Close-up of the bottom of a front door painted in a grey-blue color and a bucket of white flowers on the right-hand side.

How to Paint a Wooden Window Frame

Painting the inside of a wooden window frame can be a trickier job than you think. It’s easy to make a mistake and paint over pre-decorated walls, or spill onto the window itself. There’s also the dreaded carpet-drip you’ll need to steer clear of - painting a frame is not an easy task for amateur decorators, but (as always!) the right tools and preparation will help you achieve a high quality finish. Find our guide to painting your window frames below and explore inspiration for window painting projects.

Close-up of a paneled off-white wall painted in Flint, with a flower painting hung up, and a contrasting deep blue ceiling.

At Little Greene, we offer water-based finishes in eggshell (low sheen), satin (mid sheen) and gloss (high sheen). ‘Intelligent Eggshell’ (10-15%) and 'Intelligent Satin' (30-35% sheen) are our most popular choices for interior woodwork – they have a very smart, low-sheen finish and are water-based, but formulated to behave like an oil paint - to resist wear and tear and, crucially, moisture.

Wall: Flint

Ceiling: Deep Space Blue

Window Frame: Marigold

Close-up of a two-tone paneled wall painted in pale blue (Brighton) at the top and lime green (Pale Lime) at the bottom.

Step 1: Use Masking Tape to Protect Other Areas

Before you get started, ensure that you have protected any areas you don’t want to paint, using masking tape. This includes catches, hinges and handles – you might consider removing them completely. Give all the surfaces (including the glass) a thorough clean before you get going, removing the likelihood of dirt, grime or dust being mixed into your paint.

Using a good quality tape that won’t allow the paint to bleed underneath, tape the edges of the windowpane flush with the edge of the frame.

Lower Wall: Pale Lime

Upper Wall: Brighton

Window: Loft White

Kitchen with bright green cabinets (Citrine) and a paisley wallpaper (Pomegranate - Bazaar) with a wooden floor and rug.

Step 2: Sand Any Previously Painted Surfaces

If you are repainting window frames, simply rub down with sandpaper to prepare the surface. If painting new wood, you will need to use the appropriate primer undercoat, and if the surface is flaking or powdery you will need to strip it right back – the new painted surface will only perform well if the one underneath it is sound.

Wallpaper: Pomegranate - Bazaar

Window & Units: Citrine

Ceiling: Portland Stone – Pale

Far Cabinets & Baseboard: Portland Stone

Front door painted in grey blue shade 'Celestial Blue' with a brick surround and a grey bench with flowers.

Step 3: Cover Other Areas to Protect from Paint

Look at the area around where you will be painting. Cover the carpet and the wall directly below the window if you can. This can save time and money, especially if you no longer have leftover paint to touch up your walls.

Door and window frame: Celestial Blue

Bench: French Grey

Bird house: Shirting

Watering can: Slaked Lime

Exterior window painted in grey blue 'James' with a potted plant on the windowsill.

Step 4: Stir and Begin Painting

With a good quality brush at the ready (one that won’t lose bristles and can maintain a flat edge – an angled brush is good),, stir your paint, ensuring consistency throughout the tin. It’s good practice to decant some of the paint into a separate container and reseal the tin (it prevents the paint in the tin from evaporation or being contaminated) and start your coverage of the horizontal rails.

Some windows won’t have horizontal or vertical cross-pieces (known as bars, rails and/or muntins), but if yours does, make sure all the glass panes are all taped. Painting from the centre outwards is a good technique for maintaining control, and concentrate on keeping your brushstrokes long and consistent. With detailed work like this, you will need to pay special attention to avoid drips from the edges and pooling in the corners. Next, move onto the outside frame.

Window frame: James

Two deck chairs in front of an exterior window with light grey shutters and a wall painted in deep black blue 'Basalt'.

Step 5: Finish Painting the Details and Let Air Dry

You may need to switch to a smaller brush for the underneath of the window sill; paint from the wall outwards. Finish on the top surface of the sill and, leaving everything where it is, let the window dry in a well-ventilated environment.

Note that if it’s windy outside, opening the window is not necessarily the best way to provide ventilation – drying paint is vulnerable to loose particles in the air.

The tape should only be removed when fully dry; run a sharp knife blade along the edge of the tape to ensure a really crisp result.

Wall: Basalt

Shutters: Inox

Window Frame: Loft White

Click here for room and colour inspiration.