Interior painting question - paint trim or walls first?

[cantdrv55]

I've done it both ways but was wondering which way the pros prefer. Thanks.

[Heel n Toe]

Walls first.

[Bill Douglas]

Yup, walls.

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Walls first.

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

Yup, walls.

Crazy talk!

Trim first! Way easier and faster to cut in the wall against the trim, than the trim against the wall

Painting house, question on blue tape, green, or ornage tape?

[71T Targa]

I don't think it matters much.































As long as you paint the trim before putting it up.

[Gogar]

Walls, unless you want to paint the trim twice to get rid of all the little specks that came off the roller.

Sorry, Jake.

[wdfifteen]

My GF just had her house painted. The pros taped the floor, painted the trim, taped the trim, then painted the walls. I've never done it that way, but it was amazingly fast.

[dipso]

Ceilings, trim, walls, base.

If your not going to paint the 1/2" return on the side of the door casings trim color, it doesn't matter which order you go. It looks better if you do.
If you are going to paint that edge trim color, it is much easier to cut the wall to the trim.

Try not to use tape. It's for amateurs and bleeds anyways.

[bgyglfr]

As a home builder for 13 years, my opinion is trim first. It makes a much cleaner line where the trim meets the wall. It's much easier to cut in as well. Caulk the joints and where the trim meets the wall. As long as you are using latex on the walls, any specs will wipe off with a damp cloth. Don't be too proud to tape either. For an amateur, you will get a much straighter line and it will actually take less time than cutting in by hand. Go to any paint store and get a taping device. It also catches all of the specs from the roller so it won't get on the trim.

New construction - tape off and mask the house (floors, cabinets etc.) , primer all, caulk , paint ceiling, spray trim, cut in and roll walls
Existing home - tape and mask floors, paint trim, cut in and paint walls
Kirk

[sailchef]

Just did 4 rooms. I found its easier to paint the trim first, and then cut in the walls with a 2" brush, finish with a roller.

[javadog]

The guys I use paint the ceiling and walls first. They also use an oil based paint on the trim which takes a long time to fully dry. No tape, ever.

JR

[The Gaijin]

Can't stand using that low stick tape. Sure, it has it's uses, but taping off a whole room is too much.

BTW, those small foam rollers are great for small areas of wall, like above doors and etc..

[bgyglfr]

Oil based paint does take longer to dry but is actually cures (hardens) faster. By the way I am a big fan of oil based paint on trim. Nothing lays down better. You can make it look like a car finish if you spray.

Originally Posted by javadog

The guys I use paint the ceiling and walls first. They also use an oil based paint on the trim which takes a long time to fully dry. No tape, ever.

JR

[vash]

walls first! much easier to put off finishing the trim for years and years, than putting off the walls.

[Zeke]

If you hit the back side of the door and window casings first, then do the walls first. Also, while most tape does bleed, if you run a nylon comb over the sealing edge, it won't. When you caulk the trim to the wall, don't leave a big radius. Next day run a dull knife down the caulk line. It will leave a score mark that you can cut dead nuts to.

Of course there's always the tenement way to paint: paint it all Navajo white semi gloss. Walls, ceilings, cabinets, everything.

[cantdrv55]

Originally Posted by milt

Of course there's always the tenement way to paint: paint it all Navajo white semi gloss. Walls, ceilings, cabinets, everything.

That's funny. When I bought this house, everything was painted Navajo white flat, not even semi-gloss.

Thanks all for the advice!

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by milt

Of course there's always the tenement way to paint: paint it all Navajo white semi gloss. Walls, ceilings, cabinets, everything.

LOL. I painted a small laundry room like this once. I covered myself head to toe and wore a respirator, and painted the whole room in less than 5 minutes with a spray gun. It actually came out quite well - and so did I.

[vash]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

LOL. I painted a small laundry room like this once. I covered myself head to toe and wore a respirator, and painted the whole room in less than 5 minutes with a spray gun. It actually came out quite well - and so did I.

best episode of CHEERS, when Sam hired Norm to paint his office....

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by vash

best episode of CHEERS, when Sam hired Norm to paint his office....

I can't stop laughing. I'll have to find that one. For some reason I didn't see it.

[Hugh R]

Please, just don't paint the hinges, that looks so ghetto.