How to Open a Painted Shut Window

Using a flat pry bar to open a window that has been painted shut.
Jodi Marks using a flat pry bar to open a window that has been painted shut.

To free paint stuck window:

  1. Score the paint film where the sash meets the frame on both the inside and outside of the window.
  2. Insert a putty knife in the gap between sash and frame, and run it around the opening on the inside and outside of the window.
  3. Position a flat pry bar on the outside of the window where the sash meets the sill, and tap it with a hammer to force the pry bar under the sash.
  4. Carefully pry the sash up, working from each side.