Achieve A Flawless Finish When You Paint Your Trim With Valspar Door And Trim Enamel
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Painting trim is one of my least favorite things to do. Weve owned four homes and had to paint the trim in the last three of them because the original trim was dated and it wasnt in the budget to hire it out.
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After our last move, I promised myself I wasnt going to buy a house where the trim needed to be painted againnever say never.
While house-hunting, we walked in the door of our current house and saw this.
It was love at first sight. Eric and I both were pretty much immediately sold on the house because of this room. Granted the rest of the house had amazing bones and was exactly what our family needed.
But. Those. Windows.
With those big beautiful windows came a lot of outdated trim. We decided it was worth it. We wont discuss the ugly wallpaper in the stairwell that had Eric almost changing his mind.
Obviously we bought the house. Then came the procrastinating. We waited nearly two years to paint that trim because, well, it was really hard to get motivated to do it.
Enter quarantine.
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We had already purchased the paint and it had been sitting there, just waiting for us. For such a time when we would have days and weeks on end where we couldnt leave our house and needed something to do. Sad that this is what it took!
Valspar Door And Trim Enamel
This was the first time I had used Valspar Door and Trim Enamel. I LOVE it. It goes on rich and smooth with a beautiful glossy finish.
Its an oil-based primer made to withstand scratches and scuffs. It cleans up easily with soap and water.
The one thing I will say it claims that you dont need to prime before using it. I disagree. I tried Valspars Cabinet Enamel that also made the same claim and it was NOT true and caused a lot of frustration on our bathroom remodel. You can read my review on their cabinet enamel paint here.
I know now that project would have gone much smoother had I just used a primer first. As it was, I did several coats and the finish was very streaky.
Use a primer with both of these paints and save yourself some heartache.
Im very happy with the finish of this paint. Ive used other paints on our trim and Ill be going back over it with Valspar Door and Trim Enamel.
Heres our living room after the trim paint was finished. I may be partial butgorgeous. It makes the room look even bigger and adds a bright and airy feeling!
Valspar Door And Trim Paint
The brands new oil-enriched door and trim enamel features a formulation that delivers the durability and adhesion of an oil-based paint but with the ease of use and cleanup of latex, the company says. It offers anti-fade, stay-true color technology, all-weather protection, and a smooth application that dries to a semi-gloss finish. The paint comes in three ready-mixed hues and can be tinted to 1,000+ colors. valsparpaint.com
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Features And Types Of Trim Paint To Freshen Up Your Space
Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.
Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. Deane is a member of The Spruce’s Home Improvement Review Board.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Think of your painted trim as the equivalent of jewelry in your wardrobe just as your clothing is the main attraction while jewelry serves to add that “little something special,” so too do your walls serve as the main attraction while the trim adds a little hint of extra color, shine, or finish.
Even though interior trim doesn’t cover much space compared to walls or ceilings, it’s a small thing that calls big attention to itself. Since trim is normally at least somewhat decorative, stands out from the wall surface, and stretches all the way around the room, it adds more impact than you might expect. Additionally, trim serves to protect the lower portion of the wall from scrapes and scratches, as well as conceal the junction of wall and floor, window, or door.
How To Prep And Paint Doors
Step 1: Protect Hardware
Before you start, remove any hardware from the door or cover it up with painters tape. If you want, you can also remove the door before painting. In that case, painting on top of saw horses can make the job easier.
Step 2: Paint Interior Panels
Next, if youre painting a paneled door, start by painting the recessed panels first with a brush.
Work from top to bottom, starting with each panels molding, and then the interior.
Step 3: Paint the Rest
When youre done with the panels, move on to the rest of the door. Use a 6 roller to finish the outer edges. The roller will help avoid any paint strokes for a smoother finish. If the door swings out, paint the hinged edge. If the door swings in, paint the lock-side edge.
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Painting Trim Tips And Tricks
Trim Edger
When I first started painting trim, I used to use painters tape to tape everything off. Then Id be frustrated when I pulled the tape and the trim paint had either seeped underneath or peeled the wall paint off.
It took forever and then always ended up causing extra work.
Enter a trim edger. This tool is a lifesaver! First, line the edger up against the top of the trim piece so the wall is blocked. Take your angled trim brush and paint the top half of the trim.
Wipe the edger clean with a cloth and then flip it, putting it between your flooring and the base of the trim. Paint the bottom half of your trim. Wipe the blade clean and repeat the steps.
The straight blade leaves a nice clean edge with no need for touch-ups when done. This works when painting trim around doors and windows, as well! See my tutorial on how to paint a door here.
Paint Brush
Using the right paint brush is key to a great finish. It needs to be high-quality so youre not battling paint bristles coming off onto your paint job.
An angled brush works best. I prefer a short angled trim brush, like Wooster, but thats up to you!
The angle of the brush allows you to easily get into nooks and corners that would be harder with a straight-edged brush.
Three coats
I know it sounds daunting, but three coats are a must for the best finish. I recommend two coats of primer and one coat of trim paint. Ive tried to get around this because it takes FOREVER.
Ok, lets get painting!
Trim Paint’s Main Features
While technically you can use regular wall paint to paint your trim, you’ll usually have better results by choosing paint specifically formulated for trim. These paints have certain qualities that make them better suited to stand up to the wear-and-tear often suffered by trim surfaces, such as baseboards and windowsills.
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Tips For Painting Trim
Painting trim isn’t difficult, but as with all DIY painting projects, the key to good results is taking the time to prep first.
Acrylic Latex Or Enamel
Water-based paint can produce a good finish and minimal brush marks, but not quite as good as oil-based paint’s properties. Brush marks are likelier to be visible. The surface will not have the rock-hard shell texture of oil-based paints. Still, for many people, the benefits outweigh these costs.
Water-based trim paints afford easy clean-up with soap and water. Fumes are minimal or non-existent. You can buy these paints in gallon sizes if needed, and you’ll find a wider range of choices at the paint store.
Synthetic-bristled brushes are recommended for latex paint.
Trim paint is most often white, but can be tinted to any color you choose.
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How To Paint Trim
Step 1: Prepare the Trim
Start by cleaning dirt and grime from your trim with a damp sponge. Then, sand the surface and wipe it clean again. Fill in any holes, dents, and cracks with a lightweight spackling compound. When it dries, lightly sand the spackled areas and wipe clean.
Apply safe-release painters tape to the walls and ceilings surrounding the trim, being careful not to tape the trim itself. Use longer pieces of tape rather than short ones, to minimize gaps and reduce the chance of paint sneaking through.
Step 2: Applying Primer
After patching and sanding, use a primer if its fresh or previously stained wood. After it dries, lightly sand the surface with a fine-grit sanding sponge and wipe down the surface. Then, its prime time for painting.
How To Prep And Paint Windows
Windows come in all shapes and sizes, but painting interior window frames can be very similar to painting trim. In fact, most of the prep work and priming is exactly the same.
The interior of the frame is the tricky part just make sure to cover up the glass with paper and securely tape it into place around the edges. That way, youll keep paint drips from spoiling your view.
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