# Window Grid Suggestions



## SGNC (Jan 11, 2019)

Hi everyone,

I’ve got to paint new wooden window grids. I have 26 of them and the interior side and the exterior facing side are different colors. I’m looking for suggestions on how to do this. Brush or spray? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Scott


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## vwbowman (May 15, 2017)

Fortunately, these are few and far between, but I found that I could brush them faster than all the necessary prep and cleanup from spaying.


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## stelzerpaintinginc. (May 9, 2012)

Spray 2-3 coats of liquid mask after prepping doors. Spray doors. Unmask doors. Score with a blade first. 26 doors, 2 coats, 2 sides = 104 times this will have to be done. Liquid mask is by far the most efficient way.


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## juanvaldez (Sep 7, 2019)

Great topic! I’ve got an exterior with about 400 sq ft. Of French windows/grid style, and was debating on prep and brush, no mask, or liquid spray and spray finish. Prep has to be done either way so that’s a wash. However, as you put it above, maybe liquid mask and spray is the way to go?Brushing burns zero calories and it’s a good way to bore me of the job. Thanks 


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## SGNC (Jan 11, 2019)

I failed to mention, these grids all all new and removable. They just pop in and out of the clips attached to the windows.


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## ParamountPaint (Aug 25, 2016)

Hit them with rattle cans, unless you have an hvlp system.

Those grids are a mess trying to use an airless to paint 1in strips.

I ordered fancy furniture grade rattle cans to match some new bar stools to the kitchen cabinets. It only took 3 cans to do four barstools, although the cabinet company rattle cans were tremendously overpriced, imo.

They have held up well, though.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

My gawd, pop them out, lay on a drop sheet and spray them. 208 fflp.


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## SGNC (Jan 11, 2019)

Thanks everybody. I swear I’m not trying to be a PITA. It’s the two different colors that have me stumped. I guess prime both sides with the sprayer and spray the inside too, then brush the back side the other color? The back side that sits against the glass is flat so it might be easier to brush that side to keep the other color from going over the edge onto the other side.


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## futtyos (Aug 11, 2013)

*Rolling grids*



SGNC said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I’ve got to paint new wooden window grids. I have 26 of them and the interior side and the exterior facing side are different colors. I’m looking for suggestions on how to do this. Brush or spray? Any help is greatly appreciated.
> 
> ...


I do precious little spraying. On this job I might spray primer on with a rattle can. Then I would carefully roll the finish paint onto both sides with this 2" foam roller:

https://www.menards.com/main/paint/...ver-2-pk/559424355/p-1552890791079-c-8115.htm

This will give a near sprayed finish and will give about the most control of any miniroller out there. I often use it for careful trim work where I don't want paint to roll around a 90 degree corner, such as the side of a door. You will have to get used to how much paint to load and how to roll carefully so that you don't squeeze paint off onto areas you are not painting.

In your case you might end up getting a hair's breadth of paint onto a surface you don't want it on. You will have to figure out if this hair's breadth will be more visible on the exterior side of the grids or the interior sides, thereby letting you know which side to roll first.

One nice thing about these minirollers is that they have a flat end so you will be able to roll right into corners without having to use a brush. Good luck,

futtyos


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## futtyos (Aug 11, 2013)

*veterinary procedure*



vwbowman said:


> Fortunately, these are few and far between, but I found that I could brush them faster than all the necessary prep and cleanup from spaying.


Are you a veterinarian as well?

futtyos


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## futtyos (Aug 11, 2013)

*2 inch foam roller again*



SGNC said:


> Thanks everybody. I swear I’m not trying to be a PITA. It’s the two different colors that have me stumped. I guess prime both sides with the sprayer and spray the inside too, then brush the back side the other color? The back side that sits against the glass is flat so it might be easier to brush that side to keep the other color from going over the edge onto the other side.


Now that I have reread this post, I would recommend what you suggest, except I would use the 2 inch foam miniroller to roll the flat back of the grids. Just make sure the foam roller is loaded with paint, then roll it off somewhat onto a separate surface so little to no paint will squeeze out of the miniroller and onto the interior surfces of the grids.

futtyos


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

SGNC said:


> Thanks everybody. I swear I’m not trying to be a PITA. It’s the two different colors that have me stumped. I guess prime both sides with the sprayer and spray the inside too, then brush the back side the other color? The back side that sits against the glass is flat so it might be easier to brush that side to keep the other color from going over the edge onto the other side.


