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7 Best Paint for Trim and Baseboards Reviews and Buying Guide [2023]

When it comes to painting the interiors, a lot of us neglect the interior trim. Though it is not as visible as the ceilings and walls, it can make a huge difference to the look of your interiors.

This small thing calls big attention and can make a great difference. From sipping your morning coffee to standing close to the windows, they too need special care and paints.

Being high-impact areas, you must make sure to get them painted using a high-quality material. Usually, the paint for these areas come pre-tinted in base and bright white colors, which can be custom-tinted.

By selecting the best paint finish, you get attention, reflection, smoothness, cleanability, and durability for your baseboards and interior trim. Hence, check this post to know everything about paints for trims and get an idea about which one you must buy!

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1. Majic Paints 8-1500-4 Diamond Hard Acrylic Enamel High Gloss –  Best Acrylic Paint

No need to sand or prime your product before painting as this is a really high-quality paint offering excellent finish and impeccable results at a budgeted cost.

A perfect solution for new or retrofit projects, it is highly versatile and works on all exterior and interior surfaces including copper, brick, plastic, drywall, aluminum, tile, glass, plastic and others.

Performance and Technical Features

This is a one-step way to paint your surfaces and useful before application making it suitable to perform your entire DIY crafty ideas. It adds more color and enhancement to your life. Holding superior quality, it outperforms oil-based paints.

With its rust-resistance feature, you no more need to worry about damage or wear and tear of your baseboard or trim. The low odor ensures you can use it easily in every indoor surface for the best results. It is non-flammable and holds great color and gloss retention offering a superior outcome always.

Why is it Unique?

This paint is perfect for almost all projects. It works great outdoors and indoors. The paint possesses superior color retention and offers a beautiful and smooth finish of high level.

You will find it extremely easy to use as it sticks to almost all surfaces. The best part is that it does not need priming or sanding, and hence, imparts more convenience and saves a lot of time resulting in fast finishing of the project.

Is this Product Recommended?

This paint holds great adhesion and sticks well to the surface. It is durable and long-lasting. The paint seems to be of great quality, and we recommend using it for all sorts of surfaces.

Best Fit For

It is best suitable to paint all sorts of surfaces including furniture, trim, cabinets, wooden areas, walls, steel, aluminum, and more.

Buyer’s Experiences

For most of the buyers, this paint worked well in airbrush when slightly thinned. The paint holds smooth consistency and flows well. It offers a great gloss finish and works well. It appears to be durable.

Pros

  • Useful for all purposes
  • Easy application
  • Superior color retention and gloss
  • Tough and long-lasting acrylic finish
  • Suitable for all sorts of projects
  • Low odor
  • Does not need priming or sanding.

Cons

  • The color is light, and you need to apply two or more coatings of the paint.

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2. Rust-Oleum 1990502 Painter’s Touch Latex Paint, Flat White – Best Latex Paint

For those who want to remodel their old, wooden furniture items or who want to give an entirely new look to your trim or baseboard, this is the paint to go for.

It is truly a wonderful quality product that applies nicely and leaves no brush strokes or chips. Eventually, you gain even and consistent coverage.

Performance and Technical Features

It is a flat white paint color offering flat white finish. Being water-based it takes time to dry but ultimately delivers awesome results. The paint is a multi-purpose one and offers a durable and smooth finish on exterior and interior items.

It hides all sorts of flaws and resists fading and chipping on the surfaces. You can use it for a variety of outdoor and indoor projects including ceramic, metal, wood or masonry. It possesses low odor and offers quick project completion

Why is it Unique?

This is a rich quality product that covers up to 120 sq ft surface in one stroke. You need to apply the second coating after complete drying of the first coating. The flat finish reduces surface imperfections while smooth gliding offers excellent hide.

Before you apply it to any surface, you may sand surfaces using 180 / 200 grit sandpaper. It can fully transform the look of your interiors offering attractive appearance.

Is this Product Recommended?

