DIY Blog - A Dabbled Dwelling

How to Easily Paint Paned Windows

May 30, 2024 by kelsey.mackall

Sometimes older houses have outdated design elements and sometimes they have a lot of charm. My 1970’s house is no exception. I am doing away with the parts of the house that don’t fit my style or function, but trying to maintain the more charming design elements that I can. Most of the windows are new, but the door to the patio off the primary bedroom has a paned window in dire need of an update. Paned windows are windows that have a grid and this one is on the outside of the window. As you can imagine, that seems like a lot of work to paint. But no fear, masking liquid to the rescue!

It’s So Easy to Paint Paned Windows!

Masking liquid really makes painting paned windows super easy and really satisfying! One can of the masking liquid goes a long way and you can easily paint the windows in your house with it.. The first step is to just paint the glass of the window panes with the masking liquid. Take care to not get the masking liquid everywhere but it’s not big deal if a little bit of it gets on the grid lines.

Woman in blue shirt is painting masking liquid on windows

Let the masking liquid dry, and once it’s dry you can paint the frame and the grid lines without worrying about getting paint on the windows. For this door I wanted gold hardware to match the rest of the hardware in the room, but that stuff is pricey. I decided for the time being that I would spray paint the existing door hardware and cross my fingers. Once everything was spray painted I painted the door and grid lines with my preferred paint.

Simple as that. When finished painting use the utility knife the score the edges and peel it off. Enjoy the ASMR of cleanly peeling the masking liquid off the window. Breathe in the satisfaction, it’s amazing.

Woman uses utility knife to score masking liquid

Easiest Project Ever

The finished product looks so nice. I was able to maintain an older design element while updating it. This door matches the other doors and it was so simple to do. Masking liquid is one of my favorite DIY hacks, it’s perfect for painting those pesky windows. Click for more of my primary bedroom updates!

Woman in black dress admires painted door and Roman shade on window

Upgrade Your Windows by Adding New Window Sills and Trim

April 30, 2024 by kelsey.mackall

My primary bedroom was looking boring and left me wanting. I replaced the flooring to match the rest of the house, trimmed the doors, repainted, and changed some decor. But I still wasn’t feeling right about the windows. I felt like they were super bare and I really wanted a way to dress them up without window treatments.

New Window Sills and Trim Are Easier Than You Think

I decided to frame my windows to help them have more dimension and to appear bigger. In order to start with a blank slate I used a knife to cut the caulk around the windowsills and apron (the piece of moulding under the window sill). Then I used a pry bar to remove them from the wall. I like to use the same boards for window trim that I use for door trim. Usually I go with pre-primed pine and I use 1x4s for the sides and the apron. I opt for a 1×5 across the top with a 1×2 laying flat on top of that. For the window sill I use an additional 1×5.

Woman scores caulk to remove window sill

Woman uses pry bar and hammer to remove window sill

I measure the windows and cut the trim pieces accordingly. For the top and bottom pieces I make sure to account for the 1x4s on the sides and add that to the length I cut the board. When cutting the window sill I use my jigsaw to cut out the corners where the window sill will extend past the corner in the front. When everything is cut I start putting up the trim using my nail gun. Even the window sill gets nailed down so it is secure. Then I caulk all of the seams where wood meets wood and where wood meets the wall. It gives it a seamless finish. I fill the nail holes with wood filler so that it can be sanded smooth for paint. I painted these window frames a creamy contrast to the walls, White Mocha by Behr.

Window Sills and Trim Make All the Difference

The end result is stunning. Framing the windows gave them a larger appearance and a much more finished look. They now match the door frames that I also updated the same way. I am so happy with this project and even happier that it’s a quick and relatively inexpensive update.

Improve the Look of Your Room by Installing Easy Craftsman Trim

April 29, 2024 by kelsey.mackall

I’m a sucker for clean lines and a simple look. The trim on my doors is outdated and desperately needs an update. I was in the process of refreshing my master bedroom and this project was a no brainer. The orange toned floors are being replaced with the same flooring used in the rest of the house. It gives the whole house a seamless look. I also added dimension to the flat doors, painted the whole thing, and replaced the lighting and decor. It’s just what I wanted and the updated door trim brings the whole look up a notch.

Easy to Install Craftsman Trim

I started out by cutting the caulk on the old trim and then wedging a pry bar in between the trim and the wall. It was super easy to remove the trim and give myself a clean slate to start with. For the trim I like to use pre-primed pine. I use 1x4s on the sides and a 1×5 on top with a 1×2 laid on top for a little more dimension. Measure the height of the door and cut the 1x4s the same. For the top I measured the width of the door and made sure to add the 1x4s to that number before cutting the 1×5. I cut 1×2 the same length as the 1×5.

Then I use my nail gun to attach the trim, taking care to ensure it is level. I attached the 1x4s vertically on the sides and the 1×5 across the top. The 1×2 gets laid on top of the 1×5 and also is attached with nails. Now that everything is attached I use caulk on the seams between the wall and the trim and also between the pieces of trim. Wood filler is great to use to fill the nail holes because it can be sanded smooth for paint. I used a contrasting creamy color, White Mocha by Behr, to paint the trim and complete the look.

And Done!

It was so easy to change this door trim out! I’m so glad I changed it because it really elevated the whole look of my master bedroom. It has nice clean lines and looks less dated than the previous trim. For around $100 in wood I was able to change the whole appearance of the doors in my room. I would recommend this to anyone looking to change things up a little bit!