I’ve just repaired some damaged timber on a window frame, and now I need to match the paint. Could someone here please help me identify the existing paint? The house was built in the 1980s. Thanks.
Hi @charlie0123,
Unfortunately, it is going to be very difficult to identify the exact finish just from its appearance. It looks like it could be a clear oil or a clear varnish, potentially with a stain, but it is impossible to be sure without seeing the bare timber.
Clear finishes such as oils and varnishes enhance the natural colour of the timber underneath, while stains are also affected by the timber's original colour and grain. This means the same product can look quite different when applied to different timbers.
Have you got any photos of the section that you've repaired? Is there anywhere where you can see the natural colour of the timber?
Unfortunately, about the best thing we can do is take an educated guess and then use trial and error. You'll have to sand back the timber around the repairs anyway, so if you could grab a photo of the timber with the sealer removed, I could certainly offer some recommendations to trial, but you'd need to test it to see.
Blending it in with the existing coating will also be a bit challenging, so ultimately the best option would be to sand back the whole frame to remove the existing sealer, then employ a trial-and-error approach until you get something that closely matches the other frames.
Let me know how you go.
Jacob