It is an amazing product for painting all types of surfaces. It looks good and went on nicely resulting in no brush strokes and chips. You can apply two or more coats of this paint to offer an appealing and smooth finish to your project.

Best Fit For

This paint is best fit for all those who want to give a new look to their project. It hides all flaws and can be used to offer a great finish to all sorts of surfaces.

Buyer’s Experiences

The buyers find it a wonderful product, which offers even and smooth coverage on surfaces. It offers a fresh and new look and is suitable to use for most of their projects. They loved its overall appearance and finish.

Pros

  • Useful for outdoor and indoor projects
  • Suitable for a variety of surfaces like plaster, metal, wood, unglazed ceramic or masonry
  • Low odor
  • Resistant to chips and fade
  • Offers long-lasting protection.
  • Needs to sand surfaces before application.
  • Offers excellent hide to imperfections.
  • Goes well smoothly.

Cons

  • It takes time to dry.

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3. Boomerang Eco-Friendly Interior Paint – Best Eggshell Finish

Next is this eco-friendly, premium quality paint with eggshell finish. The paint is useful in most areas of the home like ceilings and walls.

It is washable and releases no harmful gases, thereby turning to be a great solution for painting your interiors.

Performance and Technical Features

It is a great quality product offering good coverage. The white finish is utterly amazing. It has no bad odor and offers a beautiful color without resulting in brush marks.

It gives a nice eggshell finish and allows easy application. You can use it to paint not just trim but also walls and other areas where you want a premium look and convenient application. 

Why is it Unique?

The best part of this paint is that it comes with excellent hiding capabilities. It offers exceptional coverage and is washable. As a result, you can easily wipe off dust and dirt from it.

Furthermore, it is very convenient to apply this paint. You can use it in most areas of your home like ceilings and walls. However, it has an awful smell, which disappears in a few days.

Is this Product Recommended?

We find it a great product offering excellent coverage. Though it is quite expensive, it offers great finish and appearance, which makes it a worthy purchase.

Best Fit For

It is a washable and eco-friendly product offering latex eggshell finish. It is best to use on all kinds of surfaces including ceilings and walls. Being washable, it is worth using both indoors and outdoors.

Buyer’s Experiences

The buyers are impressed with the performance of this paint. It glides smoothly and makes it easier for them to cover their surfaces white. It gives a beautiful creamy white appearance, which makes it a best fit for most of their projects.

Pros

  • Eco-friendly
  • Premium quality
  • Useful for all sorts of projects
  • Washable
  • 4 times fewer greenhouse gas emissions
  • Easy to apply.
  • Excellent hiding power
  • Great coverage

Cons

  • It is slightly expensive.

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4. INSL-X CC560109A-44 Cabinet Coat – Best Semi-Gloss Finish

This cabinet coat offers an ultimate semi-gloss paint finish for trim, cabinet refurbishing, shelving, crown molding, and furniture.

You can use it for other interior applications as well to avail of ultra-smooth finish and long-lasting beauty.

Performance and Technical Features

This paint offers superior adhesion and offers easy painting of difficult surfaces. You can paint it over varnish and polyurethane also without utilizing a primer.

Using this paint over primer gives you excellent leveling and flow along with superior resistance to stain. The ultra-durable satin finish makes your surface appear new for years. It can be used to paint metal, wood, aluminum, and other surfaces.

Why is it Unique?

It offers 87 – 112 square foot coverage for a quarter. The paint holds resistance to scuffing, chipping, water, grease and food stains offering you great and clean finish always.

Its strong adhesion to hard coating surfaces makes sure you can use it easily without using a primer. It gives a nice and smooth sheen and can be applied using a foam brush or foam roller.

Is this Product Recommended?

It is a fantastic product available at cheap prices. It is easy to clean and super durable. Though it is not a budgeted choice, if you are searching for a rough interior semi-gloss paint, this is the one.

Best Fit For

It is best to use on trim, cabinets, doors, and walls. Both experts and newbies can use this paint as it is extremely easy to apply.

