Painting Window Boxes

Painting a window box is the perfect way to make it look custom to your home as part of it rather than as an accessory.  There are generally three recomendations for painting window boxes.

* Match your trim work
* Match your front door or shutters
* Match your siding or wood

As a general rule of thumb, you should try to reuse existing paint in your garage to get an exact match.  There's nothing worse than being two shades off and this will help save you time and money all while getting a perfect match. 

Pick a neutral color for your window box if you want to highlight what will be inside the window box more.  Neutrals allow greens and colors to pop more and be the main attraction.  Sometimes a window box can be used to add color to a dull home.  Try choosing a color that is already part of your exterior pallette.  Matching a window box to a door color or shutters is a great example.  If you have brick, sometimes you can pick a color in the brick to paint the boxes to help bring those colors out of the brick and showcase the brick better.

If you'll be painting wooden window boxes, there are a few considerations.  Wooden window boxes can be painted, however, splits and cracks over time will usually expose underneath, especially as the boxes contract and expand due to environmental stress.  The insides also have to be left unpainted, where soil and water are in direct contact with the box.  This leaves the window boxes vulnerable to insects and rotting.

PVC window boxes are a much better choice and an affordable upgrade.  They are completely insect and rot proof.  They will also hold paint exceptionally well for 15 or more years without peeling or fading.  Another advantage to PVC window boxes is that you do not need to prime them.  You can apply two coats of any exterior latex paint to these window boxes.

Painting Window Boxes - Paint Window Boxes - Picking Colors