How much trim paint do I need?

For baseboards, door casing, and window casing. Trim takes much less paint than walls.

Baseboard (linear ft)Doors (both sides)WindowsPaint door slabs tooCoats

Trim paint

1 gal

Trim area156 sq ft

How to measure

Add up the baseboard length in feet. Count the doors and windows that get painted casing.

Tips from the field

Semi-gloss or satin enamel wipes clean and stands up to kicks and scuffs.
Sand glossy old trim lightly before painting so the new coat sticks.

What you'll need

Trim enamelAngled sash brushSanding spongePainter's tape

Common questions

What sheen is best for trim?

Semi-gloss or satin enamel. It wipes clean and stands up to scuffs.

Should I paint trim or walls first?

Most painters do trim first, then cut in the walls against it.

Do I need to sand trim before painting?

Lightly scuff glossy trim so the new paint sticks.

Add this calculator to your websiteFree

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<p style="font:14px sans-serif">Free <a href="https://housecalcs.com/tools/trim-paint-calculator">trim paint calculator</a> from HouseCalcs</p>
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