What About The Ceiling
Im assuming that we have painted the ceiling first, if the answer is NO, then we need to first finish painting the ceiling. Walls and trim are always the final areas of a room to be painted.
Painting ceilings can be messy work depending on the condition of the ceiling. Due to the potential mess, ceilings must be painted first. Thus avoiding any dust, dirt and paint spray from the roller sleeve sticking to the walls or trim below.
Now to answer the question above, should I Paint Walls or Trim First. While others may not share my opinion, I always paint the trim first, then the walls, but WHY?
Cutting in trim is a lot more difficult than cutting in walls. By following my method below I guarantee professional results with super clean lines.
1) First prepare the walls filling any dinges, scrapes and holes in the plaster. I recommended Toupret Interior Filler, easy to mix, easy to sand, drys in 30 minutes.
2) While the filler is drying, its time to caulk the trim using . I always caulk the entire edge of the baseboards and surrounds of door frames hiding any gaps. Larger gaps wider than 3 mm will need caulked again as I find the caulk tends to sink into the gap.
Painters Tips: Smooth out the caulk using a damp cloth, wet the end of your finger, then run your finger over the caulk. Remove any excess using your cloth ensuring even distribution.
Why Is My Paint Blotchy
If there are obvious imperfections in your wall after painting, its probably because you didnt prime. Priming is a crucial step that people often forget or believe is unnecessary because its just another coat of paint.
But this isnt true. Priming covers imperfections and is thicker than other paint. Because it is made to cover the previous color used as well as any marks made with spackling or fixing cracks. So always use it.
How Do You Spray Interior Walls
Long sleeved clothes long pants head covering drop sheets masking tape as well as plastic andMore
Sprayers need an air compressor, which needs power and can be quite loud You also need to run the hose from the compressor to the spray gun The amount of paint in the spray gun is limited and fairly likely not enough to last as long as a tray of paint or a small bucket that you can take up a ladder.
Also Check: How To Clean Flat Paint Walls
Do You Paint The Baseboards Or Walls First
The baseboards also known as skirting boards are considered part of the trim, so these need to be painted before you paint the walls.
Baseboards are usually painted with semi-gloss or high-gloss finish paint.
You can use masking or painters tape to ensure accuracy of the cut line, and remove this once the paint is dry.
Dont forget to sand the trim between coats to ensure a smooth finish.
Before applying each coat of paint, sand the trim with a fine-grit sanding sponge. Sponges, rather than sandpaper, allow you to get into crevices where sandpaper cant get to.
After sanding, apply your first coat of paint and let it dry for at least 24 hours. Then lightly sand it again for a completely smooth surface before applying your second coat of paint.
After each sanding, you can then vacuum the trim and wipe it down with a tack cloth to remove any dust and residue.
Is It Better To Spray Or Roll Paint On Drywall
A roller is best for painting interior walls A sprayer can work on both interior and exterior walls In addition, you can paint brick, concrete, and other rough surfaces with a sprayer With a roller, the paint wouldnt apply evenly.
Spray paint is more expensive per square foot of coverage Spray paint requires ventilated area in which to work You cant use it indoors Drips are tricky.
Also Check: Air Compressor Dryer For Painting
Which Is Better For Painting Trim: Spray Roll Or Brush
The quality and finish you get out of painting with a spray gun are much better than any paint job. However, its limitation is the skill and the prep, which eats up into the time. You may have to mask or tape the painted walls and floor to prevent overspray. A spray gun can be ideal for painting a room where the electrical fixtures and floor are yet to be installed.
A roller can leave behind drips and swipe marks, however careful you are. Use a roller on larger surfaces like the walls.
The brush is the better and also the classic option when it comes to trims. It is easier to paint without leaving brush marks however, brush strokes may be a sign of better workmanship, especially in higher-end designer homes.
Cons Of Painting Trim First
Delayed Gratification
Starting with the trim means youll be able to get the more precise and challenging painting done first, but it also delays your gratification. Once youre finished painting the trim, you wont have covered much ground, so its much less satisfying than starting with your walls.
It Makes Painting Your Wall More Challenging
If you paint the trim first, you must be super careful when you start painting your walls. Its much harder to be precise when you have to cover such a large surface area. As a result, its much easier if you leave the precision to painting your trim.
Read Also: Hotels Near Ppg Paints Arena Pittsburgh
Evenly Apply Your Coats
When applying your coats, don’t just focus on coverage, think about a uniform thickness as well. “Homeowners think that pro painters put on color, but they actually put on texture,” says Doug Wold of Queen Anne Painting.