Buyer’s Experiences

The buyers find this paint very nice! You need to apply a few coats and it looks amazing. The best thing the purchasers liked is that the paint generates no odor and spreads easily.

Pros

  • Great adhesion
  • Durable semi-gloss finish
  • Holds resistance to scuffing, chipping, grease and food stains.
  • Can be applied to crown molding, trim, furniture, and shelving.
  • Offers even and great coverage.
  • Appealing semi-gloss finish
  • Provides a durable and semi-gloss finish.

Cons

  • The product rocks but is not cheap.

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5. Majic Paints 8-9400-2 Satin Paint – Excellent Color Retention

Now this one is an excellent repurpose paint, which is a great product for those who want to repurpose projects.

It is one of the most versatile paints and works well on all exterior and interior surfaces including brick, aluminum, drywall, copper, plastic, tile, steel and else.

Performance and Technical Features

This paint offers a one-step completion process and is applicable to areas that don’t need priming or sanding. It is a perfect product for those with innovative ideas and who want to add more color zeal to their project.

This repurpose enamel is useful to paint all sorts of projects. It can be used both outdoors and indoors and holds superior color retention. It sticks to almost all surfaces and is available in 10 interesting color variants.

Why is it Unique?

This product levels to a beautiful, smooth finish. It is suitable to repurpose all projects. It is a water-based formula that offers great convenience and security that outperforms conventional oil-based paints in most areas.

It looks magical and makes the surface appear brand new. It looks incredible and is perfect to remodel any project. It holds no strong odor and the paint dries quickly.

Is this Product Recommended?

We recommend using this product to those who want a complete makeover of their belongings. It is a great product that will totally alter the appearance of your items. It lasts long and offers a smooth and crack-free appearance.

Best Fit For

This is a wonderful paint that is sturdy and does not have a strong odor. It looks better than many other paints in this price range. It offers a scratch-free and rich appearance without requiring sanding.

Buyer’s Experiences

It is a splendid product for buyers that looks classy and offers better finish than the regular house paint. It is a time-saver for them, which is easy to apply and dries fast.

Pros

  • Suitable to repurpose all sorts of projects
  • Works outdoors or indoors
  • Holds great color retention.
  • Levels to a beautiful, smooth finish
  • Sticks to all sorts of surfaces.
  • Does not need priming or sanding.
  • Available in various colors

Cons

  • It is not a glossy product.

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6. Benjamin Moore Ultra Spec 500 Interior Paint Best Impressive Finish

This is an attractive paint for cabinet, trim, walls, door, and ceiling surfaces.

It offers a semi-gloss finish, which makes it a great choice for doors and trim. It holds an impressive stain and rinses effortlessly.

Performance and Technical Features

This product holds a semi-gloss finish. It holds an appealing stain. It looks great and meets the criteria for LEED v4 credit. It holds great stains and passes the strictest environmental standards.

It comes with a waterborne colorant system and 500 finishes, which makes it suitable for door, trim, wall, cabinets, and ceiling surfaces in institutional and commercial environments. It can be used on plaster, drywall, masonry, wood, metal, and wallpapered surfaces.

Why is it Unique?

This is a high-quality paint offering personalized response. It is of extremely good quality and gives a smooth appearance.

The paint is worth investment and offers great coverage. It goes smoothly and offers a premium finish.

Is this Product Recommended?

This is a fantastic quality paint that requires only a single coating. It is slightly pricey, but it is worth it. The great results offered by it makes it a wonderful investment.

Best Fit For

This paint is an ideal choice for those who want incredible results in just one coat. It is a time-saving and cost-efficient product, which makes sure you avail of wonderful results without spending too much money.

Buyer’s Experiences

The buyers find it a good quality paint, which offers them rich results in just a single coat.

Pros

  • It offers great hiding.
  • It renders the best touch-up.
  • It dries fast and saves precious time.
  • It holds resistance to spattering.
  • Allows even leveling and best results.

Cons

  • It is not suitable for outdoor projects.

