Do you paint the house or trim first?

Quick Answer

There are pros and cons to both painting the house before the trim and vice versa. In general, it is recommended to paint the house before painting the trim. This allows you to focus on getting clean lines along the trim without worrying about spilling house paint onto freshly painted trim. It also minimizes the need to tape off trim before painting the siding. However, if the trim is in very poor condition, it may be better to paint it first so that new trim doesn’t end up damaged during the process of painting the house.

Should You Paint House or Trim First?

When taking on an exterior house painting project, one of the early decisions you’ll need to make is whether to paint the main house body first or the trim first. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Here is a look at the key factors to consider:

Painting House First

Painting the bulk of the house before adding trim details has some advantages:

• Allows you to focus on clean trim lines. When painting the main siding, you don’t have to worry about taping off or cutting in around freshly painted trim. You can be less precise with the edges and corners, knowing that the trim will cover it up.
• Avoids damage to trim. New trim can often get nicked or scratched during the process of painting the main house body. Painting the trim last avoids this problem.
• Minimizes need for taping off trim. You typically don’t need to tape and mask off all the trim prior to painting the siding since the trim will get painted afterwards anyway.
• Provides better adherence between layers. The main field coat creates a uniform surface for the trim paint to adhere to.

Painting Trim First

On the other hand, there are also some good reasons to paint the trim first:

• Avoids having to cut in later. When painting the trim first, you can be less careful with the edges since the main field coat will cover up any overlaps or drips.
• Creates sharp lines. Newly applied trim paint will create crisper lines between the trim and siding.
• Allows using smaller trim brushes. You can use small trim brushes to paint the edges without worrying about switching to wider brushes later for the siding.
• Lets you match trim and main color. The main field coat can be precisely color matched to the already applied trim color.

So in summary, painting the house before the trim requires a little more taping off and cutting in, but protects the trim and produces clean results. Painting trim first makes that initial trim painting more efficient but care must be taken with the main field coat overlapping onto the trim.

Factors to Consider

When deciding whether to paint the trim or house first, keep these factors in mind:

• Condition of existing trim. If the existing trim is in very rough shape, it may make sense to paint it first before exposing it to potential damage from painting the siding.
• Complexity of trim details. If the trim is very intricate, with lots of detailed moldings and connections, it may be easier to paint it first when access is more straightforward.
• Repair needs. Any necessary scraping, priming, patching, and repairs are often best done before painting. So if the trim or siding has a lot that needs to be fixed up first, you may want to paint that surface first.
• Color selection. Go with whichever sequence allows you to best coordinate the trim and field colors.
• Personal preference. Some painters simply prefer working a certain way when it comes to doing trim vs. siding.

So weigh the pros and cons of the different approaches and factor in the specific conditions of your home exterior when deciding on the painting sequence.

Pros and Cons of Painting House Before Trim

Painting the main exterior house surfaces before adding the trim details is the most common and recommended approach. Here is an overview of the key pros and cons:

Pros

• Creates clean edges along trim. You can focus on just getting paint onto the siding and edges without having to cut in carefully around trim pieces.
• Prevents damage to freshly painted trim that can happen when brushing up against it during side wall painting.
• Avoids having to tape off all trim prior to main house painting.
• Provides a uniform base layer for trim paint to adhere to.
• Allows touching up trim paint without worrying about overlapping edges.

Cons

• Requires taping off trim edges where you want a clean border between siding and trim.
• Can result in some sloppy edges and overpainting onto areas that will be covered by trim.
• Necessitates cutting in carefully along trim when painting the main house body.
• Exposes unfinished trim to potential damage while siding is being painted.

So in summary, the process is a little messier but provides the best end results when the main concern is neatly painted trim. If you don’t mind some overlap and touch-ups, painting the trim first can work as well.

Pros and Cons of Painting Trim Before House

While less common, some painters prefer to brush the trim details on first before painting the siding and main house body. Here are the potential benefits and drawbacks:

Pros

• Allows painting trim edges without worrying about precision.
• Enables use of smaller trim brushes throughout.
• Creates nice clean edges against the untaped siding.
• Provides a finished look on trim early in the process.
• Main field coat can cover up any trim drips or errors.