I wouldn't bother painting the inside of grid.


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## kmp (Jan 30, 2011)

I spray them, have not had to for a long time, and used a hvlp. I paint the flat int. side first then when dry mask them with 1" tape and spray the other side. Worked pretty well.


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## futtyos (Aug 11, 2013)

*Why not?*



finishesbykevyn said:


> I wouldn't bother painting the inside of grid.


If the customer wants them painted, why would you not bother to paint them?

futtyos


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

​


futtyos said:


> If the customer wants them painted, why would you not bother to paint them?
> 
> futtyos


 He didn't say the customer requested it. Just from what I can picture, it would look un-natural to paint the side that sits against the glass. plus twice as much work. Just my opinion. Would have to see the door I guess.


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## futtyos (Aug 11, 2013)

*What does the customer want?*



SGNC said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I’ve got to paint new wooden window grids. I have 26 of them and the interior side and the exterior facing side are different colors. I’m looking for suggestions on how to do this. Brush or spray? Any help is greatly appreciated.
> 
> ...


Clarification, please. Does the customer want the grids painted 2 different colors, one color facing the interior and a different color facing the exterior?

futtyos


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

futtyos said:


> Clarification, please. Does the customer want the grids painted 2 different colors, one color facing the interior and a different color facing the exterior?
> 
> futtyos


Yes.

It sure would be nice if the OP showed a picture, and maybe told us what colors they were going though... IDK why people dont just do that.


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## kmp (Jan 30, 2011)

I don't post pictures because I don't know how.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

What ever you do, you'll have to charge your time accordingly. And, if you don't have a lot of experience performing a certain task, it's likely going to take a lot longer than you think. Regardless of tips provided from the internet. 

I can remember when the "spray masking" product came out decades ago. I thought it was a marvelous idea, but could never bring myself to use it because I was not confident it was also the best primer to use.

You'll figure it out. Hope it all works out.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

CApainter said:


> What ever you do, you'll have to charge your time accordingly. And, if you don't have a lot of experience performing a certain task, it's likely going to take a lot longer than you think. Regardless of tips provided from the internet.
> 
> I can remember when the "spray masking" product came out decades ago. I thought it was a marvelous idea, but could never bring myself to use it because I was not confident it was also the best primer to use.
> 
> You'll figure it out. Hope it all works out.


I used Liquid Mask once on a job that had some huge windows that couldn't be removed. It worked as advertised and saved a ton of time.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I just viewed the Liquid Mask TDS and it appears it's recommended for interiors without any mention of exteriors. It is considered a good adhering primer for wood and other porous substrates, but I'm still not convinced it's much better than masking. Particularly, when you consider you'll have to get right up on the window pane anyways to remove it with a razor blade (within the 30 day window). I do think it's a great option if masking is a weak point for a painter.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

To each there own but I wouldn't hesitate to use it again if the situation presented itself. Smaller things it wouldn't be worth it, better to mask or free hand. I was looking at a half dozen or so very large fixed windows a couple hundred squares to mask. I sprayed it on in 15 minutes and it took about and hour to an hour and a half to remove it all with a blade. Maybe I'm super slow at masking but I know for sure would would've taking me a lot longer to manually mask it all. 

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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Rbriggs82 said:


> To each there own but I wouldn't hesitate to use it again if the situation presented itself. Smaller things it wouldn't be worth it, better to mask or free hand. I was looking at a half dozen or so very large fixed windows a couple hundred squares to mask. I sprayed it on in 15 minutes and it took about and hour to an hour and a half to remove it all with a blade. Maybe I'm super slow at masking but I know for sure would would've taking me a lot longer to manually mask it all.
> 
> Sent from my IN2017 using Tapatalk


I think it was the fact that the product is designed to be removed after application, that lessened my confidence in its ability to adhere in the manner a substrate specific primer would. I felt like I would be compromising a critical component of a coating system in the interest of speed and convenience.

It also might be that I learned to cut in with a brush rather than mask and unmask. But I suppose when you're talking about multiple coats and implementing an airless spray system to keep the customer's budget manageable, masking is the way to go. And a liquid spray on masking product is certainly designed for that scenario.