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7. PRO-15 45001 Gloss Black Rust Preventive PaintBest Prevention Against Rust

If you are worried about continuous rusting of your surfaces and are looking for that one great solution that offers permanent freedom from it then this paint is a great choice.

It seals rust permanently and ensures you do not have to remove rust before applying.

Performance and Technical Features

This paint dries very quickly and ensures your project gets completed in very less time. It is a lead-free substance, which is absolutely safe for the environment and releases no harmful toxins.

Its excellent spreadability and adhesion makes it a great choice for metal surfaces. This paint is chemical resistant, non-porous, and offers a strong barrier to your surface from all sorts of environmental hazards and moisture.

Why is it Unique?

This paint offers great prevention from rust. It is designed efficiently to apply directly on sandblasted, rusted, and metal surfaces. It dries fast and gives a non-porous finish that will not crack, peel or chip. It offers strong prevention from rust by protecting the surface from direct exposure to the moisture.

It is a lead-free material suitable for hard surfaces like metal. It repels oils and fuels and is resistant to most alkalis and acids, which makes it one of the best paints for trim and baseboards.

Is this Product Recommended?

We suggest using this product for commercial-grade or professional applications. The product is designed to offer easy application and dries fast.

Best Fit For

The buyers find it a great paint that covers defects and is suitable for all sorts of surfaces. It can be applied on all surfaces, which need protection from moisture or are suffering from rust related issues.

Buyer’s Experiences

The buyers absolutely love this product. It is an investment worth considering. They liked its easy applicability, versatility, and rich results, which makes it a great deal for them.

Pros

  • Seals and stops rust permanently.
  • Lead-free
  • Suitable for hard, metal surfaces
  • Rich spread ability.
  • No requirement to remove rust before application.
  • Meant for professional use.

Cons

  • Make sure you wear proper protective gear, otherwise it can lead to health issues.

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What is Trim Paint?

Trim paints got their unique name because of their exclusive properties. They got this name so that it is easier for the consumers to identify.

Trim paints come under the category of interior paints and come in a wide variety like semi-gloss, satin, high gloss, or gloss. This paint is suitable for cabinets, trim. Furniture, windows, and doors.

Usually, these paints come pre-tinted in white and base colors, which can be tinted as per specific choice.

What Is So Unique About Trim Paints?

Trim paints differ from other paints because of its special properties such as:

1. Leaves No Brush Marks

These paints are oil-based, which helps leveling out brush strokes. They take a longer time to settle, and hence, offer a smooth finish. There are also acrylic-latex paints available, which show brush marks. With a flatter sheen, these paints showcase less visible brush marks and a smooth finish.

2. Gloss

This is an imperative characteristic of trim paint. Paints with high gloss possess a robust molecular structure, meaning they have smaller ports for dust and debris. Hence, there is no such matte or flat trim paint available and they come in glosses like semi-gloss, high gloss, satin, and gloss.

3. No Appearance of Yellowing

Most of these paints are white, particularly window trim paints. They do not possess any yellowing properties and hence are perfect for painting windows, trim, baseboards, and other interior surfaces.

4. Sag Resistance

Trim paints are thicker and dries fast. Thinner paints can be rolled on easily but lead to sagging, which is not the case with trim paints.

What Are The Different Kinds Of Paints For Trim And Baseboard?

Trim paint comes in three different varieties:

1. Acrylic Latex Paint

Acrylic paints are water-based paints that produce a seamless finish and very less brush marks. Though the result is not as good as oil-based paints as the brush marks are visible, still, they offer a decent finish. The surface does not have a rock-hard texture as with oil based.

These paints are easy to apply and you can use both natural bristle and synthetic bristle brush to paint. They involve an easy clean up as well.

2. Oil Based Paint

These paints offer glass-like, superior finish with zero or minimal brush marks. However, they take more time to dry and may release fumes. Also, they involve a lot of mess and intensive cleaning afterwards.

These paints hold thick consistency and may result in minor holes. If you opt for this paint, make sure you use a brush with natural bristles. It is because the paint affects synthetic bristles. It is quite difficult to use this paint, and hence, it is viable to hire a professional to get the work done.

