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How to paint trims

Person putting painters tape on the wall.

Overview

A fresh coat of paint is an easy way to keep the trims around your doors always looking their best. We'll show you how to prepare them for painting, plus how to apply the undercoat and topcoat.

Steps

1Put down drop sheets

Put down a drop sheet to protect your floors. Take off the doorstop and fill any dents or holes with putty. Give the trim a light sand. Then use a cloth to clean off any dust before you start painting.

Drop sheet on the floor.

2Tape around the trim

Put tape on the wall around the trim to prevent getting any paint on it when you're painting.

Person putting painters tape on the wall.

3Stir the paint

Stir your paint well before you use it. Make sure your room is well-ventilated and wear your dust mask. 

Person stirring paint.

4Pour some paint into a smaller pot

Pour some paint into a smaller pot to make it more portable and easier to manage when you're up a ladder. 

Person pouring paint into a smaller bucket.

5Apply the undercoat

Make sure you've got a good quality brush to paint with. It's a good idea to paint your edges first and then your flat faces. Use long strokes of your brush, working from the top down to the bottom. Work in small sections and make sure all areas have equal coverage. 

Person painting trims.

6Leave to dry and sand

Let the undercoat dry and then give it a light sanding before applying the topcoat.

Person sanding door trims.

7Stir the topcoat

Stir your topcoat paint and pour some into a small bucket to make it more portable and easier to use while you're up a ladder. In this example, we've chosen a semi-gloss enamel for the topcoat as it's very durable.

Paint brush in a tin of paint.

8Apply the topcoat

Apply the topcoat in same way as the undercoat. Start with the fiddly bits and edges first. Work in long strokes from top to bottom. Then wait for the paint to dry before peeling off your masking tape.
Person painting with overcoat.
Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer. You can also use a simple test kit from Bunnings to indicate the presence of lead-based paint.