Paint Window Trim White
Over the past two years I have owned my house, I’ve done about 15 furniture painting projects. Considering each one takes at least three days to complete, that is a lot of time invested in a side hobby. I think every person who paints furniture can think back to a particular project or piece that got them hooked on the beauty and versatility of painting. Mine was my window trim.
The very first spring we lived in our home, Memorial Day there was a horrible storm. Hail the size of baseballs fell from the sky and almost everyone in my neighborhood submitted claims to their insurance. I am not exaggerating; hail the size of baseballs fell from the sky. Needless to say, we received insurance money for damages to our house. So, we decided to replace our upstairs wood windows from 1987 with new white vinyl windows. And because I always do things right, I decided it would look best if all the trim were white to match. I didn’t want to pay my contractor for something I could do, so I agreed to paint all the trim of our windows white to save on labor costs. Hence, my tail spin towards painting things besides walls and canvas began.
It is a lot of work to paint trim. Do not let anyone tell you it is easy. And it amazes me how much work it really takes considering how many people I know who have done it. Don’t get me wrong, it can really be worth it. White trim is more timeless than a stain color, it can hold up just as well if you use a great quality oil-based primer and paint, and wow does it really brighten up your house! I could not be more pleased with how my windows look after I did it; just look at these before and after pictures!!
WHAT A DIFFERENCE!
So if you are considering this project to paint window trim white, here are a couple suggestions.
- Buy a high quality primer and paint. It should not cost less than $30/gal. If it does, you are probably not getting something that will hold up well enough.
- Go with a high gloss paint finish. It is more durable and easier to wipe off marks.
- Do not skip steps. Sand thoroughly, prime it, and put two or more coats of paint on. If it is something that will be used a lot like door trim or over the kitchen sink, you probably want to put a clear protective coat on as well.
- Reattach the trim with a nail gun and caulk the seams and nail holes. You don’t want it to look sloppy.
- Tell yourself as you are painting layer upon layer on skinny little wooden trim, that the tedious work will be worth it in the end, because it will be!
I hope you liked this post, please share! Also, check out what I did with my leftover white paint in my dresser to bench makeover!