Cons

• Requires taping/masking off all trim before painting siding.
• Can lead to paint overlapping from siding onto trim edges.
• Risks damage to finished trim while painting siding.
• Touching up trim paint may show overlaps unless colors match perfectly.
• Cutting in along trim edges takes more precision.

Painting the trim first allows for a neater initial trim painting stage. However, care must be taken to avoid creating extra work later when painting the siding.

Key Steps for Painting House Before Trim

If you decide to paint your house siding before adding the trim, follow this overall process:

1. Prep the siding surfaces – Clean, scrape, sand, patch, prime as needed so that surfaces are ready for painting.
2. Tape off any areas you don’t want painted.
3. Caulk gaps and joints where siding meets trim.
4. Paint all siding surfaces with a high quality exterior house paint, working from top to bottom.
5. Allow siding paint to fully dry.
6. Prep trim as needed – scrape, sand, prime, caulk.
7. Paint all trim, taking care around edges that meet siding.
8. Remove painters tape from any areas used for masking off.
9. Touch up edges or any other missed spots as needed.

Be sure to allow adequate dry time based on the paint manufacturer’s recommendations before moving from siding to trim painting. Careful edge work will result in neatly defined borders between painted surfaces.

Key Steps for Painting Trim Before House

If your preference is to start by painting all the trim prior to the siding, follow this general process:

1. Thoroughly prep the trim – scrape, sand, prime, caulk, and make any necessary repairs.
2. Completely mask off all siding adjacent to trim using painters tape and plastic/paper as needed.
3. Paint all trim pieces using high quality trim enamel paint.
4. Allow trim paint to fully cure.
5. Prep all siding as needed to get surfaces ready for painting.
6. Paint all siding surfaces with exterior house paint, working top to bottom.
7. Carefully cut in paint along all trim edges for straight clean borders.
8. Remove any masking materials from siding.
9. Make any necessary touch ups to both trim and siding paint.

Take extra care when cutting in along trim edges to avoid overlapping onto freshly painted trim. Touch-ups may be needed but should blend in seamlessly.

Choosing Paint Sheens for House and Trim

When deciding on paint sheens, different finishes should be used for the main house body versus the trim. Here are some guidelines:

• Siding – Use exterior paints with satin, eggshell, or low luster sheens. These provide good durability and hide imperfections well.
• Trim – Enamel paints with semi-gloss or high gloss sheens are ideal. The higher sheen allows for easy cleaning.
• Doors – Semi-gloss is recommended for entry doors while gloss enamels work well on garage doors.
• Accent Details – Use high gloss enamels on railings, shutters, and other decorative details.

In general, trim paint should have a higher sheen than the main siding paint. The glossier trim paint makes the details stand out while helping repel dirt and water. Take sample chips of your chosen colors in different finishes when buying paint.

Tips for Achieving Neat Lines When Painting Trim and Siding

Whether your paint the trim or siding first, following these tips will lead to crisp clean borders between the two:

• Always thoroughly prepare surfaces by cleaning, scraping, sanding etc. prior to painting. Addressing any rough spots or flaws first prevents having to touch up later.
• Use high quality angled trim painting brushes. The angled cut allows you to precisely cut in along edges.
• For straight edges on boards or windows, run painter’s tape just above or below the trim to create a perfect painted line when brushing the siding.
• Take your time when cutting in and avoid dragging brush across edges or paint will seep underneath tape.
• Caulk gaps between trim and siding beforehand for most consistent edges once painted.
• When painting trim first, mask off at least 1 inch of adjacent siding around all trim before brushing on trim paint.

Proper taping techniques paired with carefully cutting in the edges as you paint will lead to the crispest borders between trim and siding. Touch up edges at the end if needed.

Consider Hiring a Professional

While a skilled DIY painter can certainly paint their home’s exterior accurately, professional painters have experience getting perfect lines in the least amount of time. The right painting contractor will also know all the proper steps for prepping and painting the house and trim. If neatly painted trim is a priority for your home’s new exterior color scheme, consider hiring pros to do the work right.

Conclusion

Painting the siding before adding the trim generally leads to the neatest, straightest trim details on a newly painted exterior. But with patience and proper taping, trim can also be painted first with great results. Professional painters know all the best practices for keeping trim and siding fully separated during the painting process. Whichever way you decide to approach the job, be sure to use high quality paints and tools, take the necessary prep steps, and take your time cutting in edges for perfectly crisp lines on your freshly painted home.