On woodwork, align your strokes to follow the grain. Try to avoid “fat edges”the goopy cornices of paint that can hang over the edges of a doorand rope marks left by overloaded rollers. “If you don’t hold the roller uniformly against the wall, it can leave a ridgejust like on a ski hill, when groomers leave little ridges between their tracks.”
Advanced Professional Painter Tips
People are amazed by how fast we are at painting the trim. Secret: we use a roller everywhere we can. In fact, if I just finished a flat-paint ceiling in white , and now I need to move to semi-gloss white, I wont even clean the rollerjust squeegee with my 5-in-1. Try it and youll see!
This is another reason why I answer trim first when Im asked if we paint walls or trim first.
Last Tip If You Use Tape:
Peel off the tape if you used it while the paint is still tacky, not fully dried.
Paint is a plastic film! Let it dry enough to firm up or it will spit as you pull the tape. Do a test in an out of the way spot. Too wet and the tape spits painttoo dry and it can rip the new soft layer.
Don’t Miss: The Lord’s Supper Painting
Which Area Trim Or Walls Take The Least Time To Paint
Knowing there is much more square footage of area to paint walls than trim, typically 85-90% more than trim. One would initially think walls take longer, but that is not so. Timing is actually the flip-side opposed to the square footage.
Main reason for this is most trim is painted by hand, being a brush & roller method. As you might be aware, time is money, and the cost of painting only trim is much greater than painting the walls itself, in most cases, normally costing around 60% of entire house painting job. Yes, using less paint, painting trim only, but doing it correctly will require much more time on your part. Could go into this further, knowing there are at least 10 important tips of the actual cost, painting trim, but will refer you to cost painting exterior trim.
Here, we have sprayed the walls first, removing all the masking materials, cutting in all the trim. As you can see, painting walls first, then painting the trim is best served, even in this case, where the soffit is the trim color. Taking time, not getting in a hurry is your best advice. Knowing painting the trim, brings the exterior painting all together, completing the total cost of painting this exterior.
Tips To Pick The Right Trim Paint Color
Picking out the right trim paint is mostly guesswork with multiple trips to the store. However, the painting tips from Nicole Gibbons, founder of Clares, simplifies the entire process making it easy to choose the paint.
- Your trim color should complement the wall paint. A warm white pairs well with other warm hues such as oranges, reds, and neutrals, while a neutral white suits blues and greens better.
- White is a classic color and pretty much never fails, but you can go for lighter walls and darker trims for a bolder look.
- A semi-gloss finish lasts long and is easy to clean. Moreover, it also reflects light in the room, making it seem bright and airy.
- While your trim color need not be the same, they need to be in the same color palette for a more cohesive look.
- Paint your trims first. Since they are more detail-oriented, you can go over and correct any imperfections.
Don’t Miss: How To Get Spray Paint Off Concrete
How To Paint Walls
When it comes to painting your walls, there are a few tricks that will make a more cohesive, finished product. When painting areas next to the trim or corners with a paintbrush, the texture will be noticeably different than the portions painted with a roller. For the best results, after you brush on the paint, immediately roll out the same areas before the paint has a chance to dry. You can find a 3 in. roller at any big box or paint store. Just be certain the nap and thickness of both rollers used are the same. Do this section by section so it all looks uniform in the end and no part is forgotten.
It can be very frustrating to avoid lap marks on your walls when painting. Most people dont know that they can avoid these uneven marks by keeping a wet edge at all times. This means that instead of painting in the familiar W pattern, you make sure each stroke of your roller overlaps the one before it while running the roller the full height of the wall. The unsightly marks appear when painting over sections that are already partially dry. Feather out your paint on large areas like ceilings where you cant keep a wet edge to minimize lap marks. These techniques will also avoid you having to apply multiple coats of paint to get the uniform look you want.
Is It Better To Paint With A Brush Or Sprayer
brush painting using a brush helps the paint last longer, Jenny points out Spraying or brush painting a house has no effect on whether the paint lasts or not The main factors are the quality of the paint, the weather, and how good the painter is.
When a home is being built you will see professional painters using a paint sprayer Most of the time this is because there is very little to mask off because theres no furniture and typically no flooring in the space But in addition to spraying professional painters will also back roll.
Also Check: How To Paint Unfinished Cabinets
Remove Tape And Clean Up
Once your paint is nearly dry, remove the painters tape from the trim and baseboards. Score the edge of the tape where it meets the wall. This can be done with a flexible putty knife and facilitates a nice, clean edge. Be sure to thoroughly clean your paint brushes with soap and water immediately after use. Wait too long and the dried paint can be very difficult to remove. After the paint is completely dry and no longer tacky, replace all outlets and switch covers.
