How to Remove Paint From an Interior Wood Window

Open all windows and doors in the room where you'll be painting. The fumes from chemical paint strippers can be dangerous when inhaled. Also, make sure to read and follow all other safety instructions on the product's container before you get started.

Apply painter's masking tape to the walls around the window frame, and make sure that you have drop-cloths covering your flooring. The thrill of seeing the paint removal process in action on your wooden windows may be short lived if your walls and floors suffer a similar fate.

Using an old paint brush, apply the chemical stripper to the painted wood surface. It's best to start at the top of the window frame and work your way down, working in 2 or 3 foot sections to get a feel for how much stripper to apply for the best results. As you progress, you can adjust the size of these sections as you see fit.

Let the stripper sit on the paint surface until the paint begins to bubble (make sure you check the product's instructions for specific times). While the surface is still wet, use a putty knife to scrape off the loosened and peeling paint. Bear in mind that if there are multiple coats of old paint on the window, you may have to repeat the whole process 2 or 3 times in order to get down to bare wood.

Rub down the wood surfaces with a dry cloth to remove the solvent and the old paint. To remove any last stubborn areas of paint that may be in cracks or crevices, take a piece of steel wool, or perhaps a stiff toothbrush dipped in denatured alcohol, then scrub until all traces of paint are gone.

Prepare the window frame for staining, once all the old paint is removed, by sanding it with medium grade sandpaper, following it with a fine grade for a smooth finish.