What it is
We take flat aluminum sheet (coil stock), bend it on a brake right at your house, and wrap it tightly over your existing wood window frames, brick moulds, door trim and fascia. It's sealed at the edges. The wood underneath is protected and you never paint it again.
What it costs
Roughly $150–$350 per window depending on size and how much trim there is, and $8–$14 per linear foot for fascia and trim runs. Most houses come in between $2,000 and $6,000 for all the windows. We usually do it alongside soffit, fascia and eavestrough because the equipment is already there.
Colours
Coil stock comes in 30+ colours — white, black, charcoal, browns, greys — so it matches your siding, soffit or eavestrough. Black capping with white or grey siding is the look most people want right now.
What it doesn't fix
Capping covers wood; it doesn't repair rotten wood. If the frame is soft, we replace the wood first, then cap it. And if your windows themselves are failing (fogged glass, drafts), capping won't help — that's a window replacement.
Capping vs replacing trim
Replacing wood trim with PVC or composite trim is the other option. It costs more but gives a crisper, more dimensional look, and it's the right call on a full siding job where the old trim is coming off anyway. Capping is the right call when the windows and trim are fine and you just want to stop painting.
Where it goes wrong
Bad capping traps water. The edges need to be sealed, the bottom edge needs a drip, and the bends need to be tight so nothing lifts in the wind. We've re-done plenty of capping jobs where the previous installer stapled it on and caulked the gaps. Ask to see a job the contractor did five years ago.