How To Paint Trim With Carpet?

Wanting to give a new color to the trim becomes a difficult task when it comes to carpeted floors. And its accomplishment becomes more challenging when the baseboard is installed directly above the floor and has left no gap in between to fill. So “How To Paint Trim With Carpet?”

While it seems to be impossible, there are a handful of ideas by which you can bring about the implementation without removing the carpet.

In this article, you will get a few tricks on how to paint the trims like professionals without spoiling your carpet.

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Do Initial Setups Before Painting 

Before you open the box of paint, first follow the steps listed below to ensure a clean and long-lasting color on the trim. For this,

Cover The Carpet With A Drop Cloth Or A Plastic Sheet

1. Place a drop cloth or plastic sheet along the carpet where you want to paint. 
2. After making sure that the carpet is fully covered, paste the cover with painter’s tape.
3. Using a putty knife or any other loose knife, tug the painter’s tape under the trim.
4. If you are painting the trims of a big room, then you can avoid pasting and simply drag the cover in the region where you are painting.  

Paste The Walls With Painters Tape

1. Paste the tape just above the trim to protect the wall from paint splatters.
2. Paste 2 to 3 feet at a time and use your thumb to stick it in place.
3. Broaden the tape’s thickness to avoid splashes.
4. Continue pasting until all walls (where you want to paint) are adequately covered.
5. Refrain from beating the taped region while painting to ensure that the tape will stay in its place.

Clean The Trim With Cloth And Sandpaper 

Cleaning is the most important step, which most people forget, but it is essential to clean the trim properly because the paint will only adhere if the trim is clean. If dirty trim is painted directly, then it will eventually leave patches and will affect the quality of the finish. That is why it is recommended not to leave this step, which includes,

1. Take a cloth and rub it nicely over the trim until the dust is removed.
2. Take a small piece of sandstone and gently rub it all over the trim to make it smoother and to remove a layer of old material, such as old paint.
3. Wipe the trim again with a clean cloth to remove excess.
4. You can skip the sanding step if you have never painted the trim earlier. 
5. Be attentive during the process so that no wall above the trim is ruined.
6. While sanding and cleaning the trim, use a face cover or mask to avoid dust inhalation. 

Use Paint Guard 

To get extra protection for your carpet, you can use a paint guard under the trim where you want to paint. This will provide full coverage and protection to your carpet. For this,

1. Place a paint guard just above the painters tape, which was placed to stick drop cloth or plastic sheet.
2. Press the guard towards the wall and carpet while painting.
3. You can also use metal sheets or any other material that fits better in place of a paint guard. 

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How To Paint The Trim With Carpet?

Now, here comes the primary step which needs your attention and care the most. For this, you have to pay extra attention to a few points before you actually start painting. These steps are,

Pour The Paint Carefully In Paint Tray

1. Open the lid of color with a flathead screwdriver and pour it into the tray. 
2. Use paint that doesn’t drip so that it doesn’t spread away from the taped region.
3. Add an oil-based paint to get a glossy texture.
4. Mix both the paints carefully and evenly.
5. Use a mask on your face while mixing to avoid its smell.

Paint The Trim 

Before applying the color, place an angular and flat brush near you and dip one of them in the paint color. You can,

1. Use a 2 to 3-inch angled brush on the base of trim and a flat brush to paint other portions.
2. Choose a soft versus stiff brush as its filaments provide accurate lines over edges, or else you can choose natural bristle brushes that are designed for oil-based coatings. 

Start From The Middle Section

This part of the trim needs less focus and accuracy as compared to the edges. For this, 

1. Take a flat brush and dip it in the color tray. 
2. Tap the brush on the clean part of tray to remove excess color.
3. Color the trim’s middle section gently by moving your hands horizontally on it.
4. Cover each section with at least 2 to 3 coats of paint for better finish.

Color The Top Section

The top section is a bit more tricky than the middle one but easier as compared to the lower portion because of the little dip between the top porting of trim and the start of the wall. To get started with this,

1. Take a brush dipped in paint and place it over the trim, making a 45-degree angle facing towards the wall. 
2. Paint the trim horizontally and try to keep the brush apart from the wall’s start.
3. Give the trim’s top section an excellent finish with a double or triple coating of color.

Paint the Lower Section

This is the most challenging section, which is why you have to be extra careful while going for this portion. 

1. Place the paintbrush at a 45-degree angle facing the carpet and press it towards the wall.
2. Move the brush horizontally and double the coat for a better finish.
3. Don’t grab the paintbrush too tight as it can remove your focus and shake your hands.

Give Final Touch To Your Paint

For this, you just have to let the paint dry for a few hours until it is fixed on the wall. With this, also follow a few points such as,

1. Don’t remove the painters tape before the paint dries, otherwise, the newly painted region can be pulled off from its place.

1. For fast drying, open doors and windows of rooms and give your room proper ventilation. 

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Conclusion: 

The answer to “How To Paint Trim With Carpet?” seems to be simple, but it has a long process of implementation. Moreover, if you are painting using latex paint, then it will be difficult to remove it. Therefore you must know how to get latex paint out of the carpet.

If you want to achieve this implementation technique like a professional, then you have to go through every step as suggested in this article carefully. 

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FAQ’S:

Can I paint trim without using painters tape?

Painters tape secure carpets and floors from getting color splatters. If you don’t want to use it and are searching for an alternative, then you can place a slash brush and a paper strip just below the paint area. You can also use a bucket with straight side edges for same.

Can we use regular paint on the trims?

Trim is made to look glossy and slightly different from your walls. That is why it becomes essential to use oil paint with regular paint to maintain its shine. If you don’t want to use mixing techniques, then you can consider trim paints as your option.

Can we use a roller instead of a paintbrush to paint the trim?

Paintbrush gives a better finish to trims with no irregularities and patches. In contrast, rollers are designed to paint big walls faster. On considering the advantages of both, it is better to paint trim using a paintbrush. Still, you can choose a roller to paint the middle section of the trim by giving it many coats.