Window walls, you can paint them!

peinture mur rideau

What is a window wall or curtain wall?

Window walls, commonly called curtain wall, is an exterior wall made of lines of windows and which is not loadbearing. Building with a curtain wall are very numerous in downtown Montreal, mostly for commercial buildings such as office towers and housing towers. This structure generally takes a whole wall although sometimes, one or two storeys do not have windows.

Curtain walls divide in three parts: windows, the glass piece; mullions, aluminum or vinyl pieces which attach he windows to the building’s structure; and spandrels, horizontal and/or vertical panels between the windows. Mullions and spandrels can be painted.

Preferred method to paint a window wall

To paint the outside of a window wall efficiently, one must follow precise steps.

Pressure wash

We start with a pressure wash, which allows us to remove any dirt or old paint, thus improving the adhesion of the new coat. In order to do this, we have to install our elevation equipment. Please note it’s crucial to follow a certified training course before safely operating a lift.

peinture mur rideau

Scraping

We then continue with a proper manual scraping of the mullions with a specially conceived scraper.

Primer and paint

Once the windows and the ground have been covered, we proceed to the application of primer and paint. As the pieces to be painted are of fairly small size, we normally prefer using a paintbrush. However, if the conditions are right, me could chose to use a sprayer instead, which would be faster and give a uniform result. 100% acrylic paint is ideal for exterior painting projects. It’s extremely adherent and it resists weathering, which makes it very durable.

Sandblast

We then proceed to sanding between each coat of primer or paint to make sure there isn’t any drip or roughness on the surface.

Inspection and touch-ups

After the final coat, we make an inspection and invite the client to join us in doing so. If needed, we perform a few touch-ups.

Benefits of painting your windows

Having your wall of windows painted offers several benefits to the owner. Any exterior painting job will increase longevity of the exterior coating by 20%. Obviously, this painting job greatly improves the building envelope’s appearance: it looks brand new, for a fraction of it’s value.

Are you looking for a team for a painting project at heights? FinDecor painters are here.

At FinDecor’s, we are used to exterior painting projects at heights and we have the equipment to be both effective and safe. Call us now to make a reservation for our services at 514-966-0966.

Dave Beaupre

Master painter

514-966-0966

[email protected]