3. Alkyd Paint

It is a newly introduced paint, which comes with natural base properties and holds excellent resistance like oil paint. This paint does not smell strong and dries quickly in just less than an hour. This paint is easily washable and is less toxic. The best thing is that it offers excellent smoothness.

What Different Sheens Are Available For Trim And Baseboard Paints?

Sheens are the eventual paint finish. It depends on the type of paint color you select. The sheen can be shiny or have some reflection or absolutely no shine. The most common trim and baseboard paint is white paint, but numerous homes use other colors as well.

The various kinds of sheens you may select for your trim and baseboard are:

1. Matte Or Flat

These paints have low gloss and they are ideal to hide flaws or issues on the dashboard. But they add a slight texture to the paint. Due to such texture, it is difficult to clean debris and dust. It spreads out easily and can be applied using a paint brush.

2. High Gloss Or Gloss

It comes with maximum shine and is the most convenient baseboard to clean. But it possesses high sheen, which makes dirt marks more visible.

3. Semi-Gloss

Most experts use semi-gloss finish as it goes well with all paint options. Usually, most homeowners offer semi gloss finish as it is nice, clean and delivers a smooth appearance.

4. Eggshell / Satin Finish

They hold slight gloss and hold more gloss than the eggshell. It holds resistance to marks and scuffs.

Buying Guide: How To Pick The Best Paint For Trim And Baseboards?

Some of the important factors you may consider picking the best paint for baseboards and trim are as follows:

1. Consider Price

An essential factor to notice is that quality paint usually costs more than other cheap paints. It implies the price is an imperative factor to consider and it influences the results you get. If you purchase an inexpensive paint it may save you cost initially, but ultimately it may cost you more over the years. It is best to select a paint within mid-price range.

2. Does Odor Matters

We suggest avoiding oil-based paints because of the extreme smell they produce. Some of the acrylic – alkyd formulas still utilize solvent. There are numerous less stinky than standard oil-based paints. However, they can be sensitive to the nose.

3. Clean Up

Cleaning up afterwards can be too strenuous and time-consuming. Hence, do pick a trim paint that involves less mess and is easier to clean.

4. Smooth Finishing

It is important that you pick a paint that offers a smooth appearance. The trim must look great and must not offer the appearance of brush marks. A good paint is one that flatten out well and offers a smooth look.

5. Workability

We consider a trim paint good if it can be applied easily in tight areas such as curvy profiles and corners and smooth out before it begins to dry. Make sure you select a paint that is workable.

6. Durability

If your trim has experienced some abuse, you must paint it with a durable and strong material that lasts longer. Pick a paint that is durable and holds resistance to wear and tear and most external damages.

How can I paint the baseboard with brush marks?

The most important tip to avoid the appearance of brush marks is to minimize excess paint. Additionally, you need to follow these steps:

  1. Choose an appropriate paint for baseboard such as water-based, oil-based or acrylic-alkyd.
  2. Select the desired sheen. The sheen may range from semi-gloss, gloss to matte or flat and satin or eggshell.
  3. Pick a proper brush for painting the baseboard. Not all brushes are made equal. The expensive brushes are of higher quality, but not necessarily the best pick. Bristles and brushes are not meant for all kinds of paint.
  4. For oil-based paints, it is worth picking a brush with natural bristle. For water-based paints, it is worth picking a brush with nylon bristle.
  5. Check the size of the brush while picking. A flat brush of 3-4 inches with tapered edge is better for painting basic surfaces while sash brush with angled bristles is suitable to clean lines on trim and baseboards.
  6. For preparing the baseboard for painting, you need to first sand it, dust it and then brush or scrub it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the best paint for trim and baseboards?

A1. The best paint for baseboards is acrylic or alkyd paint or water-based paint holding a semi-gloss paint finish. It is the best for painting trim and baseboards. The popular choice is Benjamin Moore Advanced.
For more options, you can also check this in depth article on best paint for interior doors and trim.

Q2. What is the best white paint for trim?

