How do I paint around new replacement windows on my Ottawa home exterior?

Painting around new replacement windows is one of the most detail-oriented exterior tasks you'll face, and getting it right matters enormously in Ottawa's climate. The critical zone is the junction between the window frame, the exterior casing or brickmould, and your siding — this is where water infiltration begins if paint and caulking fail.

Before you open a can of paint, the prep work is everything. New replacement windows typically come with a factory-applied vinyl or fibreglass frame that doesn't need painting, but the surrounding wood casing, brickmould, and any exposed siding that was disturbed during installation absolutely does. Start by inspecting the perimeter for gaps — even a 1 to 2 mm gap between the window frame and the casing will allow Ottawa's freeze-thaw cycles to drive water behind the paint film, causing failure within a season or two. Fill any gaps with a high-quality paintable polyurethane or siliconized acrylic caulk (Tremco, Sika, or OSI Quad are reliable products available at Ottawa building suppliers for $8 to $15 per tube). Do not use pure silicone — paint won't adhere to it.

Once caulking is done and fully cured (typically 24 hours), lightly sand any rough edges, wipe down the surfaces with a damp cloth, and allow everything to dry completely. If the wood casing is bare or raw from the installation work, prime it before topcoating — a quality exterior alkyd or acrylic primer like Benjamin Moore Fresh Start or Sherwin-Williams Exterior Primer will seal the wood and give your topcoat something to grip. Skipping primer on bare wood around windows is one of the most common reasons Ottawa homeowners see peeling within two or three winters.

For the topcoat, use a premium 100% acrylic latex exterior paint — Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior or Sherwin-Williams Duration are both excellent choices and worth the $75 to $90 per gallon price point in this application. Apply with a quality 2 to 2.5 inch angled sash brush for clean lines along the window frame. Two coats are standard; don't try to get away with one on trim work that takes direct sun and rain exposure.

Timing matters significantly in Ottawa. Don't start this work before late May, and make sure overnight temperatures are staying consistently above 10°C — a warm afternoon in April followed by a 4°C night will ruin your cure. The ideal window for this work is June through early September.

One important caution: if your home was built before 1978, the existing paint around those old windows may contain lead. Don't sand or scrape without testing first — lead test kits are available at Home Depot for about $15, or you can have a professional assess it. Ontario Regulation 278/05 governs lead paint handling, and the risks of improper removal are serious.

If the installation disturbed a significant area of siding or the casing profile is complex, it's worth having a professional painter handle the finishing work to ensure a seamless match with your existing exterior. You can browse painting contractors serving your area through the Ottawa Construction Network directory at justynrookcontracting.com/directory.