Painting Doors, Windows, and Trim
Surfaces like window sills, door trim, and decorative ceiling and baseboard moldings all require a durable protective finish. A good, long-lasting paint job on woodwork and trim involves careful brush work and that takes a little practice.

In any painting project the work always runs smoother if you follow a gameplan or sequence of prep work and painting. If you're painting just the woodwork in a room it's as simple as patching the wood, making it smooth, and then painting. If you're painting the walls and woodwork, begin by patching the walls and the trim so all surfaces are smooth. Paint the trim first and then the walls, because it's easier to wipe a little wall paint off the woodwork than to get a drip of trim paint off a wall.

But maybe you don't even have to paint the trim. If you're painting a room's woodwork its same color ,you might get away by just washing it. To see how trim work looks cleaned up, give it a thorough washing with a solution of water and "Spic 'n Span" (tm) or trisodium phosphate (TSP). If phosphates are banned in your area, use a good household cleaner. Rinse the woodwork thoroughly and let dry.

Take a good look at the woodwork in daylight. If there's areas where paint has cracked or chipped off revealing the wood or other paint below or if stain marks have bled through, then you should paint. If, however, the woodwork has a consistent sheen, one that's not scratched or marred, you can get away without repainting.

If it's marginal, especially in high use areas such as a window sill or door molding, repaint it. You might also consider painting only the areas that need it. But don't do a patchwork job. If the window sashes don't need paint, but the sill does, repaint the sill and all the window frame and trim so the new paint is consistent.

Choosing Paint

Latex or vinyl (water-based) paints are the predominant choice for the home painter. It's your best bet for the walls but latex base semi-gloss and enamel paints leave a lot to be desired for painting woodwork and trim.

On the plus side, latex paint is easy to clean up. Spills wipe up with water and brushes can be washed in the sink. On the other hand, latex trim paints dry very fast, which makes it difficult to avoid lap marks, even for the most experienced painters. Latex trim paints do not dry as hard as oil-based (alkyd) paints and will not stand up to abrasion as well. Objects placed on latex paint can stick in place if left there for a long time, even after the paint has dried. These drawbacks are outweighed by its ease of use and it doesn't contain toxic solvents posing less of a threat to the environment.

Oil-based (alkyd) paint provides a tough, durable finish that is ideal for woodwork. It dries slowly to a hard surface making it a good choice for woodwork and trim. This type paint comes in three finishes, flat for walls and ceilings and enamel (glossy) or eggshell (semi-gloss) for woodwork. Cleanup of oil-based paint requires mineral spirits, but it does not have to be complicated or time-consuming if you use a few of the pro tricks explained in the cleanup section.

How Much Paint?

Trim paint goes a little further than wall paint. Most types will cover between 350 and 400 sq. ft. of surface. Painters figure an average window covers about 15 sq. ft. Some of this area is glass so if you allow about 8 sq. ft. of paintable area for each window and about 25 sq. ft. of area for each door, you will be close.

To estimate paint for ceiling or base trim, use a 1/2 ft. width for the molding and multiply this by its length. As you can see the average room does not require lot of trim paint. A quart will usually do it. If you have several rooms with the same trim color, don't forget that some doors will be painted on both sides. If you need at least 3 quarts, purchase a gallon.

Choosing Brushes

The material that your brush is made from should be determined by your choice of paint. A brush with bristles made of polyester or nylon is usable with latex or oil paint. Polyester brushes with flagged bristle tips or ones with exploded tips hold more paint and spread it smoothly. If you're going to buy only one brush, make it polyester.

Brushes made from bristle (sometimes called Chinese bristle) are best with oil paints. A bristle brush will get limp and soft when used with latex paint. Good quality bristle brushes are expensive and unless you are going to do a lot of painting they're probably not a good investment for the weekend painter. Inexpensive bristle brushes will lose bristles and are generally not recommended.

For a short-term or quickie touch-up of either type paint ,use a disposable foam brush. These are inexpensive and won't drop a bristle in the center of a freshly painted door. Foam brushes are better in the small sizes. Wide foam brushes tend to drip paint when they get loaded up with paint. A foam brush is also handy to have to soak up excess paint and runs that can happen to even the best of painters.

