Trim Painting Tips for the Perfect Finish

Painting the trim is one of the most time consuming parts of painting a room. There is no margin of error when it comes to painting trim because by the time paint is being applied to the trim the walls and ceiling are already completed. When painting trim a slow and steady hand will largely overcome a fast and sloppy stroke. Trim painting requires great attention to detail.

Tip #1

Trim painting involves the use of a completely different set of tools than what was used to paint the walls. While there are trim rollers and various types of foam brushes that can be used to apply trim paint, nothing works better than a slow and steady hand and a high quality angled 2" trim brush. There are many different types of trim brushes on the market but to same your hand from cramping, a rubber handled trim brush is ideal as it allows the handle of the brush to bend with your stroke and places less stress on the palm of the hand and the wrist.

Tip #2

Even the professionals make a mess at times when painting trim. Keeping some clean painters rags or wash cloths around when painting trim can help you to clean any minor impoerfections along the way. If a dab of paint gets on the freshly painted wall or along another surface in which it is not wanted, a damp cloth can clean it up fast and simple. Use a cloth to wipe excess paint from surfaces immediately along the way and your trim painting will look professional and perfect every time.

Tip #3

Trim around doors and windows can first be taped off to avoid the possibility of excess paint getting onto the previously painted surfaces. When applying painters tape along windows, it is important to apply the tape slightly over from the actually edge of the wood so that a very thin area of window is still visible. This assures that a very small amount of paint will run off the wood and onto the glass creating a seal along the window.

Tip #4

Trim painting should start high and work it's way down. Trim along the ceiling should be painted first and then trim that runs along the upper portion of doors and windows should be painted. After painting all of the upper portions of trim the lower areas can be painted such as the baseboards. Always apply trim paint to horizontal surfaces first and then work on the vertical surfaces. For instance, apply trim paint to the upper crown molding of a room, along the upper part of the door frame and base boards before applying trim paint to the vertical portions of door and window frames.

Tip #5

Painting around doors is much easier if the door is out of the way. If you will paint the door the same color as the trim then you should remove the door and all of the hardware such as doorknob and hinges before painting the door itself. Remove the door from the door frame by removing each hinge and then place the door on a flat surface such as a pair of sawhorses. Apply paint along the wood grain of the door. Following the grain will assure a completely coated door that will have a beautiful and professional finish. Allow the door to dry completely before replacing the hardware and the doorknob to hand the door.