Installing new trim on the interior of your home can update a style and give a touch of elegance to a room. However, painting newly installed trim can be challenging for the beginning DIY homeowner.
When trim is newly installed there can be many imperfections. The biggest culprits are nail holes and intersections where one piece of trim meets another. The video in this post explains how to correct and paint newly installed trim like a professional painter. The example we use is crown molding that was installed by a beginner DIY homeowner. It is a good example that shows the different challenges you can face when painting newly installed trim, and how to overcome them.
The materials typically needed when painting newly installed trim are: a caulk gun with caulking, painters putty, painter’s tape, sandpaper, a good quality angled paint brush, and paint. Make sure to have a drop cloth on the floor to protect it from any accidental paint drips.
Sandpaper will be used to help even out any minor elevation changes where the trim boards were cut and pieced together. It is also useful to smooth areas around nail holes, and other imperfections found on the trim boards before painting.
Painter’s putty is a very helpful product to use to fill nail holes. An application method is demonstrated in his video. Don’t worry! If you put too much on, you can always sand it later. You will also want to use painter’s putty for outside corners, and to fill in any other gaps between trim boards. Once the painter’s putty is completely dry (give it about 24 hours), you can lightly sand any rough areas to make them smooth. This entire process is critical before painting newly installed trim!
The painter’s tape will be put on the wall right next to the trim. A process called tape caulking will be used next to help achieve a straight line of paint, and keep the trim paint color off the wall. This great painter’s trick is demonstrated in our video.
Now the trim is ready for painting! To achieve the best results, paint a first coat and let that dry. Then go back and paint a second coat. It’s best to get the paint applied to the boards, then go back and use long sweeping strokes to even out the surface.
Painting newly installed trim can be a difficult task for a DIY homeowner. However, it can save a lot of money if you have the time, correct tools, and good instructions. Hopefully this video helped educate you on the best way to achieve professional results.
