Should You Paint Walls or Trim First?

There's a conundrum that often comes up when painting your home: should you paint the walls or trim first? There's no clear cut answer and it mostly comes up to personal preference, though, in most cases, it's easier to paint the trim first since it's a more seamless process to tape off the trim than tape the walls. Plus, walls can be uneven, so taping the trim is more likely to leave you with a clean crisp line.

If you ask a professional painter, most will say they paint the trim first, but there are nuances to consider in every situation and painting the walls first could be right. Here's what you should know about deciding whether to paint the trim or walls first and how you can make the right decision in your home.

When to Paint the Trim First

When You’re a Beginner Painter

For a beginner painter, taping off the trim and painting that first is more likely to result in a clean line. because you don't have to worry about a clean line. You can paint the trim, then tape off the trim or use the cutting in technique to paint the walls neatly.

When You're Taping

Most do-it-yourselfers like to tape off the areas where they don't want to get paint. With its smooth, sharp edges, trim is easier to apply tape to than walls, especially when the walls are textured. 

When You Are Cutting-In

Trim is not only easier to tape off, but it's also easier to follow when cutting in. If you're the type of painter who doesn't bother with tape and prefers to freehand that nice, clean edge, you'll find it's easier to cut in when you can spread out your brush over a nice, broad area (the wall) and use just the edge to cut in along the fine line of the trim. 

When the Room Is Under Construction

If work is still being done on the room, or there's a lot of work traffic through the room, you can buy yourself some time by painting the trim first. This leaves the walls for last, when (hopefully) there are fewer things moving in and out that can mark up the new wall paint. 

When to Paint the Walls First

When You Want the Room Painted Fast

Sometimes you're just dying to see what the new color looks like, or you truly can't stand to look at that ugly old color for one more day. If it's a coin-toss between painting trim or walls first, do the walls first. Seeing an inkling of the final product just might give you an energy boost to complete the project.

When You're Not Committed to the Wall Color

Wall color has a bigger impact than trim color. If it turns out that you don't like the wall color, there's a good chance you'll change the trim color, too. Thre is no sense in painting both surfaces twice. 

When You Have Temporary Help

Walls are faster to paint and require less skill and care than trim-work. Walls are primarily rolled, while the trim is exclusively brushed and can look bad if someone slops the paint on, muddling the details, and leaving permanent brush strokes.

If you're fortunate enough to have help in the form of partners, family, kids, co-workers, take advantage of it. Have a great, big painting party with dropcloths, paint trays, and paint rollers, then treat everybody to a light dinner. The next weekend, concentrate on all of that detailed trim-work.

When Using High-Gloss Trim Paint

While most trim is painted semi-gloss, if you are using high-gloss trim paint, it’s easier to paint the walls first to avoid getting glossy trim paint on the wall. A glossy paint mistake will be tougher to cover up with wall paint, so you want to focus on getting it right and keeping it neat from the beginning.

Tips for Painting Walls and Trim 

• Have extra painter's tape: You'll nearly always need more painter's tape than you anticipate, so always have extra painter’s tape on hand. The last thing you want to do is get to the end of the project and find that you either need to make a last-minute trip to the store or try to paint freehand.
• Use high-quality brushes: Your brushes matter! With a high-quality brush, you'll have more control over paint application, and you'll be able to cut a cleaner line where trim and walls meet.
• Use paint edgers: If you want to cut a clean, precise line where the wall and trim meet, use a paint edger. This will cut in, giving you the cleanest line possible.
• Take it slow: Paint slowly and carefully to get the most precise lines. It's not a race, and the slower you go, the more control you'll have over your brush.
• Prep the walls: Prepping your surface is half the process! Prep your walls by cleaning them, applying a primer if needed, and carefully taping anywhere you want to create a clean line.
• Cover floors and furniture: Clean up your mess before you even start by covering all floors and furniture before beginning your painting project. Your future self will thank you.
• Store excess paint correctly: Keeping excess paint is a great idea for touch-ups, but make sure you store that excess paint correctly. Paint can go bad and change consistency if stored incorrectly, which will render it useless for touch-ups.
• Don't wait too long to pull off tape: While pulling off painter's tape too early can make a mess by spreading the paint, waiting too long can take cured paint off along with the tape. Make sure you remove it that day, once the paint appears to be dry.