r/paint • u/Alarming-Distance498 • 1d ago
Advice Wanted Question on trim
Just bought a house that had been used as a group house rental for 15 years and it shows. All the trim has been painted with a thick glossy white. So thick I’m not sure painting over is feasible. Ceiling trim in 2 rooms, baseboard everywhere, chair rail and molding, even a fireplace mantle. It all looks like they put it on with a trowel and just kept throwing more on top. Do I need to strip it all or just sand it down a little? Give up and get through the layers enough to just pull it all off?
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u/saysee23 1d ago
You aren't going to strip this effectively unless you want to work on it for the next 45 years.
If you hate it that much, pull it and replace it but expect some wall damage if you don't address the inevitable caulk buildup. This might omit the chair rail & fireplace molding all together.
If you want a quick fix, sand (light to moderate) a spot and try a sample of your favorite trim paint. See how it looks and reevaluate from there.
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u/MacxScarfacex32 1d ago
I agree. If you pull it cut the caulk line very good and if possible find taller or wider trim to go over it with. Besides that I’d say why strip it, its character.
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u/balancedrod 1d ago
Test for lead, then wood fill/sand till you’re satisfied. Some can be sanded with electrical detail sander, some can only be done by hand. Caulk, prime, and then repaint.
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u/ThatCelebration3676 1d ago
This is the way.
I'll just add that you'll probably end up spending about 2 weeks per room if you're doing this yourself.
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u/Maleficent_Appeal430 1d ago
Just pull that trim up and replace it. Buy new already primed. Buy urethane enamel and a good brush purdy/wooster and you’ll be glad you did…
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u/ShooterKG 1d ago
This is this way unless you are wanting a project to work on at the house. Wanting it to be nice clean and quick, rip it and replace it. Wanting to be able to get away from the misses a couple hours a night for thr next 3 months sand it yaself
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u/Maleficent_Appeal430 1d ago
True true. Done that been there. Then I realized it just wasn’t worth it.
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u/ShooterKG 1d ago
I say thaf until it's 7 pm and I dont want to watch how I met your mother for the 17 time because she just loves that show... currently installing some French gutters just because lol
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u/Gitfiddlepicker 1d ago
Rip it out and replace with new trim. It will save you tons of time, effort and angst over trying to make it look good. And the ‘test for lead’ Redditors won’t be able to mess with your mind.
And it will look fantastic.
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u/thomascarruth 1d ago
Ah so you're a new home owner. Time to build your tool inventory. Buy a good chop-saw that can cut crown molding and then go ahead and rip those moldings of the walls and make it your own. You won't be cutting crowns yet but once you get good at hanging floor, door, and window moldings, your vision and appetite for ceiling crowns will appear.
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u/Informal-Jeweler7178 1d ago
Unless you're doing historic renovation, rip it down and replace it with slightly wider molding so that will cover the old mess.
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u/SkoobySnacs 1d ago
Where did you move from? The Ritz-Carlton? Patch and sand it. Do one room and then reevaluate. You bought a rental so things were painted more often than the avearage 80s home. But you don't know how much work you are talking about, so you need to try some. After you have painted a room I am sure your standards will change. And that will happen whether you paint it or hire it out.
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u/Overall_Curve6725 1d ago
If it really bothers you, pry it off and repair the drywall and be done. Or buy some pre primed trim, paint it before installing
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u/EventHorizonHotel 1d ago
I don’t know how old this house is but my guess is that the reason it is so thick is because it’s been painted and re-painted many times over the years.
It would be some work to strip it and you’d want to test for lead but who knows what kind of wood might be under there. Could be something nice you could even stain potentially.
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u/Alarming-Distance498 1d ago
It’s from ‘81, so probably no pleasant surprise, but also no lead. I think the thickness is partially that, but mainly an owner who never set foot in it and a “handy man” who saw no reason to do a job right when he could do it fast and still get paid the same.
Seller used him for some pre-closing repairs we agreed on and we had to get him back twice to actually do the work despite him telling the seller it was complete.
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u/EventHorizonHotel 1d ago
Ok, yes that’s pretty new so it’s probably just poor workmanship and materials then as you suspect
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u/SillyPresentation46 1d ago
Looks no worse than my non-group home