The choice of paint for PVC windows and the technology of its application

It happens that the white color of the window frames ceases to suit the user. Indeed, the windows made of plastic (PVC) are put “for centuries”, they are very strong and durable, although the appearance can change over time. There is a technology by which painting plastic windows is quite possible. All owners of structures should be familiar with it.

Content:

• The main reasons for painting windows
• Suitable paints
• Tools for work
• Rules for painting PVC windows
• Stain preparation
• Painting process
• Staining Features
• Drying windows after painting

The main reasons for painting windows

Indoor repairs rarely affect polyvinyl chloride windows. But sometimes it is necessary to stain them. Here are the main situations in which this can happen:

• yellowing, dullness of the coating, the presence of scratches and other defects that cannot be washed off, cleaned (more often this happens with poor-quality material);
• the need to change the interior where white is not appropriate, while replacing the window itself seems too costly;
• the decision to make the windows “not like everyone else”, to give individuality to the structures and the room as a whole.

Painting windows is not prohibited. But, if it is possible to carry out work with the assistance of specialists, you can update the PVC profile in other ways. Most often, colored structures are obtained by lamination - applying a special film to plastic. After the procedure, the windows acquire any desired shade, resistant to UV radiation, exposure to water, temperatures, household chemicals. Also, experts can offer the following methods:

• spraying polyurethane enamel;
• varnishing.

Painted polyvinyl chloride is often made at the factory, but its color will be brown - like wood. The structure of such PVC is different from the usual one that white profiles have. If it is impossible to use professional methods, paint with your own hands.

Suitable paints

Paint for PVC windows is a special composition that must meet a number of requirements:

1. Durability. From the side of the street, the paintwork material will regularly be exposed to damaging factors - sunlight, temperature extremes, humidity. Only really strong paint can withstand such a negative effect.
2. Optimum viscosity. When applied, the material should lie perfectly evenly, not leak, not accumulate and not form unpainted spots.
3. Fast setting and drying. This will allow the composition to maintain attractiveness, because from the outside various impurities can stick to it, spoil the appearance.
4. Environmental friendliness. The surface after painting should not emit substances harmful to humans.

So what materials can be painted profiles? The best paint for plastic windows, according to experts, is a special material for PVC. But to apply it manually is difficult, you have to purchase a spray gun. A suitable temperature for application is about +18 degrees or higher, which also imposes certain limitations.

It is recommended to paint the windows with another tool - acrylic varnish. It is easy to apply with a brush, after hardening the material provides a smooth matte surface. Other paint options:

1. Auto enamels. Sprayed from cylinders and dry in minutes.
2. Nitro paints.It is possible to work with them, but only with the use of personal protective equipment and with an open window, otherwise there is a risk of poisoning.
3. Powder paints. They are sprayed onto the surface of the profiles after imparting a positive electric charge. This requires special equipment. After the profiles are processed by the polarization method, that will be very difficult at home.

Many liquid paints are white, they are tinted in the desired shade. The most popular manufacturer of PVC products is Feyco (Feyko). It produces high-quality materials for painting plastic windows (Feyco Treffert series). The finished coating is incredibly resistant, durable, does not respond to external influences, literally merges with the structure of the profile. Also, the following are considered as quality compounds:

• Polycryl Enamel - does not absorb dirt, washes by any means, has a huge palette of shades;
• PaliPlast RP - the base material for tinting with any pigments and metallized pastes, has excellent resistance to defect formation, dries quickly;
• Zowo-plast is a water-based and acrylic-based product that is easy to use, economical and inexpensive.

Tools for work

Work equipment may vary depending on the type of paint. For some paints and varnishes, brushing is suitable, for others a spray gun is required. The second method is preferable, because the product is sprayed more evenly, the speed of the work is higher, as well as the quality. For hand painting, buy soft paint brushes along the width of the profiles. For inaccessible places, you need a thin brush.

To cleanse the protective film, foam, other contaminants, you should buy a metal or plastic spatula. Other tools and consumables for work:

• solvent;
• clean cloth;
• respirator and gloves;
• clothes for protection;
• container for paint.

You will also need the actual paint, in some cases a primer and topcoat.

