The home improvement industry in the UK is worth £36 billion per year and continues to grow year on year. There is an old saying “an Englishman’s home is his castle”, we are a house proud bunch! Many homeowners want to keep their properties up-to-date with the latest trends, appealing to buyers and potential tenants or merely keeping them fresh for themselves.
The exterior of your home is the first thing people see when they walk up to your front door. The windows and doors are one of the key features of any property. If they are looking old you may not need to replace them. UPVC spraying can revitalise your tired old windows and doors giving them a new lease of life for the fraction of the cost.
White Windows Look Dated
Over time, your UPVC windows can start to look aged or out of date. Though the traditional white is classic it is sometimes seen as old fashioned, there are new styles that you may prefer. Anthracite Grey is an increasingly popular choice, it gives the home a more modern appearance when paired with any type of exterior paint colour on the wall.
Damage Caused by The Sun & Environment
The UK isn’t renowned for having a lot of sun, but prolonged sunlight can actually damage the surface of UPVC, the sunlight can “yellow” a UPVC window over time mainly from the sun’s UV rays. In some extreme cases, the plastic can become brittle and beyond repair. Woodgrain effect brown UPVC can also fade over time, being bleached by the sun. This discolouration of your windows is more common on older UPVC windows and doors which have been installed for decades. The change in colour can leave them looking grubby and however much you clean them you will struggle to get them back to looking factory fresh. Once they get to this stage many homeowners then start thinking about replacing them.
The Cost Of Replacement Windows
Fully replacing UPVC windows and doors can be expensive, inconvenient, and time-consuming. Replacing frames and glass with new window units is a huge undertaking that can take weeks to complete.
There’s also the mess to worry about: Old frame pieces need to be taken out, shards of glass swept up, then all replaced with brand-new ones. New windows and doors can cost £1000’s, a cost that may not be necessary. Installing brand new double glazing throughout a typical 3 bedroom house in the UK could cost between £3,000 to £5,000 and this doesn’t include the doors which can range from £400 – £1000 each depending on what you go for, two doors per house leaving the overall bill being £6000+.
A more cost-effective and faster way to achieve a ‘new’ modern look is to have your UPVC windows and doors sprayed rather than fully replacing them, as long as your windows are mechanically sound that is.
UPVC Spraying Has Certain Benefits
1) Save A Tonne Of Cash vs Full Replacement
One of the major benefits of UPVC window and door spraying is that it is significantly cheaper than having all your windows and doors replaced. The cost for one project can end up costing you as little as 80% less than the amount required to replace all of your windows and doors.
2) Modernising The Look Of Your Property
One trend currently popular in the property world is to abandon traditional white windows or wood brown. With UPVC window and door spraying, you can transform the appearance of your property and colour it however you want- whatever suits your style best! Doors are traditionally available in a limited range of colours, but with UPVC respray you have more flexibility in matching the colour of your doors with that of all other aspects of your home.
3) Increased Appeal
Whether your goal is to sell or rent, a well-presented home will appeal to more buyers and tenants. Updating the exterior of your property with modern windows and doors can achieve this goal in an on-trend way while saving you time by avoiding replacements that are either costly or labour intensive.
4) Less Intrusive & Less Messy
If you have your windows replaced, the process includes hiring a skip to haul away debris, securing permits for the rubbish removal company, ripping out old frames and glass without damaging surrounding surfaces. This is quite a lengthy process and may come with challenges.
The spraying process for UPVC windows is clean and takes minimal time, windows are sprayed in situ, generally with no need to remove the window from its frame. Masking off areas around this reduces any potential mess and overspray, polythene film is used which covers the glass panes while they’re being sprayed. After a quick clean-up of nearby debris such as paper and polythene film, you can enjoy your newly coloured windows without having them be an eyesore on your home. The same goes for doors which are usually removed during the spraying process, they are then fully reinstalled once they have been sprayed in their new colour.
5) Faster Turnaround
Fully replacing your UPVC can be a long-drawn-out process, from the initial enquiry with the window fitting company, through to the completion of the install. They first need to come out to your house and measure up, windows and doors are then ordered to be manufactured which can take weeks in itself. Once they have been manufactured the fitting company then needs to arrange to come back and start the install which can take a few days. With UPVC spraying the job will usually be completed in just one day!
6) Give Your Windows And Doors an Extended Life
By having your windows and door resprayed you are not only saving money but also extending their lifespan. With the high UV protection of paint with built-in durability against scratches and scuffs, these windows will last for as long as ten years or more.
7) Loads Of Colours To Choose
One advantage of UPVC windows and doors is that many companies will allow you to customize your colour scheme. Most firms carry the RAL colour range, which includes many different colours to choose from. One popular range of colours for home improvement is the Farrow And Ball paint range, these are also becoming available for spraying not only UPVC but is commonly used for kitchen spraying (yes you can change the colour of your kitchen cabinets easily too).
The Spraying Process
The process of spraying windows and doors is fairly straightforward. Like many home renovations, one of the most important stages is preparation
Preparation Before Spraying
Before painting UPVC windows, the surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned. This ensures the paint sticks and doesn’t peel off quickly. They are “keyed” with a special primer coat of paint, this then allows the topcoat to adhere to the UPVC frames properly.
Masking Surrounding Areas
It is important to cover any areas of your home that you do not want paint applied with a masking surface. For brickwork, use a roll of paper; for the actual glass panes on your windows and doors, it is best to use polyethene plastic film. Masking these surfaces will give the site an overall professional finish.
Spray Coating
Once all the prep work has been done, it is time to spay your windows. In order to get a smooth paint job, spraying rather than rolling or brushing is important for this type of application. The finished surface of your windows and doors looks as if it has come out of the factory, giving that professional appearance.
Summary
Many people are starting to resort to UPVC window and door spraying for changing the appearance of their property. Doing this allows them to have a more updated look at a fraction of the cost. The UK home improvement sector is huge, with new trends coming in every day which can often be expensive. In terms of windows and doors, it’s much more inexpensive and efficient to spray these instead of replacing them fully.
