Beautifully painted window trims add character and elegance to your house. This is why it is always recommended to have your window trims painted separately and with a different colour from your wall when you repaint your house.

When done haphazardly, the paint job on window trims can ruin the aesthetics of the window. Moreover, it can deteriorate quickly and may need to be redone in just a couple of months.

But just because it is an intricate painting task, it does not mean that you would need to spend a lot of time doing it. It can actually be done fast without compromising the quality of the results.

Painting Window Trims – What the Prep Work Entails

Just like other painting projects, prep work takes the most time when dealing with window trims.

Take note:

The prep process for internal windows is slightly different from the external ones. This is because outdoor window trims are exposed to more elements.

For interior trims, you can go ahead to the sanding part. Meanwhile, for exterior trims, you first need to ensure that they are very clean – devoid of dirt and grime. This means thoroughly washing and scrubbing the surface. Once they are completely dry, you can proceed to the next step which is sanding.

The purpose of sanding is to smoothen the surface as well as to rid it of coatings and stains for the paint to adhere well. You can use 150-grit sandpaper for this task.

If there are holes or big dents on the trims, use spackle to fill them and even them out. Also, if there are any loose paint, you have to scrape those out with a putty knife.

Remember:

Simply painting over the loose paint can compromise the quality and durability of the paint job. The new coat of paint is going to easily chip off and flake.

Finish the sanding process by using a tack cloth to wipe the entire window trim and pick up all the dirt and dust.

The next step is masking – the part where you ensure that the glass area surrounding the trims does not get painted on. Here, you are going to use painter’s tape to cover the glass part of the window right next to the trim.

The final step in the prep process is priming. Applying primer is highly important if you are working on bare wood or a surface that has not been painted on yet. It is also necessary if you are using a colour that is different from the old one, especially if it’s a shift from dark to light and vice versa.

Painting Window Trims Quickly but Effectively

You can actually finish painting an entire window trim for less than five minutes! All you need is the right tools and painting know-how. Being organised can be a plus as well!

What you need to do first is to prepare all your painting materials. Ideally, for this kind of project, what’s recommended is an angled paintbrush.

If you are more experienced, you can choose the larger ones like the 4-inch or 5-inch angled paintbrush. You can also opt to use a 4-inch roller if you’re more comfortable with this kind of applicator.

Just a reminder:

Purchase a high-quality brush roller. Cheap or bargain ones tend to break apart quickly with bristles and fibres ending up on your paint job.

Next, pour some paint from the can into a bucket, around an inch deep.

Now, let us proceed to the actual painting process for window trims.

Dip your brush or roller into the paint bucket and start painting. Follow the grain of the wood as it would look more beautiful when it dries up.

You can cross brush to spread the paint evenly and then finish up by following the wood grain again for your final strokes. Long strokes are recommended for a better finish.

You may apply a second coat, if necessary, to have complete and uniform coverage on your window trim.

If you get some paint on areas outside the trim, clean it up by putting a slightly damp cloth over a putty knife and then wipe the paint off.