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## futtyos (Aug 11, 2013)

The OP said the window grids are removeable.

futtyos


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

futtyos said:


> The OP said the window grids are removeable.
> 
> futtyos


I think the homeowner is challenging him to paint them in place. You know the type. Anything to create drama. The OP will be draping the entire interior with plastic to spray Liquid Masking when they could have been removed in the first place. The plight of the Painter.


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## futtyos (Aug 11, 2013)

*These are windows, not doors.*



SGNC said:


> Thanks everybody. I swear I’m not trying to be a PITA. It’s the two different colors that have me stumped. I guess prime both sides with the sprayer and spray the inside too, then brush the back side the other color? The back side that sits against the glass is flat so it might be easier to brush that side to keep the other color from going over the edge onto the other side.


Troy, in post #3, referred to the OP's windows as doors. Why, I don't know. Several other comments from others have also referred to the SGNC's windows as "doors," still why, I don't know.

SGNC made it clear in post #5 that "I failed to mention, these grids all all new and removable. They just pop in and out of the clips attached to the windows."

SGNC then mentions in post #8 that the 2 sides (interior and exterior) of the window grids (also known as mullions) are definately to be painted on both sides and with each side being a different color:

"It’s the two different colors that have me stumped. I guess prime both sides with the sprayer and spray the inside too, then brush the back side the other color? The back side that sits against the glass is flat so it might be easier to brush that side to keep the other color from going over the edge onto the other side."

Since it is not possible (at least to my mind) to paint the exterior-facing side of the grids without removing them from the windows, it appears that SGNC will be removing the grids to both prime and paint. My best guess is that none of this priming and painting will be done with the grids in place on the windows. If this is the case I am wondering what the talk about masking, liquid or otherwise, is all about.

Going over this all once again, I would think that the most effective way to prime and paint these grids/millions is as follows:

1. Remove all grids to an area where they can be spray-primed as well as sprayed with top coat on interior facing side.

2. When interior side is finished and dry, flip them over and roll the flat exterior side with the 2" white foam Besst Liebco mini roller 1 or 2 coats, let dry and put grids back in place.

The exterior paint might have to be thinned down a bit so that it will release from the foam mini roller while using almost no pressure while rolling it so that no paint will squeeze out and onto the interior surface of the grids.

I like using this 2" foam mini roller where one colored surface meets another so that I don't have to Frog tape the edge between the 2 colors, commonly on door edges.

If I was doing this job, I would probably use the 2" foam mini roller to prime and paint both sides of the grids. I imagine that by the time I finished one coat of primer on one side of all 26 grids, the 1st grid would now be dry to turn over and prime, then when all 26 are done I might be able to start rolling a coat of paint on the interiro sides. Each coat of primer and paint should be thin enough (the paint does not need to be really thick on these surfaces) so that I could keep working non-stop for each step to get them all done. I might want to 2-coat the interior sides, then let them dry overnight before rolling out the flat exterior side.

If I am missing something, please let me know.

futtyos


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## AngieM (Apr 13, 2016)

First Lay them flat on wax paper. Spray the back or the flattest side first. Turn them over, lay flat. Spray it again. No masking needed. There won't be wrap around overspray on the back if you lay them flat against the wax paper. 

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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

CApainter said:


> I think it was the fact that the product is designed to be removed after application, that lessened my confidence in its ability to adhere in the manner a substrate specific primer would. I felt like I would be compromising a critical component of a coating system in the interest of speed and convenience.
> 
> It also might be that I learned to cut in with a brush rather than mask and unmask. But I suppose when you're talking about multiple coats and implementing an airless spray system to keep the customer's budget manageable, masking is the way to go. And a liquid spray on masking product is certainly designed for that scenario.



The times I've used it I brushed it on, careful not to get any on the substrate (muntins or mullions or whatever those pieces are called on French doors). Then I proceeded with my spraying of paint, then removed the liquid mask with a box cutter blade. Still worked faster than hand masking, and I didn't have to worry about whether the liquid mask is a decent primer or not.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

SemiproJohn said:


> The times I've used it I brushed it on, careful not to get any on the substrate (muntins or mullions or whatever those pieces are called on French doors). Then I proceeded with my spraying of paint, then removed the liquid mask with a box cutter blade. Still worked faster than hand masking, and I didn't have to worry about whether the liquid mask is a decent primer or not.


So, you had the same concerns about it not really being the best primer you could use in a coating system? I would be more comfortable applying it like you did.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

I had the same concerns but did a couple test spots a day prior to committing with it. 

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