The shape of a brush is another consideration. A sash brush with its bristles cut at an angle is designed for painting thin areas. It's your best choice for cutting in and painting windows. A square cut brush is best for painting flat areas like flush doors. Brushes with a long pencil style handles give you a good grip for laying on the paint evenly.

For painting woodwork, invest in three sizes of brushes, a 1-in. and 2 1/2-in sash brush, and a wider 2 1/2-in. straight-cut brush for cutting in and flat door panels. Buy the best quality brush that you can afford. If properly cleaned and cared for, it will last indefinitely.

Prep Work for Woodwork

To get a lasting finish on woodwork, the paint must be applied to a clean, smooth surface. Getting woodwork in that condition can be as simple as a light sanding or as challenging as using chemicals or a heat gun to burn off layers of old paint. Here are various strategies you can use to prepare woodwork for paint.

Normally, the paint is in good enough shape so all you will have to do is make sure that it's clean. If the surface is shiny, knock down the sheen. You can do both these steps with a paint deglosser made of strong solvents that cleans as it removes the sheen of existing paint. Simply rub the deglosser on with a clean rag. This is strong stuff, so allow plenty of ventilation and don't put the wet rag in your pocket.

You can also use light grit sandpaper (120) with a sanding block or electric palm sander to dull and smooth out uneven painted surfaces. This is necessary when you are faced with layers of chipped paint. Feather the rough areas smooth so the paint has a clean, even surface to adhere to.

For a heavy buildup of several layers of paint that is cracking or peeling, there are two ways to go. Either a heat gun or chemical strippers are the best method to remove multiple layers of old paint. This is a messy job, so protect the floor and surrounding area by putting down several layers of newspapers or sections of cardboard boxes. Wear old clothes and protective glasses.

A heat gun looks like a heavy-duty hair dryer with a nozzle for aiming the heat at a specific area. Turn the gun on and let it heat up. Then hold it in one hand and in the other, a putty knife or scraper. Direct the heat onto the painted area holding the gun about a foot away. When the finish bubbles up, scrape it away. Move the gun slowly forward and you can keep the paint hot without burning it.

A water solvable chemical remover is another way to lift off heavy layers of paint or varnish. Use an old paintbrush to spread it on and then wait for bubbles to appear. Use a scraper and steel wool to dislodge the old finish. Clean off the residue on the scraper frequently using the sides of a sturdy cardboard box. A second application is often required. Let the surface dry thoroughly before giving it a light sanding.

Fill Holes and Cracks

Most trim has some cracks and holes in it that should be filled with a wood filler before applying paint. You'll find premixed and two-part fillers on the market. They are both applied basically the same way using a small putty knife. Just overfill the hole or crack, smooth the filler, and let dry. Then sand the filler smooth and it's ready for paint. You might have to give a second coat to large repairs since some fillers shrink.

Window Painting - Protecting the Glass

When you're painting windows, you can use masking tape or a wipe on protective film that is designed to keep paint off of the glass. It is dispensed much like deodorant. Another option is to skip this step and scrape off any paint from the glass with a razor. It's a case of spending your time masking or scraping, but if you paint carefully you will spend less time scraping.

If you mask, apply the tape or film only after thoroughly dusting the corners of each window pane. The crevice tool of a vacuum works well to do this. You want to paint into the corner so apply the tape or film firmly in the corner so when you paint it completely covers.

If you paint the windows without tape or film, you can use a trim guard to protect the glass area. These come either as a small triangular shaped piece of metal or a metal strip with a plastic handle. Either type works the same. Hold the guard tightly against the muntins while you paint them. After each use, check for paint on the backside of the guard and wipe it away.

Hardware and What To Do About It

Should you remove the hardware or paint over it? A purist will tell you that in all instances, you must remove the hardware on windows, doors, etc., before painting. And, of course, that's the right answer. But for practical purposes, it's not always the realistic one.

