Painting windows and trim white

[klmama]

Our house has golden oak trim throughout, and I'd like to paint it white.  The issue is the windows.  Not only are the windows trimmed in oak, the windows themselves are... something... that looks like oak.  Vinyl, maybe?  I'd like to paint it all out, but I don't know if its possible to paint the vinyl part.  I don't think it would look right if the trim were white, but the window were oak.  Thoughts?

[Pam in CT]

Hmmm.  Adequately prepped & primed oak trim should be able to take white paint. I'd be concerned about trying to paint vinyl, though. It might look fine for a while but then start to chip or flake off. Also if you painted inside the sliding parts the window might not open well anymore.

[Arctic Bunny]

Pictures?

Are you sure it’s not wood frame?

[Trilliumlady]

Yes, pictures, please 🙂. I’m semi in the same boat (but the reverse, wondering what dark trim with white windows would look like) and would love to hear opinions of the Hive.

[klmama]

2 hours ago, Arctic Bunny said:

Pictures?

Are you sure it’s not wood frame?

It may be.  We haven't moved into the house yet.  They are Anderson crank windows and look sort of like the ones in this photo.  

[J-rap]

My parents had windows just like those throughout their home.  They were really beautiful!  They kept all of theirs natural, and the nice thing about that was that they always looked nice.  Even if they were dinged or scratched or rained on, they still looked beautiful.  I think if you painted them white, you'd have problems keeping them looking nice.  Because those areas get use and are subject to weather, I think they'd start flaking and chipping and you'd regret painting them.

I could be wrong, but that's my gut feeling.

[klmama]

Thanks for the input. Dh says the same thing. 

[Tap]

I wouldn't do it. For the reasons mentioned above, but also because you can't paint the entire frame, so some brown will always show.  You can't paint the part that is pressed up against the glass, that you see in-between the the two panels of glass. 

I know it isn't a consolation if you don't like the style, but wood framed windows cost  quite a bit more that vinyl ones.  They are considered a premium and are an upgrade. 

[gardenmom5]

If you can't paint the vinyl,  what about painting the mill work cream?

[Tap]

3 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

If you can't paint the vinyl,  what about painting the mill work cream?

If you are interested in this idea, Google "white trim wood windows" to see what this looks like. 

[BlsdMama]

12 hours ago, Pam in CT said:

Hmmm.  Adequately prepped & primed oak trim should be able to take white paint. I'd be concerned about trying to paint vinyl, though. It might look fine for a while but then start to chip or flake off. Also if you painted inside the sliding parts the window might not open well anymore.

Adequately prepped and primed are the key words!

I dunno about vinyl, but I'd assume prepped with BIN, you could.  But, yeah, you'd have to take a toothpick and break any seals and cracks to prevent sealing and later breaking/peeling/flaking.

There is an AMAZING FB group called "CABINET PAINTING & REFINISHING - DIY & PRO *SAY NO TO CHALK PAINT*" - They are an AMAZING resource.

BIN is an awesome primer.

[klmama]

15 minutes ago, BlsdMama said:

BIN is an awesome primer.

What about it is better than the others?

[stephanier.1765]

Can you put vinyl over the vinyl? Not the same kind but the kind that's used in cutting machines like Cricut. You could buy a roll, hand cut it, and then apply. Plus, you'd get an idea if you like the look without doing anything permanent.

[Katy]

You can paint them, but it's tricky.  They have to be cleaned very well, lightly sanded, cleaned again, primed, then painted. And with that much UV light they might yellow, so you might want to choose an ivory or cream off-white shade rather than white itself.