Painting trim, crown molding, fireplace, and shelves

[Janeway]

I really dislike the color of my trim. But it is everywhere. I will try to post a swatch of the color later. Bit my question is, how big of an undertaking is it to properly paint the trim? Painted trim is what is in style here. But this color is everywhere from bedrooms, cabinets, everywhere.

[TrixieB]

In my experience, the difficulty lies in whether you need to prep the trim or use a special kind of paint.

 

The builder installed prefinished white trim in our house.  A few years ago I painted over it with semigloss latex.  The latex didn't adhere, and is gummily coming off in multiple places.  And there are a few spots where the kids figured this out, and engraved "artwork" into the gummy latex. Sigh.

 

To top it all off, most (maybe all) of the trim is not wood, but pressboard stuff.  Like the bathroom baseboards, and around the window above the kitchen sink.  What were they thinking?!  Anywhere that gets splashes of water is swollen and the finish has come off.  I really need to motivate myself to pull it off and replace it with ACTUAL WOOD trim.

[Prairie~Phlox]

It would be an undertaking & no matter what, eventually becomes chipped & needs more paint. Every house that I've been in that has painted their trim, even with professional help, has had issues.

Edited September 18, 2016 by Prairie~Phlox

[Guest]

I enjoy painting, so to me it's a no brainer to repaint it if you're unhappy.

 

First thing is to figure out if you have latex or oil based trim. Stick with what you have. Don't paint one over the other. If you have latex I highly suggest adding a product called Floetrol to your paint to get brush free strokes. If you're a big perfectionist, you can always remove the trim, sand it/rough it, spray it outside and then reattach. Then caulk and you're set with professional results. :)

 

ETA- cabinets are a whole other ball of wax. I would save those puppies for last.

Edited September 18, 2016 by texasmom33

[Happy]

One of the keys of good trim painting is using a GOOD brush. Shell out a few bucks for one and keep it nice and clean.

 

 

[Spryte]

Oh gosh, I'm with texasmom and Happy. I love painting. I'd just do it. Especially trim. Both of them have given good advice. I'll only add that I've painted kitchen cabinets twice, and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Great results both times. Practice on everything else.

[Guest]

One of the keys of good trim painting is using a GOOD brush. Shell out a few bucks for one and keep it nice and clean.

This is so true. If you have a good enough brush it makes it much easier to edge. I never use tape or those guides. I freehand everything. My friends wonder how- it's more the brush than anything, I swear. A good brush helps make a good painter. And you don't have to spend $50. You can get a decent Purdy for $20 or under.

[The Girls' Mom]

I painted every door and piece of trim in this house (not to mention all the walls..lol.  We built it.)  Anyway, it really isn't that big of a deal.  Get a paint that states it is good for trim work.  Semi-gloss or gloss.  Latex over latex, oil over oil.  The most time consuming part is the taping off if you don't have a steady hand.  (I don't tape off because I'm impatient and can hold a line)  Invest in GOOD brushes.  

[The Girls' Mom]

Oh!  And are you painting over paint or stain?  Because if it is a stain, then you'll need to paint them with a primer first.

[Corraleno]

My favorite brush for painting trim (and trimming out walls) is a Wooster Shortcut angled brush. It has a short, curved, rubber handle that's comfortable to hold for long periods, and you can use it almost like a pencil to get really tight, straight edges. I never have to tape off the walls when I paint trim with this brush.

[Shred Betty]

+ 1 to pay for a good brush. I don't like angled brushes myself - I'd get straight edge, get paint on one side of brush, line it up and twist & push lightly kind of fans and rounds the bristles to provide control on line. if you take your time, don't need to tape first, getting a straight cut line is not too difficult.

[Guest]

Some people don't do it but I highly recommend a good sanding even over like paint surfaces. It helps it adhere so much better.

 

Some amateur paint jobs are beautiful and some are junk. The difference tends to be in the time spent on prep and attention to detail, from what I have seen. And honestly for cabinets and trim we really prefer paying a professional, and we are DIYers in the extreme. But it's money well spent in that case for us. We can do all the expensive woodworking and design and even install, but surface treatments and prep that last are often worth the money to pay a pro, provided the pro is worth the money - and that isn't always the easiest to tell!

[solascriptura]

The worst part about painting trim, windows, shelves and the like is the PREP!  You cannot skip this step and it takes forever.  The actual painting goes quickly.  The prep includes, cleaning, sanding (if necessary), tape ( if your hands are not steady), and other measures to keep the paint from making a mess.  Painting trim around carpet is aggravating too.  Only do it if absolutely necessary.  I wouldn't paint all these surfaces just for a temporary trend.  I prefer the classic white trim, but my ENTIRE HOUSE has all oak trim.  My husband refuses to change it because we both know what the job entails.  We've painted our old house's entire interior twice and our current house's interior once.   He also says that the wood trim hides dust better.