Just realized most people skip the primer step on old wood trim

I've been fixing up my 1920s bungalow in Columbus and kept seeing paint peel off the original trim after a year. My neighbor (a retired painter) told me to always use an oil-based primer first, even if the new paint says it has primer in it. I tried it on the kitchen window last fall, and the finish is still perfect. Has anyone else found a specific step that everyone seems to skip but really makes a difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

alicer534d ago

My 1918 craftsman in Cincinnati had the same problem with paint chipping off the door frames. I started using a shellac based primer like B-I-N before any latex paint. It seals in the old stains and creates a surface the new paint actually sticks to. I did my front hallway three years ago and it still looks fresh, no peeling at all. That extra step takes more time but saves so much work later.

wells.christopher4d ago

My 1924 bungalow's trim needed B-I-N too, and it made all the difference.

seanc734d ago

Yeah, that shellac based primer tip is the real deal. I had the same peeling on my dining room baseboards. I sanded it down, used that exact kind of primer, and then two coats of a good latex. That was five years ago and you can't even chip it with a fingernail now. It's a pain to work with but it actually works.