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How to Paint Trim White

This post is a doozy, but I’m so pumped to finally share with you (after a load of trial and error) how to paint trim white and freshen and brighten up your entire home!

How to Paint Trim White

I can’t even believe I’m about to type this, but every inch of oak trim in this house is finally painted white, including baseboards, door frames, windows, our mantel, and built-ins (HALLELUJAH!!!). I went back and forth for the first couple of months trying to decide if I was going to dive in and tackle this task, but as daunting and overwhelming as the idea was, I knew it was something I wanted to try to do as part of my vision for updating this home and making it a space we love to be in. 
How to paint trim white: Paint your wood baseboards like a pro without sanding with these step-by-step tips, regardless of if you have hardwood, tile, or carpet. These steps can also be used to paint wood window trim. This project may seem daunting, but you won't believe what a difference this will make in your home. Click this post for a full list of steps and materials.

 

About nine months ago I got to work, and this weekend I finally finished. The internet taught me a few methods for how to paint trim white and get this done (what doesn’t the internet teach us these days?), so after a bit of experimenting with how to paint trim white, I finally got in my “groove” with the method that was easiest for me, a method that I’ve coined “the lazy girl’s guide to painting trim white”. Though I’m more on the perfectionist side of things when it comes to house projects, I definitely prefer to cut corners where I can (READ: zero sanding) in order to save my sanity and time while still making sure that the end results are clean and well done. 
Supplies needed to paint trim

 
Step One
  • Tape off the floor well. If you’re working on a carpeted surface, try to push the tape down underneath the baseboard as far as you can.
 
 
Step Two
  • Using your Purdy brush, apply one thin coat of the Zinsser primer. Allow time for the primer to FULLY dry.
How to paint trim white: Paint your wood baseboards like a pro without sanding with these step-by-step tips, regardless of if you have hardwood, tile, or carpet. These steps can also be used to paint wood window trim. This project may seem daunting, but you won't believe what a difference this will make in your home. Click this post for a full list of steps and materials.
 
 
 
 
Step Three
  • Apply two coats of Ultra White trim paint allowing time between for each coat to fully dry (I know from experience that the paint will peel off easier if you don’t allow it to fully dry).
How to paint trim white: Paint your wood baseboards like a pro without sanding with these step-by-step tips, regardless of if you have hardwood, tile, or carpet. These steps can also be used to paint wood window trim. This project may seem daunting, but you won't believe what a difference this will make in your home. Click this post for a full list of steps and materials.
 
 
 
 
Step Four
  • Use a caulk gun to repair any areas of the trim that have pulled away from the wall. I prefer to use my bare pointer finger to smooth out the caulk.
How to paint trim white: Paint your wood baseboards like a pro without sanding with these step-by-step tips, regardless of if you have hardwood, tile, or carpet. These steps can also be used to paint wood window trim. This project may seem daunting, but you won't believe what a difference this will make in your home. Click this post for a full list of steps and materials.
 
 
 
 
Step Five
  • Use your straight edge to cut the tape away from the wall. Skipping this step may result in the tape taking some of the paint with it!
How to paint trim white: Paint your wood baseboards like a pro without sanding with these step-by-step tips, regardless of if you have hardwood, tile, or carpet. These steps can also be used to paint wood window trim. This project may seem daunting, but you won't believe what a difference this will make in your home. Click this post for a full list of steps and materials.
 
 
 
 

Optional Step Six (if you’re working in a carpeted room)

  • If there are any visible areas that need to be retouched, use a joint compound applicator to press down against the carpet towards the baseboard and touch up those spots with a small brush.

Step Seven (final step!): WAX

  • Using a cheesecloth and Minwax Paste Finishing Wax, slowly rub in wax along trim. Do not add too much. I would suggest watch a YouTube video for the correct way to apply furniture wax if you have never done this before. This step is ESSENTIAL. It will keep your trim paint from chipping. It was also allow you to clean it better in the future. The more coats of wax, the better! Allow 24-48 hours between each coat. I would suggest two coats! Again, THIS STEP IS CRUCIAL. 
 
 
Extra tips
  • It’s obvious that paint gets all over the wall using this method, but this isn’t an issue if you plan to paint your walls. If you don’t plan to paint your walls, just tape off the top of the baseboard as well.
  • If you’re using a brush that’s worn out then you’re going to have brush marks like no tomorrow. I typically use my brush for three rooms and then reserve it ONLY for touch-up jobs. One time I used a worn out brush to paint my sunroom windows, and I ended up having to do a fourth coat because the brush strokes were so bad. Never again!
How to paint trim white: Paint your wood baseboards like a pro without sanding with these step-by-step tips, regardless of if you have hardwood, tile, or carpet. These steps can also be used to paint wood window trim. This project may seem daunting, but you won't believe what a difference this will make in your home. Click this post for a full list of steps and materials.
 
I really hope these tips and tricks come in handy if you are here to learn how to paint trim white! I’d read horror stories about how torturous painting trim can be, but I found it to be one of the easiest home projects we’ve done so far. Tedious, yes. Difficult, not one bit. Pouring a glass of wine and turning on a podcast or Pandora also made it much less painful. 😉
 
Here’s a recap of a few of the essentials you’ll need to get started:
If you have any additional questions, feel free to let me know! I’d be happy to help. Happy painting!

Want to see our entire flipped home tour? We’ve painted nearly every square inch of our home, plus many more updates! Click here to see!

Before and After 1980s Flipped Home Tour

 To see our finished kitchen after painting the honey oak white, click here.
We used Annie's Sloan Pure White paint and clear wax to do a entire transformation in our kitchen. Our cabinets were originally a grainy honey oak, but now they look brand new! Here's the materials we used, the time it took, etc.

To see our exterior home transformation (trim, windows, doors, and porch), click here.

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