Rules for painting PVC windows

All recommendations must be followed strictly, otherwise there is a risk of spoiling the window. High-quality preparation of profiles is especially important, only this way the paint will lie evenly and will hold for a long time.

Stain preparation

The dye adheres poorly to the glossy surface, so its preparation is required without fail. The service life of the coating will also depend on the preparatory measures. Here is the instruction for the user:

1. Thoroughly clean the surface. It should not have a single dirty, greasy spot, dust, etc. Remove glue, the remains of foam, silicone, and then wash detergents and cleaning products from the profile several times with water. Ideal to clean the surface will allow its processing with compressed air - this way even the tiniest particles will be removed. If the film still remains on the profiles (when the window is new), it also needs to be completely removed.
2. Glass at the edges is covered with masking tape. Pens are removed for a while.
3. The cloth is impregnated with a special solution for degreasing PVC. You can buy it at a hardware store. This will help not only to more reliably clean the base, but also to remove static stress. Next, let the solution evaporate, then proceed to staining.
4. Before applying a number of paints, it is required to perform surface priming (this will be indicated in the instructions). The primer is applied in one layer with a brush with artificial pile. A primer is also suitable for painting plastic parts of a car.

It is also important as a preparation to tint the paint, if required. Work is carried out at least an hour before painting the windows. Perform viscosity control, at an increased rate add water (if permitted by the instructions).Be sure to filter the paint before applying to plastic.

Painting process

They begin to apply paint and varnish material from any angle, gradually moving to the widest part of the window profile. Do not be afraid that there will be streaks from the brush on the plastic - if you have good paint, they quickly disappear. It is enough to apply one layer, this is enough for high-quality coloring of windows. But for major repairs with serious defects, paint should be in 2 layers. The second is applied no earlier than a day, when the first layer is completely dry.

Instead of a brush, it is better to use a spray gun or spray gun. It is recommended in advance to remove the glass from the frames, or to seal them securely with paper, masking film, and wide tape. Otherwise they will be covered with paint. Here are the parameters for spray painting:

• pressure - 2-2.5 atm .;
• nozzle diameter - 1.6-1.8 mm;
• the thickness of the paint layer is 80-120 microns.

Before work, wear a respirator, protective clothing. Load the paint into the gun, making sure that it is dry, clean. The thickness of the layer should be observed (it will turn out normative subject to the above parameters). This will allow the profiles to dry quickly and not lose their beautiful appearance. Usually, one coat is enough for applying with a spray gun, but two are used for paints with a metallic effect. After final drying, colorless PVC varnish is applied.

Staining Features

A unique method of painting is coextrusion technology. It is considered 100% reliable for creating a new PVC coating, allows you to make different shades from an almost unlimited color range. The work is carried out using acrylic varnish. This material provides an original surface - velvety to the touch, matte, very durable, not fading from the sun.

After staining in this technique, the structure is easy to clean and can be looked after by any means other than solvents. Acrylic varnishes have excellent wear resistance parameters, they do not form defects. The environmental friendliness of materials also leaves no doubt, they are harmless to humans.

Tips for doing this are:

1. Despite the resistance to UV radiation, dark shades on the PVC profile should be protected additionally. To do this, use a special film that will not allow the paint to fade.
2. Dark colors absorb more thermal energy. As they operate, they may heat up, which must be considered by the user.

Drying windows after painting

Usually, the created coating sets in a few minutes, and dries within an hour. Such conditions are observed at humidity up to 65%, temperature + 18 ... + 23 degrees. But you need to use windows with caution during the week - you need so much paint to get the final properties.

It takes about 10 hours to dry the metallic effect. At the end of this time, it is allowed to cover the plastic with a protective film. The excess of the layer thickness over the recommended leads to a longer drying time, sometimes up to 20-24 hours.

To quickly dry the dyed PVC, a special technique is used. Using special equipment, a temperature of about +50 degrees is created, and it is gradually increased. Humidity should not exceed 50-70%. The paint will dry 15-30 minutes faster, but the durability of its service with this technique is reduced. It is better to let the coating dry naturally in order to enjoy the renewed plastic window for a long time.