Painting Interior Trim

If your trim is unpainted, dirty or damaged, it can ruin the entire feel of your home’s interior. But if you’re nice to your molding, doorframes, baseboards, wainscoting and paneling, they will return the favor. Freshly painted trim can be just what you need to make your home more inviting to family and friends.

To get started, visit your local True Value hardware store for the tools, products and expert advice you need to get the job done right. Then follow the steps below.

Step 1. Choose a Finish or Color
Many people simply opt for stained wood trim for a natural wood effect or neutral trim colors to blend with a room's walls, windows and doors. A common rule is to paint the trim darker than the wall color, by using a darker or deeper version of that color.

These aren’t the only ways to go. If you prefer more color, you can create an attractive balance between the walls and trim by choosing analogous colors, which are colors located next to each other on the color wheel. Because they're similar, analogous colors together have similar and pleasing tones — for example, the yellows, oranges and golds of a sunset.

To get more contrast, complementary colors (located opposite of each other on the color wheel, like red and green or orange and blue) produce a dramatic effect. If your trim is decorative or ornamental, you can highlight its detail with a bold color that contrasts with the walls.

Step 2. Pick Your Paint
True Value EasyCare® paint comes in a wide array of colors in durable flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss and high-gloss finishes. If you’re having trouble deciding which paint and color works best for your trim, consult a True Value Certified Color Expert at your local True Value hardware store. Don’t forget you can also go toTrueValuePaint.com for more color ideas and painting tips.

Oil-based paint will give you the longest-lasting results because they can expand and contract with changing conditions in a room, such as humidity. Surfaces painted with oil-based paint also resist moisture better than latex paint and are easier to clean. However, they require more care when applying and cleaning up afterwards.

• Oil-based paint can be applied on top of a primer that is acrylic or oil-based, but latex paint cannot be applied to a surface that has been primed with an oil-based primer.

Step 3. Choose Your Brushes
Use high-quality enamel or varnish brushes — they hold more paint, apply with ease and don't leave brush strokes — and go for ones with flagged tips and tapered edges. Small, angular-tipped brushes are designed for working on molding, door frames, baseboards and any small, hard-to-reach areas in corners and for detail work; you can use a larger brush for wainscoting, paneling and doors.

If you're using latex or water-based paints, you should use synthetic brushes (usually a combination of polyester and nylon bristles), which hold their shapes and stiffness, even in large amounts of water. If your paint is oil- or alkyd-based, opt for brushes with natural bristles.

Step 4. Prep It
Before you start painting, prepare your surfaces. Prep work takes time and effort, but it makes painting easier and the results are longer lasting, so prepping is definitely worth it.

Paint doesn't adhere well to dirt, so clean surfaces well before you begin.

• Give even brand new trim a once-over cleaning just to be sure that the piece you’re painting is fully prepped and ready to go. The cleaner your surfaces, the better the finished job will be.

Dust and vacuum to remove dust and fibers. If you’re going to be painting the tops of your windows and door casings, get up on a stepladder to dust up there.

Use a sponge dipped in phosphate-free cleaner and warm water to clean all of the woodwork. Use a soft brush for crevices and, if necessary, an abrasive cleaning pad for tough stains. Rinse the surfaces well and dry thoroughly with an absorbent towel.

Use plastic or canvas drop cloths to protect your floors from any paint that might drip or splatter. If your room is carpeted, mask its edges with blue painter's tape, placing it against the base molding and using a putty knife to push it underneath. Most molding has a gap under the lower edge to leave room for the carpet; if yours doesn't, push the tape down as far as you can between the carpet and the molding.

Painter's tape should also be used to protect the edges of walls and ceilings that are adjacent to the trim. Last but not least, if any hardware is attached to the trim, remove what you can and tape up the rest.

• To protect twice as much carpet, use a double strip of tape. Simply place the second line parallel to the first, effectively doubling its width.
• To keep paint from bleeding under the tape onto neighboring walls and ceiling, press the edges of the tape down with a block of wood to seal them tightly.
• Remove all painter's tape before the paint dries to make sure you don't accidentally peel off any fresh paint.