A2. Some of the best white paint for trim are:
    1. Simply White Benjamin Moore
    2. White Dove Benjamin Moore
     3. Decorator’s White Benjamin Moore
     4. Pure White Sherwin Williams
  5. Albaster Sherwin Williams

Q3. What kind of paint must be used on molding and trim?

A3.  High-gloss and semi-gloss finishes are great for molding and trim. Semi-gloss finish holds a higher gloss level than the satin finish and is not as shiny as high gloss. Paints with high gloss are good to trim areas, which we wash often. Latex-based paints are applicable on the primer, which is oil – based or acrylic.

Q4. What sort of brush do we use for baseboards?

A4. When painting baseboards or trim, the paint brush used can vary based on your baseboard’s size and the kind of paint you use. Usually, a 2.5- or 2-inches angled brush works perfectly. When using the latex paint, it is best to paint the baseboards with a poly-nylon or nylon brush.

Q5. Do I have to prime baseboards before priming?

A5.  In most cases you do not have to. You do not require priming baseboards. You do not want the baseboard to paint at all. If you prime it, you may choose to either leave it as it is or paint it. If you do not paint your baseboard, it will look like a MDF board.

Q6. How can I pick white paint for trim?

A6.  You need to pick one paint shade and use two distinct sheens – eggshell or matte for the walls and semi-gloss or satin for the trim. The difference in sheen imply the trim is highly reflective and will appear brighter than walls.

Q7. How much trim paint should you buy?

A7. To calculate the total square feet of trim that needs painting, just multiply the length by the width. The number of gallons of paint required for one coat may be calculated by dividing the total by 400.
If you’re painting a standard-sized room, you probably won’t need a whole gallon of trim paint.inting basic surfaces while sash brush with angled bristles is suitable to clean lines on trim and baseboards.
6. For preparing the baseboard for painting, you need to first sand it, dust it and then brush or scrub it.

Q8. What is the best paint finish for trim?

A8. Trims benefit from a semi-gloss finish, including baseboards, mouldings, cabinets, and doors.

Q9. Can you use flat or matte paint on trim?

A9. Trims and doors with a matte finish will look chic against walls, given a subtle gloss. Colourful walls with white matte trim may produce a contemporary feel, while dark flat trim and doors against light walls provide a startling and surprising aesthetic.

Q10. Which is the Best Paint For Interior Doors And Trim?

A10. Finding the finest interior door paint is important because homeowners want to ensure that their doors remain nice for as long as possible after painting them.
Here are the three best paints:
·       Dulux Diamond Satinwood. 
·       Tikkurila Helmi.
·       Crown Trade Fast Flow QD Eggshell.

Q11. What trim paint do you mostly use on kitchen cabinets?

A11. You should choose a semi-gloss finish when painting kitchen cabinets. Semi-gloss paint is preferable in the kitchen because of its shine, which helps reflect light and makes the paint last longer.

Q12. Should you paint trim with brush or roller?

A12. Foam rollers may produce a rougher finish than a brush, which might draw more attention to the lines. Even though this is how many people use it, I find that it produces the best results when painting trim using a brush.

Q13. Can I use ceiling paints for the baseboard?

A13. Ceiling paint is significantly more affordable than wall paint but is not washable and may easily show dirt and dust. To avoid this, only use ceiling paint on the trim if you plan on using it as a primer and then covering it with a semi-gloss finish.

Q14. What kind of paint do you use for Bare Wood Trim?

A14. Due to their convenience, there has been a recent uptick in the use of latex acrylic enamel paints. To prevent the paint from seeping into the wood and creating a rough surface, new, unpainted trim must be primed first.

Final Words

So, here you have the best paint choices for trim and baseboard with yourself. Hope you can easily find the perfect white colour for your trim, moulding, and other surfaces.

We have tried our best to cover top-rated trim paint options. Also, our buying guide is designed to let you know about all the options so that you do not get confused and can pick the best paint without experiencing many hassles.

Matching walls and trim are a great look to consider. So, make the best of this informative post!

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