# Easier way to prep old painted trim?



## t yearian (Jul 9, 2006)

Preparing old interior trim with multiple layers of old paint, chipped here and there, too thick in places, separating in others. I've tried stripping, sanding, scrapping but hate it. This is probably a pipe dream but it seems to me there's got to be an easier way. Strippers are messy and/or toxic, sanding is laborious and potentially hazardous, and scraping is the worst. I haven't tried heating but that too seems dangerous and time-consuming.

Isn't there some way to just encapsulate the stuff? Scrape off the loose stuff, fill dings and then coat with some sort of magic penetrating primer that would help old also help paint adhere to trim?


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## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

The sanding and stripping are extremely messy, potentially hazardous, and almost always more costly than new trim
As the sanding and stripping are almost always easier after the trim has been removed, and the labor to install old stripped trim or new trim is the same...you're probably guessing what I'm getting at by now

Truth to your question is yes, we fill dings with joint compound, putty, and/or wood filler
But there is a point of diminishing returns...and it's not really magical

W/o an eye on it it's hard to say for sure, but from your description I'd recommend replacing the trim


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## t yearian (Jul 9, 2006)

*Followup - Filler & Primer?*

I have to agree, if I ever do another remodel I'll seriously consider replacing trim if either in bad shape or heavily painted. But too far along now. 

Is there a filler/putty that works well over paint, i.e. to fill chipped areas which don't go down to raw wood? 

Also, after filling and/or sanding, what would you recommend for primer? Is there nothing like I asked about, a primer that penetrates through old layers of paint?


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## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

slickshift said:


> ... we fill dings with joint compound, putty, and/or wood filler


Which one depends on how deep/bad

JC for shallow, Putty for med, WF for deep


I'm not sure what/why you are asking for/about the primer
Why would in need to penetrate?
Primer kinda does a little, that's why you sand the surface before primering


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

Try zinsser product website. Look for Peel Stop. They have other primers as well.

The most important part of a quality and lasting paint job is the prep. If you skip this step (scraping and sanding) then the end result will suffer.


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## Katydid (Jul 10, 2006)

*Redline is right on...*

Absolutely true. Prep is probably 85% of a whole job done right. Next time replace the trim, leaving only the old doorjams to strip. 

But for now... If you must fill nicks, I've used bondo effectively, as well as the other 3 products mentioned. It's a lot of trouble, but you can kinda sculpt it into peeks or whatever is needed to restore chipped areas. It will dry faster than wood puty, but is not a healthy option if you're living in the house. Also, I agree that Zinzler peel-stop would probably be an appropriate primer. 

Finally. Finish with a matte or flat paint. The glossier the paint, the more attention is drawn to the imperfect base below it.
By the way--don't worry how the old trims look before painting. It's how they feel that counts. Use your bare fingertips often while sanding to judge when it's smooth enough. (Hopefully they're not fluted or fancy mouldings!) Good Luck.


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## SgtBaldy (Jul 18, 2006)

No primer is going to penetrate old coatings of paint. It is best to get off everything that wants to come off.


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## jacksonista (Nov 26, 2006)

Probably the easiest way is to use a heat gun to get to the wood. Fill the dents/gaps then a good sanding and repaint. Sweat equity can save you lots of money it just depends on what it's worth to you.

Or do the other and buy new replacement woodwork.


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## AAPaint (Mar 4, 2006)

I'm on the replace it bandwagon. After so long, and so many coating, if you don't replace it (or go through the dreadful labor of completely stripping it), you're just averting the issue for a short time. Replacing is cheaper, but if it's something historic you're trying to preserve, that's another story.


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## joewho (Nov 1, 2006)

Magic penetrating primer is very expensive and you have to know a leprachaun to get it.

It sounds like you have some trim that's chipped and you want it smooth, so you started scraping and stripping? If so, you can patch it up and paint it.

If it has so many coats that you're forced to strip it, then just replace it.

If it's old wood you want to preserve, you have to strip it, but you want to prep for paint so it's probably not.


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