Windows are the slowest paint on a house
On most exterior jobs, the windows take more time per square foot than anything else. Each one has sashes, muntins, glazing, sills, stops and casings, all narrow surfaces that must be cut in by hand. Sills and the bottom rails of sashes face the weather and wear first. If a house has many windows, the windows and trim may cost as much as the siding. This guide explains why.
Kingston's posted weathering rating
The City of Kingston posts its design criteria, and one line matters for paint: Kingston's posted Table R301.2(1) climatic design criteria give the city a ground snow load of 40 psf and a wind design speed of 115 mph, and rate weathering as severe and termite hazard as moderate. The snow and wind values are structural inputs. The weathering rating is the one that bears on exterior finishes: it's a reminder that wood trim and sills face a hard life, and that how they're prepared decides how long the paint lasts.
Friction surfaces and lead
Windows matter for another reason. EPA says about three-quarters of U.S. homes built before 1978 still contain some lead-based paint, and that worn lead paint on surfaces under constant friction, such as window sills, can produce hazardous chips and dust. EPA's rule for paid work is this: under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in homes, childcare facilities and preschools built before 1978 must hold RRP certification, firms included, even sole proprietorships, and their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices.
On a window job, scraping, sanding and freeing stuck sashes all disturb old paint. If your home was built before 1978, ask whether the firm holds RRP certification and how they'll contain chips and dust inside and outside the window.
What drives the price
Number and type of windows. Double-hung windows with divided lights have far more edges than single-pane casements. Storm windows add another layer to remove, clean and reinstall.
Paint condition. Peeling, alligatored or cracked paint has to be scraped or stripped back to a sound edge. Many layers of old paint can make this slow.
Glazing putty. Cracked or missing glazing lets water into the sash. Reglazing, removing old putty, setting new putty and letting it skin before painting, is skilled, slow work. Ask whether it's included.
Sills and rot. Flat sills hold water. Soft wood may need epoxy consolidant and filler, or a replacement sill. Ask who does the carpentry and how it's priced.
Primer and finish. Bare wood needs primer. Sashes and trim usually get an exterior enamel with more gloss than the siding, which sheds water better and stands up to handling.
Freeing sashes. Painted-shut windows need careful cutting and cleaning to move again, and a painter should leave them working, not painted closed.
Height and access. Upper-floor windows need taller ladders or staging, which adds time and setup.
Season and drying
Window work is exterior work, so the product label sets the temperature limits. Glazing putty and caulk also need time before paint goes on. Ask how the schedule allows for those waits and what happens if weather intervenes.
What to ask for in writing
- The number of windows, and whether sashes, sills, stops, casings and storms are each included.
- The scraping or stripping method, with lead-safe steps.
- Reglazing and sill repair, included or priced separately.
- Primer and finish products, sheen and coats.
- Whether every sash will be left working.
Our exterior painting page covers trim preparation, and paint sheens and finishes explains why trim usually takes a glossier finish. The pricing guide shows how window work fits into a whole-house price.