I've been refinishing some old wood windows and went with staining last year. Basically, I sanded everything down, applied wood conditioner, then two coats of stain, and finished with a clear polyurethane coat. Looks nice, but already noticing some fading from sun exposure. Wondering if painting might've lasted longer or if I missed a step somewhere... anyone got tips or maybe a better method?
I've done both painting and staining on old wood windows, and honestly, paint does tend to hold up better against UV rays. But before you switch over completely, have you considered trying a marine-grade spar varnish instead of regular polyurethane? It's specifically designed for outdoor use and has UV blockers built in. I refinished a porch railing with it a few years back, and it's held up surprisingly well—way less fading than standard poly. Might be worth a shot before giving up on stain altogether...
Marine-grade spar varnish is definitely a step up from regular poly, no doubt about it. I've used it on some outdoor furniture, and it does hold up pretty well against sun and weather. But I gotta say, windows seem to take a beating way more than railings or furniture—maybe it's the constant exposure or the heat buildup behind the glass? Anyway, I've found that even spar varnish eventually needs touch-ups every couple of years if you want to keep things looking sharp.
One thing I've wondered about is whether certain wood species hold stain and varnish better than others outdoors. Like, would cedar or mahogany windows fare better with stain and spar varnish compared to pine or oak? I've mostly dealt with pine windows myself, and they always seem to fade quicker. Curious if anyone's noticed a big difference depending on the type of wood used...
I've wondered about wood species too, but honestly, I'm starting to think it's more about prep and maintenance than the wood itself. A neighbor of mine has mahogany windows, and yeah, they look great initially, but after a couple of years, they're still fading and needing touch-ups just like my pine ones. Maybe they hold up slightly better, but it's not night-and-day different.
One thing I'm curious about though—does anyone think paint might actually protect better long-term compared to stain and varnish? I know paint hides the wood grain (which is a bummer if you like that natural look), but maybe it offers better UV protection or something? I've seen some painted windows around town that seem to hold up pretty well without constant refinishing. Anyone have experience comparing painted vs stained windows over several years?
I've been thinking about this too. Last summer, I refinished a set of south-facing windows—careful prep, sanding, conditioner, stain, and three coats of marine-grade varnish. They looked great initially, but after just one year, there's noticeable fading again. On the other hand, my garage windows are painted white, and they've held up remarkably well for at least five years with minimal fading or peeling. Seems like paint might offer better UV protection overall, even though you sacrifice that natural wood look.
"Seems like paint might offer better UV protection overall, even though you sacrifice that natural wood look."
Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. Paint just seems to hold up better against sun exposure. If you're set on keeping the wood look, maybe consider a lighter stain or adding some exterior shades...might buy you more time between refinishes.
"Paint just seems to hold up better against sun exposure."
Yeah, that's been my experience too. When we moved into our place last year, the previous owners had stained wood windows, and honestly, they looked great at first. But after just one summer of direct sunlight, they started fading badly and even peeling in spots. We ended up refinishing them ourselves (not fun at all), and this time we went with paint instead.
I wasn't thrilled about losing the natural wood look either, but it's been almost a year now and the painted frames still look fresh—no fading or chipping yet. I think if your windows get a lot of direct sun, paint is probably gonna save you some headaches down the road.
If you're really attached to the wood grain though, maybe try a high-quality marine-grade varnish or something similar? My neighbor swears by it for his deck furniture...says it holds up pretty well under intense sun. Could be worth a shot if you're determined to keep that natural look.
Yeah, paint does tend to hold up better overall, especially in sunny areas. I redid my own windows about three years ago—went with a good exterior paint—and they're still holding strong. Marine varnish can work, but honestly, even that needs touch-ups eventually...
I've had decent luck with marine varnish myself, but you're right—it does need regular maintenance, especially in direct sun. Curious if anyone's tried those UV-resistant stains? Wondering how they stack up over time compared to paint or varnish...
I've been testing out a UV-resistant stain on my south-facing deck railing for about two years now. Here's what I've noticed so far:
- Definitely less peeling and flaking compared to the paint I used before.
- Fades gradually, but evenly—doesn't look patchy or worn out.
- Still needs reapplication, but maintenance feels easier than sanding down varnish every season.
Not sure how it'd hold up on windows specifically, but based on my railing experience, seems promising for areas with lots of sun exposure...