How to Prep for Painting the Trim in a House

The right trim color helps accentuate any living space. Contrasting trim draws the eye to wall features and artwork, and subtly colored trim keeps the focus on furniture pieces. If your trim needs a dynamic update, you need to prep the area properly to ensure good results. With a little extra work on the front-end, virtually anybody can achieve professional-looking trim paint results.

Trisodium phosphate
Rag
220-grit sandpaper
Plastic tarps
Painter's tape
General purpose primer
Synthetic-bristle brush

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the trim with trisodium phosphate and a rag.
- 2
  Sand off glossy trim finishes using 220-grit sandpaper. If your trim is coated in a glossy finish, the paint will have trouble sticking to the surface. A piece of 220-grit sandpaper abrades the surface enough to accept paint, but it isn't rough enough to damage the trim surface.
- 3
  Lay plastic tarps on the floor to protect against paint drips.
- 4
  Apply painter's tape to the wall surfaces bordering your trim. Painter's tape protects nearby surfaces from stray brush strokes.
- 5
  Prime untreated trim with general purpose primer.

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