Painting round door weather seals

geraldthehamster · 25 Jul 2015

I have two new softwood door frames fitted, one for a back door and one for a pair of French doors. Both already have the (black) weather seals fitted. How am I supposed to paint round them? Do I:

1. Remove them, paint, and hope I can get them back in.
2. Mask them, which is going to be fiddly
or
3. Just paint over them and be damned?

Many thanks
Richard

emilybronte · 29 Jul 2015

Painting them would be awful - they's look naff, it would take a value off the new windows/the property generally, and the paint would stiffen the seals so they won't flex as they are meant to.

You cannot easily take them out and replace them - this is a specialist job I think. (Id love to be told it's not).

So, you have to mask them. The red 'Frog Tape' is best if you plan to use gloss paint on the wood. Don't use ordinary masking tape as it's a real pain to get off again.

geraldthehamster · 29 Jul 2015

emilybronte said:
Painting them would be awful - they's look naff, it would take a value off the new windows/the property generally, and the paint would stiffen the seals so they won't flex as they are meant to.

You cannot easily take them out and replace them - this is a specialist job I think. (Id love to be told it's not).

So, you have to mask them. The red 'Frog Tape' is best if you plan to use gloss paint on the wood. Don't use ordinary asking tape as it's a real paint to get off again.

Thanks for the reply. Although I've not done anything yet (the weather has not been conducive to painting), I've since spoken to my neighbour the joiner who made the frames. He claims the seals he used are easy to remove and replace from their grooves, so I'm going to try to do that. He says the same as you about painting them.

Cheers
Richard

emilybronte · 29 Jul 2015

Oh, that's good. When you have discovered how to remove (and replace!) the seals, please share that with us. I would love to know. If he makes you any more windows, perhaps suggest to him that the seals (and even the dg units) are fitted after, rather than before, painting?!

geraldthehamster · 29 Jul 2015

emilybronte said:
Oh, that's good. When you have discovered how to remove (and replace!) the seals, please share that with us. I would love to know. If he makes you any more windows, perhaps suggest to him that the seals (and even the dg units) are fitted after, rather than before, painting?!

I'll try to remember to report back

I'll be painting the frames when the rain stops.

Cheers
Richard

emilybronte · 29 Jul 2015

Thanks! The weather is rubbish, isn't it. I have painted some new window frames in my workshop this year but very few outside.

gregers · 29 Jul 2015

iirc to refix them in the past i used a wedge of timber and gently tapped them back into place.

geraldthehamster · 6 Aug 2015

For the record, when I pulled it out, the seal proved to resemble this:

After painting the frame, it was easy to reinsert it with fingers and thumb.

Seems obvious now, but until I pulled it out I didn't know how it was made.

Cheers
Richard

diynot

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.

Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

Painting round door weather seals

geraldthehamster

emilybronte

geraldthehamster

emilybronte

geraldthehamster

emilybronte

gregers

geraldthehamster

Attachments

DIYnot Local

Similar threads