How to Paint Black Trim
One of the steps in painting a room is painting the trim. The trim is the decorative wood edging along the base of the wall and the doorways, as well as the molding along the top of the wall. When selecting the trim color, many people like to choose a color that contrasts with the wall color. Black is a color that contrasts well with light-colored walls, but it can pose its own particular set of problems because of that contrast. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Trisodium phosphate (TSP)
- Rubber gloves
- Safety goggles
- Water
- Drop cloth
- Putty knife
- Five-in-one painter's tool
- 80-grit sandpaper
- 120-grit sandpaper
- Oil-based primer
- Paintbrush
- Wood-filling compound
- Spackle
- Caulk
- Sponge
- Painter's tape
- Black paint
Instructions
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1
Move all furniture away from the trim.
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2
Clean the trim with trisodium phosphate (TSP), which is a powerful cleanser. Wear rubber gloves and safety goggles when using the TSP. Start at the bottom of the trim and work your way up, and then rinse the TSP off the wall. Read the instructions on the packaging for how to use your specific product.
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3
Cover the floors around the trim with a drop cloth.
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4
Scrape away any paint chips on the trim with a putty knife, taking care not to dig into the wood itself. Cut away any loose caulk with a putty knife or five-in-one painter's tool.
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5
Sand the surface of the trim.
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6
Inspect the trim for damage such as nicks or pits in the wood. Cover these areas with an oil-based primer and allow them to dry.
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7
Sand down the primed areas to remove any rough paint edges. Begin with 80-grit sandpaper, and then finish with 120-grit sandpaper.
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8
Fill the damaged areas with a wood-filling compound or Spackle. Allow the patching compound to dry, and sand it down.
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9
Apply caulk to gaps between the walls and trim, or between adjoining pieces of trim.
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10
Wipe down the trim with a damp sponge to remove any dust.
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11
Cover the area on the walls and floor next to the trim with blue painter's tape to prevent you from getting the primer or black paint on the walls or floor. Careful placement of the painter's tape is key, as any mistakes will be glaringly obvious because of the contrast between the black trim and the wall color.
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Apply the primer to the trim with a paintbrush, using long, broad strokes. Begin about 3 inches from a corner and brush toward the corner. After the section has been painted, move 3 inches to the right of where you started and work over to the first area you painted. Paint all the trim with primer and allow it to dry.
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Paint the trim with the black paint. Allow it to dry, and add a second coat if necessary.
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14
Remove the painter's tape from the wall and floor.
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Tips & Warnings
When painting trim, paint with the grain of the wood. This helps maintain the integrity of the finish.
Keep the edge of the brush wet to minimize brush marks in the paint.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
