered in masking tape. This is a time-consuming process but very well worth it in the long run as you will be able to paint freely.

In recent years I have moved on from basic masking tape to a product called Frog Tape Home – Frogtape this comes in various widths and coherence but for me I used the yellow version at 24mm wide. It is a little more expensive than masking tape but can be much easier to use. We cannot emphasise how much easier it will be to paint your uPVC windows and doors with the masking tape applied. You will be applied to apply a professional looking smooth finish to truly transform your house.

Step 5: Paint the frames

brush to get the tricky bits

Now comes the fun part, painting the frames and this is where all your hard work during the preparation will pay off.
Firstly, I would highly recommend that you cover any floor area with some form of sheeting with can either be a fabric or plastic dust sheet because no matter how neat and tidy you think you might be there is always that chance that some paint will be spilt on your lovely paving, decking or plants.

As for the paint then after a lot of research I decided to use Bedec Multi Surface Paint Multi Surface Paint – Bedec as it has a great write up online and comes in many colours, (I chose anthracite grey by the way). This is one of many to choose from including Dulux, Rawlings and Ronseal.

The first coat was applied using an 80mm wide brush and once that coat had been on for a minute, I used a 100mm foam roller as this tends to give a nicer, more even finish with a very slight texture and gets rid of any unsightly brush strokes.

I found that painting the darker colour onto a white frame took a minimum of two coats, but the beauty of this paint is that it dries very quickly. I did however use three coats on the window frames at the back of the house as they are south facing and take more sunlight than other parts of my property.

Once the paint has dried you can then take off the masking/Frog tape, but my advice is do not leave it too long as you run the risk of peeling off some of your hard work. My tape was removed around 30 minutes after the paint had fully dried which was a total of around one hour after I had finished the second coat, but the weather was dry and warm on that day.

Step 6: Tidy Up

The tidy up is one of the most rewarding parts of any job as you get to stand back and admire your handy work. Roll up those dust sheets scrape any paint residue from the windows using a scraper or sharp blade and then leave it for a day or two before giving the windows a good wash as they will look even more sparkly against the new paintwork.

To sum up this, on the whole is a moderately lengthy process as the preparation has to be completed to a very good standard but it is and will be much less of a financial strain to your wallet.

Fun facts about uPVC

  • It stands for unplasticised polyvinyl chloride.
  • The versatile and durable material that was discovered by mistake…twice. Henri Victor Regnault, in 1838, and Eugen Baumann, in 1872.
  • It wasn’t until the 1920s that Waldo Semon, an American inventor, blended the substance with various additives to create a more solid and flexible material.
  • Unsurprisingly, white is the most popular colour of uPVC windows in the UK.

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