# NC sequence and Interior Trims, Casings, baseboards, moldings.



## enfyre (Nov 9, 2013)

So I've been doing large commercial jobs mostly during my career (putting my Graco Ultra Max II 1595 to work!) I also have a 495 for residential interiors.
I do residential repaints on the side and the occasional new construction.

I want to get more into new construction homes, especially since I've just moved to a smaller city.

I do new construction the way I was trained to which is
1. spray primer walls+ceiling and backroll or just roll walls if ceiling is tex
2. shoot ceiling twice with finish
3. Roll walls once with finish
4. Spray trim + doors in garage

5. Return upon completion of house and caulk + spackle trims, base, etc.
6. mask off carpets, Finish trims by hand, touch up doors.
7. Roll/brush walls as needed and done.

Now here's the issue, it seems that the norm here is sprayed trim, the homebuilders want all the baseboards, and door and window casings to be sprayed semi gloss as close as an automotive finish as possible. No finish brushing on trim.
Is this a common requirement in new housing?
Geuss I'm a little nervous to spray in a completed home.
I know with enough masking and drop clothes it'll be ok.
but still.

would like to hear how everyone else typically does the finish trim in new houses.


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## ridesarize (Jun 19, 2012)

Hello, welcome to Paint Talk.
Everyone has different methods as we all know and then like 85% of us do things alike. Also each home is different, and each builder's schedule and operating procedure is different.
But I would say to backroll primer ceilings too, backroll paint on walls and ceilings too. It needs to be rolled out/worked over so the texture and walls absorb and fill up evenly. Unless there is no expectation for it to be professional.
I would spray and roll walls, then mask down to spray ceilings. Or you can do that step after trim is all done and you covered dusted out ceilings that way.
I don't agree with your trim method at all, but to each their own. You should prime spackle and caulking along with trim. I would want to to spray before carpet and many other things go in.


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## Lazerline (Mar 26, 2012)

I like to spray trim(already installed), mask it, paint walls, mask wall perimeter, paint ceilings, then after everything is torn down touch up cut lines with brush. New construction has been my bread and butter for eight years and this system works best for me as a solo painter.

Also if you can get good with stilts you would be amazed at how fast you can knock out masking wall perimeters or crown.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

I'm preferential to spraying, the reason being is that it leaves just a beautiful finish that's hard to replicate with rollers. NOT* impossible, but takes more time and you have to have special naps etc. etc. vs. blow and go and you get the same or better finish. 

I prefer to actually finish the base PRIOR to it being installed, if the trim guys are not real idiots they won't blow through the base/casing with nails etc. Then all you have to do is go back and putty the holes/caulk the gaps. 

Can you talk to the builder and ask him to get the trim to spray prior to install? Maybe if you tell him you'll knock off a few bucks and at the same time his job will go faster. Saves you time (masking) as well as material (masking material/tape). 

If you have the ability to finish the trim prior to install, lets say within a day (all spray), then it can cure/dry over night and they can install it the next day, not a huge amount of down time for the builder. That is, if you have the capacity. 

Just an idea.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

woodcoyote said:


> I'm preferential to spraying, the reason being is that it leaves just a beautiful finish that's hard to replicate with rollers. NOT* impossible, but takes more time and you have to have special naps etc. etc. vs. blow and go and you get the same or better finish.
> 
> I prefer to actually finish the base PRIOR to it being installed, if the trim guys are not real idiots they won't blow through the base/casing with nails etc. Then all you have to do is go back and putty the holes/caulk the gaps.
> 
> ...


So, no finish over the putty or caulk??

What about standing trim?


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## ridesarize (Jun 19, 2012)

What about priming? Or any cuts or rips carpenters have to do. Spraying trim before install is rarely worth it to us. Plus you don't use much tape if you're not masking walls off.
Lazerline, I'm with you..


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

ridesarize said:


> What about priming? Or any cuts or rips carpenters have to do. Spraying trim before install is rarely worth it to us. Plus you don't use much tape if you're not masking walls off.
> Lazerline, I'm with you..


Our approach is to prime and apply one coat of finish on the loose trim; fill,caulk, and touch up filled spots; and apply a final coat to all the trim..


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## ridesarize (Jun 19, 2012)

I see.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

Gough said:


> So, no finish over the putty or caulk??
> 
> What about standing trim?





ridesarize said:


> What about priming? Or any cuts or rips carpenters have to do. Spraying trim before install is rarely worth it to us. Plus you don't use much tape if you're not masking walls off.
> Lazerline, I'm with you..



Yes we put finish over putty or caulk. That's what I had inferred was to pre-finish and then when you come back you do your putty/caulking areas. If you do have to mask it's minimal vs. the entire piece or if it's minimal you can brush it if you had to, with small artist brushes (nail holes) or what not.

Prime in the morning, let dry and paint in the afternoon. If it still isn't dry, well then you have to wait to paint. But if the OP has the facilities or what not, then you can control the temperature/environment etc., to aid in curing.


As for rip cuts, it just really depends on the situation. Granted not everything is going to be perfect, but even if you pre-finish you'll still have to go back for nail holes, caulking gaps, etc. etc. So this idea of pre-spraying isn't meant to be a one time thing and then collect the money. Just like painting a house, you usually have to go back and do touch-ups from other trades. 

But for the rip cutting, I don't now too many carpenters that are going to rip a piece of base board or casing or crown molding in half to make it fit. If anything they usually trim off a quarter inch or something and they usually but it up to something that isn't seen (against floor for baseboard). Like I said you have to go back and maybe do that particular cut by hand or mask it off. But if the OP is saying the builder wants spray only...in my opinion doing it off the wall is better than doing it ON the wall. 

That's the way we always do it, stain/paint prior and then if something needs touch up or what not, it's easier to do. It would be the same concept as if the builder were to have bought it pre-finished from the store or molding company, same issues would apply except he'd probably save money by actually getting it done by a painter (different colors, stains, top-coats etc.). More flexibility.

Maybe I'm just use to doing it so it's not a big deal for us.


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

I just can't see touching up base or case, especially if you spray out the coats before install, and try to touchup with a brush after install. Seems like flashing would be an issue. The brush would build up more coating and with a different application method than the rest of it.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

You can touch up with a brush or sprayer. I've done both and haven't really experienced any problems, once in awhile, but it's not often.


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

What do you use for trim paint woodcoyote?


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

proclassic or the solo enamel. I actually like the solo better than PC. 

Personally I do more stained trim than painted. But we do, do both.


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## more_prep (Dec 7, 2009)

I spray all...prep/prime/paint trim first, in place, no masking on walls. If the opportunity presents itself, I will sand/prep and prime trim before install. After finishing trim, mask trim. Then prime/paint ceiling. Mask ceiling with 0.3mil painters plastic in 10' wide roll. Plastic stays up there by itself with static electricity. I first run 3/4" tape around the ceiling perimeter, then I seal the plastic to that. Then I scuff sand the trim paint that got on the walls, and prime and paint the walls. For high end work, I hand sand the primed walls with 120 grit 3M sanding pads (6x6x 1/4" type). Trim is automotive quality finish, and walls are like velvet. This protocol is probably overkill for painting apartments...


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