For all you interior painters out there.

[DLBDS]

Are you suppose to paint the door trim where it meets the wall the trim color or the wall color? I've always painted it the trim color as it's part of the trim. Recently an acquaintance of my DH came over to do some trim work in a bathroom and he said to paint that edge of the door trim the wall color. So, when you're standing in front of the door, only the flat parts you SEE are painted "white". The edges that meet the wall are painted the wall color. What say YOU? I'm ready to paint now (actually, I started today and I don't know what to do about this area). Thanks!

 

[mytwotinks]

That doesn't sound right. You would never get a straight line that way. I think it would look very sloppy.

I am the daughter of a trim carpenter and in all my years of looking at his work I have never ever seen it done that way. I say stick to your old method.

 

[freckles and boo]

I have heard that called a "Chicago cut". It is not uncommon. Actually it is easier because you are just drawing the brush down an interior corner so you don't have to make a clean line. Then when/if you paint the face of the trim you can run a roller down the face and if necessary you can brush over that if you like the look of the roller. That cleans up any slop you got on the face of the trim. It is really a matter of personal preference. We used Chicago cuts when we bought our house because the trim had never been painted but the previous owners weren't the tidiest painters and the edges of the trim (the part that meets the wall) had paint blotches. We would have had to strip all the trim - way too much work.

 

[DLBDS]

It sounds like either way is fine. I have never seen it done this way before and just think it would look odd. BUT, in this particular bathroom, it wouldn't be noticed. You would actually have to lean to the side and look to tell what color it was. I may just go the easy route and paint the edges the wall color. This way I don't have to paint that fine line along the edge of the trim. I'm not sure if I would do it in the main living areas though. I'll have to see how it looks in the bathroom first. Thanks for the opinions!

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

I prefer to paint the entire piece of trim the trim color. I've seen it done the other way, and it looked like a sloppy job to me.

 

[DLBDS]

I prefer to paint the entire piece of trim the trim color. I've seen it done the other way, and it looked like a sloppy job to me.

I'm a perfectionist...which is why I do my own painting. I promise you it won't look sloppy on MY trim. BTW, my DD9 is named Robbin (yes, with 2 b's).

 

[freckles and boo]

I prefer to paint the entire piece of trim the trim color. I've seen it done the other way, and it looked like a sloppy job to me.

I should add that our trim was naturally dark brown with a sealer and our walls are all dark red. It probably would look odd if there was a lot of contrast.

 

[xyzabc33]

It all depends on the look you are going for. I do have to admit painting the part of the trim where it hits the wall the same color as the wall was a heck of lot easier then making sure you dont get color A onto color B

Like I said personale preference. Paint the thing a different color entirely if you like...your choice.

 

[RNMOM]

I have always painted and seen it painted the trim color. Also isn't trim paint usually an enamel? They are much more durable and washable paints because the wood trim gets more beating up. What would the point be of painting the wood trim the wall color?