How Exterior Trim Is Prepared for Painting

Most people may not realize that considerable preparation should be performed before exterior trim is painted or repainted. In today’s blog article we are going to briefly go over the steps needed for preparing exterior trim for painting. While professional painters will perform these steps as a matter of course, the DIYer may not be familiar with them.

Assessment

First, the exterior trim would need to be assessed all over the house to see what condition it is in. The painter will see if any trim needs to be replaced—which may or may not be included in the purview of the project. Does old paint need to be scraped or sanded? Are there holes that need to be filled? How dirty is it? This first assessment will determine the steps needed next.

Cleaning

Next, the trim needs to be cleaned. This is typically done by power or pressure washing which will also remove flaking paint. The trim will then need time to dry thoroughly before any further steps.

Scraping and Sanding

Depending on the condition of the trim, the cleaning may be have been sufficient to then move to painting. However, if the trim is still not ready for painting, then there may be some scraping or sanding needed to remove enough old paint as to not interfere with a new coat. Also, weather damage from wind and rain, may have made the trim rough and uneven.

Filling Holes

Next, the trim will get large holes filled with the appropriate material. This filling of holes also requires a certain amount of time to dry and set. Caulking may also be needed depending on the condition of the trim and the scope of the project.

Priming

Sometimes, the trim will need priming. The painter decides if this is a necessary step or if this can be skipped. Priming will usually be needed in cases where trim colour is going from a very dark to a very light colour.

These are the basic steps for preparing exterior trim for painting. There is no doubt that you will get a better result by hiring a professional painter than by going it alone.

If you need professional painter for your exterior painting projects, this is our business, and we can be reached in Coquitlam at (604) 910-4828.

Level 5 Painting are experienced and dependable interior and exterior, residential and commercial painters based in Surrey, British Columbia. The Level 5 Painting crew performs at the highest industry standards to exceed your expectations and deliver painting projects with phenomenal results. 

If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about your next painting project, then please call us at (604) 910-4828.