How to Paint Interior Trim, Doors and Windows

Prepare and brush-paint interior trim, doors and windows. Match the brush to the width and profile, and keep a wet edge.

What you need

Record each surface's material, condition and existing coating. Test the system on an inconspicuous spot.
Stop for soft or rotten wood, active leaks, loose joints or unknown factory finishes. Repair or get the maker's repaint procedure first.
Clean, remove failed material, degloss, repair, caulk stationary joints, then prime where the system requires it.
Vacuum the dust. Do only the final wipe the coating system permits. Do not blow dust with compressed air.
Stir the paint and decant a working charge into a pot. Load about the working third of the brush and tap it on the pot.
Pick the widest brush that fits the face without forcing the tips into corners.
Work high to low. Lay on, distribute, join wet to wet, and lay off once with a lightly loaded tip.
Finish bounded sections at natural breaks: panel mouldings, rails, stiles, corners. Check for sags in raking light while the film is open.

The 5/8 in. brushes (13415, 13515) suit the smallest trim. The 1 in. 13425 suits wider faces. The Elegance SRT pair is the finish-first family.
Keep paint out of the ferrule and heel. A packed heel holds less and ropes at the start of each stroke.
Pull excess out of inside corners before laying off the adjoining face. Check both faces after coating an edge.
Keep paint out of hinge mortises, tracks, balances, weatherstrip, weeps and glazing channels.

Pre-1978 paint is a possible lead hazard. Use lead-safe methods, not dry scraping or sanding.
Work from a stable floor, platform or ladder, not a bucket or door slab. Support a door's weight before pulling pins.
Oil- or solvent-wet rags can be a fire hazard. Store and dispose of them as the product directs, and ventilate as the label requires.

Questions about the right tool for your job? Email cs@hydestore.com or call 508-916-6442.