7 Trim Painting Tips and Tricks for Your Home in Greenville, SC

Unlike surface painting, trim painting requires a lot of focus and dedication to achieve a professional outcome; that’s why you should know some trim painting tips to get the job done right.

Some experienced painters are still having a hard time with trim painting.

But if you are courageous enough to do it all by yourself, then learning a few tips and tricks will surely give you a better chance of succeeding in the job.

With that in mind, we listed some important reminders before indulging yourself in a hard task some aren’t willing to take, so here are seven trim painting tips and tricks for your home in Greenville, SC.

1. Smoothen It Out

Sanding the entire surface goes a long way to keep a professional and flawless outcome.

However, if your woodworks are as crisp as they come, just go for 120-grit sandpaper and let it run a few times on the surface for a much smoother time.

You can also try out 80 or 100 grit sandpaper, depending on the texture of your surface that needs sanding.

2. Fills Holes And Cracks

If there are plenty of holes and cracks across the surface, filling those holes with a spackling compound will do the trick.

Use a putty knife, slowly scrape a small amount of the compound, and let it run through the cracks and holes.

Spackling compounds tend to dry easily, be sure to inspect the entire surface if it needs a second go-round of spackling compound.

3. Invest On A High-Quality Paint

Even though you sanded to its smoothest level or filled out the gaps and holes, painting the entire area with low-quality paint will just be for naught.

Go for high-quality paint to ensure a professional-looking outcome as well as a smoother finish.

Cheap quality paint tends to dry out easily and may require a couple of coatings, whereas high-quality paint requires lesser coating in the process.

4. Clean The Entire Surface

Many of you can get overwhelmed with the task at hand that you might not take the crucial step of all painting jobs, cleaning the entire surface.

Cleaning the entire surface ensures no dust and debris can lurk into the paint and make it look rough.

Also, cleaning the surface ensures no streaks and fuzzes are left behind once the painting is done.

5. Wait For A Hotter Or Drier Weather

One of the most tedious jobs as a painter is trim painting.

That’s why having the perfect time to paint is ideal for a desirable outcome.

Colder and humid weathers tend to take longer than usual to dry out the paint, whereas hotter climates tend to dry it out easily.

The rule of thumb is, if you paint in humid and cold weather, try to take your time and address any paint issues before they soon dry out.

6. Tape, Tape, And More Tape

Relying on tape means having that smooth and seamless edge that most trim paints are known for.

Trim some woodworks that aren’t needed for the paint job and cover the entire area.

Once the painting is done, ensure that the entire paint is dry and pull out the tape.

Be sure to wait an entire day to take off the tape as there is a common occurrence in which tearing the tape can also tear pieces of the dried paint, leaving an unpleasant-looking finish.

7. Sand The Trim Between Coats

Achieving a professional outcome means sanding in between coatings for a smoother finish, and this is because sometimes after the paint has dried, it leaves a rougher texture that is quite not nice to see.

For a smoother finish, use a fine-grit sponge and let it run through the trim before starting your second or third coating.

In addition, try vacuuming the trim once sanding is done to remove dust particles and debris in the process.

To have the best for interior painting projects, consider working with expert painting contractors in Greenville, SC such as EmeraldPro Painting. We have been in this business for years and we are a trusted company that offers interior painting services and cabinet refinishing in Greenville, SC and Knollwood, SC.

Don’t hesitate to contact us, and we can give you a FREE estimate right before we get started. Give us a call today at (864) 336-3307 or email us at steve@emeraldpropainting.com to discuss further. 

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