How To Paint A Room: Should You Paint The Walls Ceiling Or Trim First
There is no product that can transform a room like paint. It is cost effective, it covers and seals stains and it can even improve the air quality of your home. It can also update the style of your home or make outdated finishes look new and fresh again.
If you want to tackle interior wall painting correctly, however, its not quite as simple as they make it look on thirty minute home makeover shows. Getting a professional paint finish requires more than opening a can and rolling your chosen color on the wall. Its important to follow the right steps in the right order and take the time to get it perfect.
Also Check: Paint Ceiling Or Walls First
Painting Walls Siding Field Or Body Wins First
There you have it, coming from a person having over 40 years painting homes, an authority in this field, having painted 10’s of 1000’s of homes over the course, voting on painting walls before trim in most cases.
You may say, “Well, mine has a lot of trim, like a Nordic look above”. Really, the more the trim, the more the reason to paint the main portion, being the walls first. But, others may say, “Mine has very little trim”. Same answer, paint your walls first, coming back later, another day, brushing / rolling out your trim.
You are embarking on a very multiple step process, painting your exterior. Knowing there are many steps before picking up the spray gun or paint brush, requiring several hours getting to actually painting, you also may find helpful reading important steps painting exterior home. I would pay close attention to the caulking section, where most attention is directed, when painting exteriors.
- Power washing exterior, allowing to properly dry
- Cover all areas not to receive outside paint
- Scrape all loose paint
- Fill gaps with caulk, exterior Spackle
- Prime all bare wood, Spackle areas
Hope you’ve enjoyed the article, saving you time and money on your next exterior painting job, knowing which to paint first and second. Welcoming any comments from homeowners, or painters alike in section below.
What Type Of Paint Sprayer Is Best For Walls
Airless paint sprayersAirless paint sprayers are the best type for large projects or exterior painting, such as painting walls, fences, big decks, ceilings, or lattices Youll get the best results spraying paint from a distance of around 12 inches.
Spraying covers better and the application is more uniform Spraying has no brush strokes and offers a more durable satin finish that looks much nicer Hand brushing a new color may not give you the complete, even coverage you are looking for.
You May Like: How Much Does Interior Painting Cost
Is It Better To Paint Trim With A Roller Or Brush
There are pros and cons to both painting trim with a roller or brush. Painting trim with a roller may be faster and cover more surface area in less time, but it can also be more difficult to get a clean, even paint job without brush strokes. Painting trim with a brush will take more time but may give you a more precise paint job.
How To Paint Trim After Walls Are Painted
If you choose to paint your trim after your wall, start with prep work. Wipe down all trim and baseboards with a damp rag to remove any dust or dirt. It may take a little time but use painters tape around all trim and baseboards to avoid getting paint on your floor or walls. This also ensures a crisp, clean paint line when the tape is removed. Using an angled trim brush, apply your first coat of paint. After it has completely dried, add another coat. Youll want to wait to remove the tape until the paint has had a good amount of time to dry but isnt fully dry yet. Leave the tape on too long and it could compromise the old or new paint and you wont be happy with the result.
Don’t Miss: Southwestern Paint – Benjamin Moore Paints
Cons Of Painting Walls First
Taping Wall Edges is More Difficult Than Taping Trim
When you start with the trim, it makes painting the delicate edges of the walls much more manageable. It all comes down to the difficulty of applying painters tape. When you paint the trim first, its much easier to cover those edges with tape than the floor, windows, and doors.
It Leaves Your Walls Vulnerable
After youve finished the walls and start to paint your trim, you have to be meticulous and pay careful attention. One wrong move, and you could accidentally splash paint on your already finished wall. Starting with your walls first ultimately leaves them vulnerable when you paint your trim, which might be something youd like to avoid.
What Is The Correct Order To Paint A Room
1. Remove all furniture, artwork, and rugs from the room.
2. Clean all surfaces thoroughly, including the ceiling, walls, trim, and moldings.
3. Repair any cracks, holes, or other surface imperfections.
4. Prime all surfaces with a quality primer.
5. Paint the ceiling with a white or light-colored paint.
6. Paint the walls with the desired color.
7. Paint the trim and moldings with a white or light-colored paint.
8. Allow the paint to dry completely before replacing furniture, artwork, and rugs.
Read Also: Benjamin Moore Light Gray Paint