Step 5. Repair Your Surfaces
It's inevitable that trim will see daily wear and tear. Dents, nicks and scratches can be very noticeable and distract from a room's overall appearance, so it's important to repair any imperfections before you start painting.

Sanding works well to remove shallow dents or scratches. For best results, use sandpaper on a rubber sanding block, or a sanding sponge if the surface is irregular. Start by sanding with 80-grit paper until the dent or scratch is smooth, then finish, sand and feather into the surrounding area with 120-grit paper. Wipe the area clean with a damp rag to remove any dust and grit.

Wood filler should be used on areas with more severe damage. First, rough up the surface with coarse sandpaper to ensure a good bond. Then apply wood filler with a putty knife and sand it level when it's hard and dry.

• Shine a strong light at a low angle across the surface of the trim to pinpoint any paint drips, brush bristles, chipped paint, dents and scratches that need to be cleaned or repaired.

• Lead is toxic, and scraping, sanding or removing old paint may release lead dust into the air. Women who are pregnant and children should stay away during this process. When you're working with lead dust, wear a NIOSH-approved respirator and clean all debris carefully with a HEPA vacuum and a wet mop. Before you start, learn the proper methods to protect yourself by contacting the National Lead Hotline at 1-800-424-LEAD or visiting www.epa.gov/lead.

Step 6. Sand Away the Shine
If your woodwork has a glossy sheen, it's important to dull it so that the paint will adhere effectively. To remove the shine, lightly sand the area with 120-grit sandpaper or apply a brush-on deglosser, which is available for latex or oil-based paints. Remove the sanding dust with a vacuum when you're finished.

• A thorough deglossing is critical if your trim was previously painted with oil-based paint and you now want to switch to latex; if you skip this step, your new paint will not adhere or wear well.
• To find out if your trim was painted with latex or oil-based paint, rub the surface with a rag moistened with denatured alcohol. Oil paint will not be affected, while latex paint will soften and stain your rag.
• When you sand indoors, keep the air clear by creating an easy exhaust system. Set a box fan to “exhaust” and place it in an open window to depressurize the room and direct airborne dust outdoors.
• For safety's sake, observe all label instructions and cautions for using electrical tools and deglossing agents.

Step 7. Prime and Paint
Any areas that were patched or sanded bare should be primed with True Value EasyCare® primer. Apply one coat — or two, if necessary — using a small brush. Let each coat dry thoroughly (overnight, if possible) before continuing.

When the primer has dried completely, load your brush with paint by covering one-third of the bristles with paint and tap the brush on the side of the can to remove any excess. Unload the paint from one side of the brush with one long stroke. Use the return trip to unload the other side, starting just where the first stroke ended. Cut in by varying the pressure you apply on the brush as you carefully — but confidently — move along the edge of the adjacent surface. Brush outward, leveling and evening the finish as you go. Complete each area with a long, light finishing stroke. Each time you begin a new stroke, make sure to brush toward the paint that was just applied.

Paint several strokes from top to bottom, then combine and fill the unpainted areas with long, smooth brush strokes. To get the best results, paint only a few feet of baseboard at a time, moving a piece of cardboard along the floor to prevent spills. Clean up any drips or splatters before they dry.

• When you cut in, use a long paint-edging tool to protect any unmasked surfaces, wiping the blade after each pass.
• Accidents happen. If you inadvertently get paint on an adjacent surface, wrap a cotton cloth over the end of a putty knife and use it to neatly remove the spill. You'll get a nice sharp edge that removes the unwanted paint without disturbing the trim.
• Use denatured alcohol to remove dried latex paint spills or drips.

Step 8. Clean Up
Thoroughly rinse brushes with water or paint thinner until the solvent runs clear, then place them in a brush/roller spinner to remove excess liquid. Afterwards, store them in their protective sleeves or hang them on nails or hooks. Pick up all drop clothes and tarps, being careful not to spread around any paint that may have gotten on them. Remember to remove all painter’s tape you may have used as well, as the longer it stays on, the harder it is to remove.

Congratulations! Your trim has been painted and your room looks fabulous. Turn to the experts at your local True Value hardware store for the products, tools and expert advice you need to start your painting projects right.

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