By the Bouwsector België team, 97 in-house tradespeople · reviewed by Geert Jan Hendrik, director · updated
There is no fixed repainting interval for interior wooden window and door frames. How often they need a new coat depends on use, moisture, cleaning and the condition of the current finish, and you can see it in the finish itself: dull patches, damaged edges or wood showing through.
Repaint them before bare wood is visible, because then it is less work. Painting an interior door frame costs from €119.99 with us, excluding VAT.
Interior frames looking sharp again? Request your quote
Rated 4.9 out of 5. ★★★★★4.9 from 215+ Google reviews · 97 in-house tradespeople on permanent contracts · 10 years of experience · 1-year guarantee on interior painting
Why is there no fixed interval for interior frames?
Outside, frames face sun, rain and frost, and that calls for a maintenance rhythm. That is also why you choose the best time for exterior painting outdoors. Indoors, a frame is not exposed to the weather. There, the finish wears mainly because of what happens in the home.
We have not found a reliable figure in years for indoor use. The data sheet for Sigma S2U Nova Satin, a water-based interior paint, gives no maintenance interval. It does list properties that determine how long a coat stays looking good: scratch and wear resistance, and resistance to grease, dirt and household cleaning products. That is why we do not give an interval, but show what it depends on.
What it depends on
What it does to the paint
Use
A door frame is grabbed and knocked, especially around the handle and at hand height. A window frame in a bedroom has a much easier life.
Moisture
Frames in a bathroom or kitchen get more moisture and are cleaned more often.
Cleaning
Abrasive cloths and some products attack the paint layer, see below.
The previous coat
A coat that was built up well and bonds well lasts longer than one applied to a greasy or glossy surface.
How can you tell your interior frames are due?
Check your frames once a year in daylight. These signs tell you how urgent it is, and what is then needed:
What you see
What it means
Dull or shiny patches around the handle
The top coat is wearing. Cleaning, a light sanding and a new coat of paint is enough.
Small dents and damaged edges
Touch up and fill locally, then apply a new coat.
Hairline cracks or flaking paint
Remove and sand the loose parts first, otherwise the new coat will flake too.
Bare wood showing through the paint
The build-up is gone. The wood has to be primed again before paint can go on.
If you only see the first two signs, you have time to plan the work calmly, for example together with painting the walls. Walls and woodwork can then be done in a single schedule, and the same applies if you want to combine wallpapering, plastering and painting.
Isn’t it cheaper to wait until the varnish is really worn out?
That seems logical, but it works the other way round. The more worn the paint is, the more coats are needed. That is also what the data sheet for Sigma S2U Nova Satin says, which gives a different paint system for each substrate:
Condition of the frame
Paint system according to Sigma
Existing, intact paint layer
Clean thoroughly, sand carefully and apply the top coat
Untreated or bare wood
Clean thoroughly, prime, apply an undercoat and apply the top coat
A frame with an intact coat therefore gets one coat of paint after cleaning and sanding. A frame with bare wood gets two coats of primer and then the paint. That is more work and more drying time: according to Sigma, S2U Nova Satin can be overpainted after about 5 hours, at 23 °C and 50% relative humidity.
Anyone who paints in time sticks to the shortest system. Whether a new coat can go straight over the old one, we check frame by frame when you have your window frames and doors painted.
How do you keep interior frames looking good for longer?
Cleaning properly saves you the most time. In the data sheet for S2U Nova Satin, Sigma gives concrete guidance:
Wait a month. After a month of curing, the paint can be cleaned optimally.
Use a soft cloth. With a pH-neutral, non-abrasive cleaning product in lukewarm water.
No microfibre cloth. Sigma advises against it, because the material is abrasive.
Be careful with alcohol. With some cleaning products and alcohol gels, the paint can discolour slightly or turn matt. After such a product, rinse well with tap water.
That last point matters most for door frames, because hands pass there. Different rules apply to the walls next to the frame: give wall paint enough drying time first before you wipe it.
What does it cost to have interior frames painted, and who does it?
For interior wooden window frames and doors we work with fixed from-prices, in RAL 9010 or 9016:
Item (interior, wood)
From
Painting window frames, 5 to 7 metres
€ 99.99
Painting a door frame
€ 119.99
Painting a door
€ 139.99
Sanding and painting a door frame and door
€ 249.99
French doors, interior side
€ 324.99
Prices exclude VAT. For the renovation of a private home more than 10 years old, 6% VAT usually applies; otherwise it is 21%. The VAT rate is stated in the quote.
A worked example: six interior door frames in a home cost from 6 × €119.99 = €719.94. What your frames need exactly, for instance touching up or priming again, is set out in the final quote after the site visit. Staircases and skirting boards can be included in the same job, each with its own price in our list.
Not sure whether your frames are due a new coat yet?
The work is done by one of our 25 painters, from a team of 97 tradespeople on permanent contracts. We do not paint plastic frames; we do paint wooden ones, and if the wood is finished, you can also have window frames replaced with us. The exterior is always on request, because what exterior painting costs depends on what we see on site.
Before you apply, count how many window and door frames are involved, and check them against the table above: only dull patches, or bare wood as well? A photo of the worst frame helps. Then the right system is already in the free quote you receive within 24 hours. During the site visit we inspect every frame.
Interior painting comes with a 1-year guarantee. Our painters can include the rest of the interior painting in the same job.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How often should you paint exterior wooden frames?
Outdoors, well-executed paintwork lasts 6 to 8 years on average, depending on the substrate, the colour and how much sun and rain a frame gets. Do not wait until the paint cracks, because moisture can then get into the wood. Exterior painting is always on request with us, with a 3-year guarantee.
Which paint do you use for interior wooden frames?
A paint intended for interior use, not wall paint. We use Sigma, for example S2U Nova Satin: a water-based, satin-finish interior paint which, according to the data sheet, is intended for priming and top-coating wood.
How many coats of paint do interior frames get?
That depends on the condition. For S2U Nova Satin on an existing, intact paint layer, Sigma specifies one top coat after cleaning and sanding. On untreated or bare wood, two coats of primer go on first, and only then the paint.
Can interior frames be painted in a different colour?
Yes. Our from-prices apply to RAL 9010 or 9016, the two standard whites. Another colour is possible; that price is stated in the quote. For a big colour change we recommend a second coat, because one coat will not cover the old colour evenly.
Do you also paint plastic or metal interior frames?
We do not paint plastic frames. Our fixed prices apply to wooden frames and doors. If you have metal interior frames, discuss it with a project manager: there is no rate for them in our price list.
By the Bouwsector België team, 97 in-house tradespeople · reviewed by 
