Freshly painted wooden window stuck open

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Hayley19911958

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Hello I had my outside wooden windows painted by someone a few weeks ago and the window has stuck open. I live in a flat and it’s too high for me to get up with a ladder so I have tried opening it from the inside by pushing from the top, tried to bang on the top, I’ve tried using a scraper at the sides to try pop it open but nothing seems to work. I have worked out it’s stuck from the top of the window because the bottom will rattle if I bang on it. Is there anything else I can do from the inside or will I need to arrange for someone come round to do it from the outside?
Thank you for reading my post.
 
Sash window? It's amazing how stuck a layer of paint can make them. Banging it is difficult because the blows will be absorbed in the frame. If you have a car with a scissor jack, and you can slide it in between cill or head and frame, put some packing between the jack and window to avoid damage and apply some gentle pressure. It should let go and then afterwards be OK. Obviously, if it doesn't let go with a reasonable amount of pressure on, don't go winding it up until the window breaks!
 
If they were painted with water based paints, you may be experiencing a symptom called "blocking".

A thin item and leverage may work. Alternatively, use a lump of 2 by 4 and hit it with a hammer.
 
If you can get some small wooden wedges start to tap them in from the bottom edge working upwards. Try to tap them in until you feel a definite stop against the frame recess. You will see a gap opening above where you are working. Tap your next wedge into this gap until it also hits the frame recess. Leave the lower wedges in place as you work up the side of the opening. They will start to drop out from the bottom upwards. You then use these to carry on tapping them in as you progress up and across the top of the window.
Patience is the key. Take your time and don't rush it. Sometimes it can be beneficial to leave the wedges tightly jammed in place for 10-15 minutes while you have a coffee/tea break. It keeps the jammed part under pressure and, occasionally, this can cause it to pop open a bit more by itself.
Once you have the window open you should be able to see where it was jamming and scrape/sand the affected area clear. If it feels tight when you try to close it, scrape/sand a bit more. You want to be able to close it without any signs/feelings of scraping.
 
I’m sorry I don’t know why I didn’t think to add a photo.
First photo is the window that’s stuck but I can’t get a picture of it fully because there’s a wall.
Second photo shows how much it’s open.
Third photo is my lounge window but I’ve only added it so you can see the style.

I know it was water based paint he used.

I will have a go at some of the suggestions that have been made tomorrow and I will let you know how I get on.

Thank you
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I would try to pry up the left and right corner using a japanese cats paw bar

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Mokuba Japanese Restorers Cats Paw Bar Pull Bar C-6250

This very finely made restorers bar from Mokuba of Japan is the finest of its type we have found. One end features a claw for removing nails or tacks whilst the other flares into a wide and gently curved but strong spatula type end. This tool is ideal for delicate disassembly work prior to...
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If you don't have anything similar , hammer the left and right top of the meeting rail on the bottom sash. Use scrap of timber to prevent damaging the sash when hammering.
 
Can you see if there is anything under the bottom of the window that is preventing it from closing? i.e. a small screw, piece of wood, pebble etc?
Similarly, have a close look at the top edge to see if anything has fallen down the side that you may be able to 'fish' out.
Can you slide your scraper the full width of the window between the top and bottom sashes?
 
Hit it with a hammer and block of wood alternating above and below the top rail bit by not. Then spray with wd40 to ease friction. Wood expands in the cold so it might get worse in winter

Blup
 
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