Wood

Trim, Doors/Bare Wood/To Be Painted

a. Surface Preparation:

• treat any mildew with a 3:1 water:household bleach mixture, leaving it on for 20 minutes and adding more as it dries; wear eye and skin protection; rinse thoroughly
• dull any glossy areas of wood ("mill glaze") by sanding with medium (#120) grit garnet paper; wear eye protection, dust mask and work gloves
• fill any gouges with wood filler; let dry and sand flush
• fill gaps with quality acrylic or siliconized acrylic caulk, and immediately smooth it flush; allow to dry over night and make a second application if needed; do not sand a caulk
• remove any dirt by scrubbing with detergent and water; rinse thoroughly; let dry out
• lightly sand the entire area to be painted with fine (#220) grit garnet paper, then dust off with clean rags

b. Priming:

• priming is necessary to ensure adhesion, stain blocking and sheen or gloss uniformity
• prime all surfaces: use a stain blocking primer that is recommended for interior use; choose from:
  • latex stain blocking primer: excellent for general use, good adhesion, blocks most stains, superior long term adhesion and flexibility; easiest to use and lowest odor
  • alcohol-based (shellac based) stain blocking primer: maximum adhesion and stain blocking; moderate odor upon application, requires alcohol clean-up; quick drying; use with ample ventilation
  • oil-based (alkyd): superior adhesion and stain blocking; high odor upon application; use with ample ventilation; use if oil-based paint is to be applied
  • do not use PVA latex wall primer for this
• do not leave a primer unpainted

c. Painting:

• use top-of-the-line interior latex or oil-based paint in flat, satin, semi-gloss or gloss finish, depending on appearance desired
• oil-based will provide greater hardness, but may yellow, and will be prone to crack with time
• satin, semigloss and gloss paints will resist dirt and handprints better than flat finish