Small surfaces, big labor
Trim, doors and window casings make up a small share of a room's surface but a large share of the time it takes to paint. Every piece is brushed by hand, cut in against walls and floors, and often needs more preparation than the walls beside it. That's why painting a house's trim can cost as much as painting its walls, and why bids for it vary so much. This guide explains what moves the price. We don't publish prices.
Counting what's included
Ask the painter to list exactly what the bid covers:
- baseboards and shoe molding;
- door casings, and both faces and all edges of each door;
- window casings, stools, aprons and sashes;
- crown molding, chair rail and any wainscoting;
- stair balusters, handrails and stringers.
Stair parts and paneled doors take far longer than flat pieces. Two bids for "all the trim" can mean different lists.
Filling, caulking and sanding
Nail holes get filled, gaps between trim and walls get caulked, and dents and dings get patched. Old trim often has a glossy finish that new paint won't grip unless it's scuff-sanded or deglossed. Ask whether the price includes sanding every piece, not just the rough ones.
Primer choices
If the old trim was finished with an oil-based enamel, many painters apply an adhesion primer before a water-based topcoat, so the new paint holds. Bare wood, knots and stains need their own primers. Ask whether the trim will be fully primed, spot-primed or not primed at all; it's one of the clearest differences between bids.
Enamel and sheen
Trim and doors are touched, bumped and wiped more than walls. Most painters use an enamel made to level smooth and harden, in a satin, semi-gloss or gloss finish that cleans easily. Harder-wearing enamels can take longer between coats. Our guide to paint sheens and finishes compares the options.
Doors on or off
Doors can be painted in place, or taken off their hinges and laid flat or sprayed, which gives a smoother finish but adds handling and time to rehang. Hardware is removed or masked. Ask which method the painter plans and whether rehanging and adjusting doors is included.
Windows that still open
Window sashes need careful work so they aren't painted shut, and they have to be left to dry before they're closed. Old sashes with many layers of paint may already stick; freeing them is extra work. Ask whether sashes are included and how the painter keeps them working.
Lead-safe work in homes built before 1978
Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, since April 22, 2010 firms doing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes built before 1978 must hold EPA or state firm certification and use trained renovators who follow lead-safe work practices. EPA runs the RRP program in states it has not authorized, and Alabama is on its list of states that run their own EPA-authorized programs.
Trim is where sanding and scraping concentrate, and friction surfaces like window sashes and door edges are where old paint wears. In a house built before 1978, that means plastic sheeting, dust control and careful cleanup in each room, which add time. If your house falls in that range, you can ask whether the firm holds the firm certification the rule describes.
Working around a lived-in house
Trim painting in occupied rooms means moving furniture away from walls, protecting floors, and keeping doors open while they dry. A crew may work room by room so the household keeps some space. Ask how long each room will be out of use and whether pets and children need to be kept out.
Questions before you sign
- Which trim pieces, doors and windows are included?
- How will glossy old finishes be prepared?
- Which primer, which enamel, and how many coats?
- Will doors be painted in place or taken down?
- How will lead-safe steps be handled if the house was built before 1978?
Our pricing guide and interior painting page cover the general steps and factors.