How to Paint Trim

Many people find that painting trim is a bit more difficult than painting walls and ceilings. If you’ve ever painted trim before, you know that more time and attention to detail is required to ensure that the trim is painted evenly.

What You’ll Need

• Painter’s tape

• Soap and water

• Wood filler and sand paper (optional)

• Paint of your choice

• A few angled, thin brushes that are good quality and hold paint well

Preparing the Trim to be Painted

There are a few preliminary things that will need to be taken care of before you begin painting. First, tape off all walls, floors, and other surfaces that are near the trim you will be painting, so that they are shielded from any excess paint that might come in contact with them.

Trim is more susceptible to wear-and-tear than other surfaces, so dents and scuffs are common. Wash the trim with soap and water. For shallow dents and scratches, sand paper can be used to smooth them out. Larger dents can be filled with wood filler, and smoothed out with sand paper.

Painting the Trim

Painting trim is a bit more tedious than painting a larger surface area, so try to cut back on the coffee so that you can maintain steady hands. Dip about one-third of your brush into the paint, and begin painting the trim with slow, smooth strokes. Start near a corner and work your way outwards for horizontal trim, and start at the ceiling and work your way downward for vertical trim.