If a window lock has a buildup of several layers of paint on it, but it continues to operate properly, then you have to decide how much time you want to spend on the window. To remove such a piece of hardware will crack the existing paint and create an indentation in the shape of the lock in the paint. Unless you replace it with the same type you will have to fill or sand away the paint buildup in this area. If the hardware is not painted, then it's easier to remove it rather than try to paint around it or mask it off with tape.

Painting Windows

The most important point to remember when painting windows is paint from the inside out. That means begin painting the thin vertical and horizontal dividers between the panes of glass in double hung windows and the inside frame of casement and other more modern styles.

Some newer versions of double hung windows have dividers that can be removed for painting (and cleaning). If yours do, then remove them for a much easier job. When painting these dividers, use a 1 1/2-in. sash brush and always paint to an edge. Don't drag your brush back across the edge because the corner will scrape off some paint causing a drip or run.

If you are painting a double hung window and the outside or upper sash is movable reverse the position of the inner or lower sash and the outer or upper sash. Paint the lower half of the outer sash first then paint the inside sash, but don't do the top edge where the lock is, save that until the last.

Reposition the sashes into their normal positions but don't close the window completely. Then paint the top of the outer sash and the top edge of the inner sash.

Switch to a wider 2 1/2-in. brush to paint the window frame. Paint from the inside working your way out to the casing trim. The window sill and apron (trim beneath the sill) should be the last thing you paint.

Of course, if the upper sash is painted shut you can't move it, so paint the upper sash from the inside out then open the lower sash and paint it. Leave it slightly open so the paint will not get dirty at the bottom of the sash.

Painting a Panel Door

Like a window, the trick to painting a panel door is working from the inside out. Actually, it's from inside each panel out to the door's outer styles. By working a small section you can avoid creating lap marks. Use a 2 1/2-in. paint brush.

Paint the panels first. Start with the decorative-edge molding surrounding the door panel followed by the panel itself. Do this for all panels. Then paint the horizontal areas between the panels; then the vertical areas. Next paint the door edges. Finish by painting the horizontal panel at the top and bottom of the door, then the vertical outside areas.

After the door is painted, do the door jamb starting on the inside (door stop) and working out. Finish by making the cut along the outside edge and the wall. Complete the job by painting the face of the molding.

The most important point to keep in mind when painting any molding is don't get too far ahead. You don't want the paint to begin to dry or "set up." If you find that your brush drags or sticks to a area where you have painted, don't try to smooth over it by brushing into the area. You will make it worse. When you try to paint into this area, you will spoil the whole panel. In this case, allow the lap mark to dry then sand it out and repaint.

Painting Ceiling Molding and Baseboard Trim

Making a clean cut along molding and the wall isn't as easy as it might look. The trick to painting these difficult-to-reach areas isn't how to hold the brush as much as how to position yourself properly. You want to hold your brush at an angle to the work surface and work away from the area you're painting. Don't set the ladder too close to the work. Move it often so the area is within easy reach; you can't paint a straight line if you have to stretch.

Clean Up

Latex paint is water soluble, so just wash the brush out under a steady flow of warm water until all the paint is removed. Then soak the brush in a solution of warm water and mild liquid soap. Towel dry the brush and then use a paint spinner to remove excess water.

Oil (alkyd) paints require paint thinner for cleanup. Cleaning this paint out of a brush is a little more involved than with latex paint. The trick here is to store the brush in mineral spirits during your painting project and clean it completely only at the end of the job.

Professional painters have special containers for brush storage, but you can use a coffee can. A 1 lb. can will hold a single brush, a larger can will hold several brushes. Fill the can about half-full with mineral spirits. Make a slit in its plastic lid so you can poke the brush handle through it.

To store the brush for a couple of days, dip it in the spirits and work most of the paint out by spreading the bristles with your fingers. Then push the handle through the plastic top and hang the brush in the mineral spirits so all its bristles are soaking. Keep the brush from touching the bottom of the can where paint residue collects.

When you're ready to paint again, press the brush firmly against the sides of the can squeezing out the excess paint and mineral spirits. Then blot the brush on some newspaper to remove as much spirits as possible. Use a paint spinner to spin the brush dry, if you have one.


written by the editors of HouseNet.

Copyright HouseNet, Inc.

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