Buy Better Trim Paint

Installed new trim when I replaced all the doors and windows in my house a few years ago. Unfortunately, I didn’t get around to painting it. I recently decided it was time to finish the job, and the first step was to determine the paint that would perform best regardless of brand, sheen or color.

- Mike Berner

To research the options—for Family Handyman and myself—I picked up 12 trim paints to try. After running tests and conferring with pro painters and industry experts, I singled out a few top performers.

6 factors that matter

Cost

One thing I learned from the experts was that quality paint starts with expensive raw materials. That means cost is a pretty good predictor of the results you’ll get. Using inexpensive paint could save a few bucks on the front end but cost you down the road. The paints I tested ranged in price from $35 to $90 per gallon.

Odor

I steered clear of any oil-based paints because of their smell, but some of the new acrylic-alkyd formulas still use solvent. These are a lot less stinky than pure oil-based paints, but some may bother sensitive noses.

Cleanup

With two kids under 2 running and crawling around, I don’t want to mess with any solvent cleanup, and with so many great water-cleanup options, I don’t think you should either.

Toughness

My trim takes some abuse from my kids. It’s no fun sanding and repainting when it gets dinged up. I tested the toughness of the finish by dragging a piece of 80-grit sandpaper weighted with 1-lb. boxes of screws across it. The toughest paints took the punishment with only light scuffing.

Workability

A good trim paint can be applied in tight areas like corners and curved profiles and smoothed out before it starts to dry. I painted an intricate profile at a mitered corner to figure out which paints were more workable.

Smoothness