# To paint or to not paint wooden baseboards, and trim/doors



## AskMrJay

Hey there sweetwild, 
Congrats on the purchase! Hopefully everything else has gone smoothly so far with the new house.

In my opinion, nothing shows value quite like wood. Anytime I walk into properties and see hardwood floors or nicely stained trim, it just seems to pop . It’s such a classic look that you just can’t beat. If it were me, I would leave them stained. It’s a bit on the dark side, so choose your paint colors carefully so that it doesn’t shrink the room too much.

The 4th picture, that periwinkle color (or what looks like periwinkle on my screen) looks great against that trim color! I would think a nice red, slightly on the darker side would look good on there as well, give it that very traditional feel. It’s not really a dated color per se, but it does depend a bit on the area for it’s resale value. Do you know what shape the neighbors trim is in?

Let me know~

-Mr. Jay


----------



## Jay123

How much does that cat weigh? :laughing:


----------



## sweetwild

Hi!

Hehehe, he is a Maincoon mix and weights about 16lbs thank goodness nothing heavier, lol, yeah he's a big kitty :laughing:

The neighbors homes I've been in have painted baseboards and trim or have been replaced w/painted MDF. If we keep the stained look, we were thinking of restraining it a special walnut color (I don't really like the oak stain it has now), and keep the walls very light/neutral. We want a very light and airy feel since we live by the ocean, something cottagie, simple and vintage to suit our location. Not sure if the walnut would look nice with light walls though - our thoughts aren't set in stone just yet, and we are very open to suggestions. 

Thanks so much


----------



## Windows

It is almost always a mistake to paint vintage wood millwork. The pictures make it look like a very nice and unique home. It would be a shame to give it the same treatment reserved for run-of-the-mill suburban tract houses. I would likewise shelve the idea of restaining. It is a ridiculous amount of work to do it right, and if you are concerned about resale, you will never see a return on all your effort.


----------



## sweetwild

Windows said:


> I would likewise shelve the idea of restaining. It is a ridiculous amount of work to do it right, and if you are concerned about resale, you will never see a return on all your effort.


Hi Windows, 
We do have to sand them - The baseboards are a tad beat up, and the old varnish is peeling, and cracking on the doors/trim. Would you just recommend sanding them, and poly them with a clear coat? (I'm a completely newbie when it comes to this)

thanks in advance!


----------



## Jay123

Windows is correct, it will be a HUGE amount of work, not that you can't do it, but you need to know what you would be taking on.

If it was a refinish project I was taking on, I would use some of the liquid/gel stripper (and long rubber gloves) to get most of the old finish off...sometimes it takes 2 or 3 applications and is VERY messy...and requires lots of ventilation.

After that...LOTS of sanding, with power sanders and LOTS of hand sanding in the curvers/nooks/crannies of any wood work.

After that's all cleaned up, time to start re-finishing, conditioner (if called for), stain, 2-3 coats of top finish.

I'm tired just typing it. :laughing: Think how long it would take to do it all...not that you can't, you just need to be aware of what's involved.

I don't do much re-finishing, just a few projects over the years, but they were all time consuming and require a lot of attention to detail.

These columns beams had to be stripped/sanded/re-finished...the day after they were first stained. :huh:

It was a new build project for me...I had the painters/finishers apply liberal amounts of conditioner just prior to staining (maple)...left for 2-3 hours...and the stain was _still_ all blotchy....let it sit overnight to see if anything would improve. :no:

So, spent the next 3 days (2 guys), stripping, sanding...sanding some more to get it back to zero. 










I did these entry doors (lots of sun damage to the finish) in my shop in about 30 actual hours (not including time between finish coats), and that was for just 2 doors.




























If you're not bored/scared yet here are a couple more projects.

Table - approx. 45 hrs.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jjfwoodworks/TableRefinishCraftsmenCarpentryCom#

Old school desk - approx. 35 hrs.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jjfwoodworks/DeskRefinishCraftsmenCarpentryCom#


Ideally, if you could just remove the clear topcoat(s), it would save you a LOT of time, you could then apply another coat of stain to even everything out, then apply new topcoats.

Someone with more knowledge than myself in regards to finishes will need to pipe in.

Anything you try...see if you can practice in a closet. :yes:


----------



## epson

I would sand down all the wood, apply wood filler mixed with your desired stain into all your dents, scratches, etc. then sand the filled areas down and apply your stain.

For resale all the interior designers are painting everything but if you want that old world charm and warmth I would leave it as is if you intend to live their for a long time.


----------



## moopey

Even though stained trim isn't really my cup of tea, i agree with the others. if you're willing to take on the project I say don't paint. Often times when people are looking at older homes they expect to see "charming" woodwork that you just don't see that often anymore.


----------



## sweetwild

Wow, amazing work, you are very talented! Thank you so much for your knowledge everyone. I like the old world look myself, but yes it will be a lot of work. I don't think we'll be in this house in 10 years (more like five years), but we do want to spend time to fix up this place to get the best value; Do you think painted baseboards, window/door trim are preferred and is this a trend that will be sticking around for awhile (thinking about resale value)? If so, I would like to leave the doors and stairs stained would that be ok? 

Thanks again, 
very confused
April


----------



## Windows

Painted trim may be preferred but that is not why it is ubiquitous. It is so common because it is cheaper and easier to install and maintain. Paint is definitely a downgrade and even if people prefer it, they will not pay more for it.


----------



## sweetwild

Ah I see, that would explain all the white trim in a lot of these new cookie-cutter homes 
Thanks again for your knowledge 
Cheers,
April


----------



## MagicalHome

I am not an expert on this topic, but I know what's nice when I see one. I like the look of natural wood. I suggest you just sand and re-varnish them.


----------



## ianc435

L
Ytghh


----------



## ArchieOval

nice home improvement project :thumbsup:

_________________________________


----------



## SmallHouseLife

First thing I'd do is paint the walls.. a creamy white (but I like neutral).. before you do anything to the wood. It will change the whole look and you can get a better idea of what you want.

As far as wood baseboards versus white? Yes, the wood is a bit dated but used correctly can be warm and inviting. That's why I say do the walls first.


----------

