Painting Trim

Sharing a home DIY project we completed last weekend.

We have been in our farmhouse for 4+ years. It had an original part built in 1901 

and then an addition  in 2004.

There is a clear distinction between the two parts.  

The trim was beautifully crafted, but helped separate the areas.

Paint solved this issue.

Starting in the addition area, we tackled the most prominent area first.

We were blessed with 60 degree temps in January, so we tackled the 3 doors and 5 windows along with the baseboard trim.

It sucked.

But, it was so worth the back breaking work!

You can see how thick the base moulding is.

I have done everything to brighten this room.  I painted the fireplace, changed flooring, furniture, rugs and lighting.  The biggest impact is painting the trim.  Hands down!

All the sucky steps:

Washing the woodwork, vacuuming and continually keeping dogs out of the area.

Taping off

Oil based primer- stinks and adheres to everything, even your skin.  And the couch.

Then 2 coats of water based paint, with 4 hours of dry time in between.

Due to the size of our trim, we used both rollers and brushes.

We finished in 2 days and both could not stand up straight. 

It is a demanding job that challenges every muscle.

It's taken us 4 years to decide to do this. And we accomplished a lot in 2 days.

BIG ANSWER

I love chalk paint.  I use it on furniture, cabinets, plastic, metal and brick.  Really everything.  And yes, I carry it in my shop and instruct people on how to restyle with chalk paint.

With two dogs, two kids - and usually more in the house, we focused on durability and finish.  

Sanding was not an option, as I was not confident I knew what was originally used on the trim and assumed it had harsh chemicals.

I am thrilled with our choices.

Oil Based Primer from Home Depot

Sherwin Williams Pure White for trim

Next up…the old part of the house.

XO-