Repair Recipe: Revitalized Exterior Door Trim
Do you ever walk by something in your house over and over again that has become so desperately worn down, may be hanging on by it’s final thread, but you just can’t be bothered to update it?
Well, that’s how I was treating the exterior door trim leading from our backyard into the house. I walked by it almost daily, internally commenting on it’s shabbiness, criticizing how it could use a nice touch up but oh, not today.
Skip ahead to the spring and we’d been planning to re-landscape the backyard. Upon passing through this doorway at a higher frequency, the depressing quality of the poorly maintained paint finally pushed me over the edge. Within hours, I’d purchased the materials to bring it back to life.
This is the type of small project that is so easy it would be difficult to do improperly - so it’s really not worth calling in backup. If you can convince yourself to spend a few hours to knock it out, you’ll save a few hundred bucks on labor.
Supplies You'll Need
Drop cloth
Painter’s tape
Paint, matched to your exterior trim
Kilz (an oil based primer)
TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) for cleaning
A paint can opener
1” and 2” paintbrushes, you’ll want both sizes
Metal paint scraper
Sandpaper
Gloves & sponge
Caulk & a caulk gun
Step ladder
Instructions
Smooth the surface of the trim: Take your metal paint scraper and scrape chipping or lose paint from the trim. It’s not necessary to remove all existing paint but remove anything that might flake later and smooth the surface as much as you can. This should take no more than 30 minutes per doorway. With the lose paint chipped away, go over the entire surface with your sandpaper, smoothing any rough edges and breaking off any other areas that might chip later.
Clean the trim: With a bucket of water, put on your gloves and mix in TSP according to the instructions on the package. You’ll want about a half gallon of the mixture for each exterior doorway you’re working on. Wet your sponge and clean all edges of the door frame and any other trim you’ll be touching up. This will remove any paint chips, dust from the sandpaper or dirt that might prevent future paint from sticking. Let the surface dry completely.
Tape and seal: Once dry, lay your drop cloth below the doorway and tape around the outsides of the trim to protect the siding/brick/stucco/etc. of the house. Cover the handle as well. When ready, paint a later of Kilz primer over the trim. Make sure to paint all sides of the doorway and smooth out any areas of excess droplets. Let dry completely - refer to the instructions on the Kilz container for minimum time. Clean your paintbrush and set aside.
Paint trim: When the Kilz has dried completely, paint the trim with your color-matched paint. Working with two brushes will allow you to get into the smaller corners when necessary and be more efficient with a bigger brush in the thicker areas. Let dry completely and then paint a second coat. Check for excess paint, evenness and that all sides are covered. Clear your paintbrush while you let the second coat dry completely. Remove all painters tape and the drop cloth.
Seal with caulk (if needed): If the trim is pulling away from the siding material, or separated at it’s corners, use the caulk gun to push caulk into these spaces. The idea is to close any gaps or holes in the trim to prevent water from seeping in so some spaces may require more caulk than others. Use a sponge or a finger to smooth the edges of the caulk for a cleaner finish. Let dry completely.
Admire your handiwork: Walk through this doorway and admire the revitalized trim that perhaps only you will notice.
In the end, taking the time to rejuvenate those worn-down corners of your home can make all the difference. With just a bit of effort and a handful of supplies, you can transform an eyesore into a source of pride, all while saving a few bucks along the way. So next time you find yourself passing by that tired old trim, consider giving it the refresh it deserves – you'll be glad you did!
