Quick Tip: Painting Interior Trim
When painting interiors, you want the finished job to look as professional as possible. We asked Prominent Paints to offer some tips on achieving a perfect finish when painting trim in a home.
20/09/2017
If you want to save money when tackling your next decorating project, painting walls and trim yourself is definitely the way to go. Alternatively, you could look at hiring local labour and supervise the job. Whatever route you take, these tips will come in handy and ensure the perfect finish when painting trim.
Preparation
Painting trim is easy - it's the preparation for painting trim that takes a bit of time, but it's time well spent for the perfectly painted trim.
On surfaces where the paint is chipped or flaking, you need to fix this up before painting. You have the option to sand the existing surface smooth, use a heat gun to remove old paint, or to use a paint stripper to remove as much of the old paint as possible before sanding smooth. Skip this step and your new painted finish will show up the defects.
GOOD TO KNOW: In many older homes you will find layer and layers of paint on trim and detailing. If this is the case in your home, it is recommended that you remove all the old paint to prevent peeling and cracking of these layers later on. Just in case old paint contains lead pigments, wear a safety mask, goggles and gloves to protect yourself.
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What comes first?
There are divided camps when it comes to deciding what to paint first, especially when you are painting trim such as skirting boards, door and window frames.
• Paint trim first
Most painters tend to paint the trim first and then move on to ceiling and walls, based on the premise that it is easier to tape off walls than tape off trim. However, this technique doesn't really work for messy painters. After painting skirting boards, the last thing you need is for them to be covered in paint spatter and spots when you move on to painting walls.
Our advice for anyone doing their own painting and decorating - paint door and window frames, and any other trim or fittings on walls - first and then paint the ceiling and walls.
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• Skirting boards last
Unless you are extremely handy with a paintbrush and know how to cut-in around the edges - leave skirting boards until last. That way you don't have to worry about making a mess - paint the walls and skirting boards once you're done.
GOOD TO KNOW: When painting skirting boards make sure to protect the flooring from paint spatter, drips and spills. Lay a drop cloth around the perimeter of the room and move this as you work. Lay painting tape around the edge of carpeting or flooring and a strip above the skirting board or around window or door frames.
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Choose the right paint
When painting interior trim you want to make sure that you don't have to do the job again in the near future. For this reason, it's important to buy the right paint for the project on hand.
Prominent Paints have a range of quality paints for all types of surfaces - indoor and outdoor - and trained staff that are able to offer advice for all your painting queries. Visit the Prominent Paints website to find your nearest paint store.
