How To Prep And Paint Trim

Does your porch need to assistance, whether that's to stay standing or to improve its aesthetics? Learn how a remodeling contractor can help.

About Me
A Porch to Be Proud Of

When I moved into my current home, its front porch was literally falling down. The paint on the porch railing was peeling. The porch’s ceiling was sagging. In addition to these issues, the porch’s concrete floor was stained. After saving a substantial amount of money, I recently decided to give this important part of my home a much needed facelift. Because I’m not handy, I decided to hire an experienced remodeling contractor to build me the front porch of my dreams. On this blog, I hope you will discover some fun, remodeling projects that will give your front porch the wow factor. Enjoy!

Search

How To Prep And Paint Trim

12 April 2018
 Categories:
, Blog


Home renovations can be even more rewarding and affordable if you do them yourself. Obviously, if you are a professional contractor, you will only be able to do a limited number of home improvement projects. Repainting the trim on the outside of your house is one of the easiest projects, but it can still have a great effect on your exterior style. If you have wooden trim around your doors, windows, roof line, garage, and other features, repainting it is a fast and effective upgrade. If you update your trim color, it will also improve how your walls look. This article explains how to professionally repair and paint wooden trim.

Prepping the Wood

Exterior wood trim definitely wears down more quickly if the paint is not properly applied. At the same time, the paint will deteriorate more quickly if the wood is not structurally sound. So, it's very important that you properly prepare your wood by patching it before you apply any paint. Depending on the state of your trim, it could take more time and effort to patch the trim than to actually apply the paint. But, you don't want to skimp on the patching or prep work because it will result in a better looking and longer lasting paint job. All you need is wood putty, sandpaper, and a little bit of patience to prepare the trim and make your patches look professional.

How to Paint Trim

When you are painting exterior trim, you want to prime it with exterior sealant, and also make sure that you use a durable exterior paint. You don't just use the same paint that you use on the inside of your home. Since trim pieces are usually small and narrow, it is usually most practical to just paint them by hand using brushes and rollers. The more coats of paint you apply, the more protection you will add to your wood.

One of the most important steps is to make sure your corners are sealed. It doesn't matter what material your walls are made out of, you want the wooden trim to be a seamless as possible. Adding some waterproof exterior caulk to the edge between your wall material and your wooden trim is going to protect them both. It will prevent water from getting underneath the trim, and deteriorating the wood from the inside.

You'll probably end up being pleased how different the outside of your home looks after you paint the trim. Contact a company, like Dave's Minor Changes , to get started.