Staircase & Trim Painting
Bedrooms, doors and built-ins
Upstairs bedrooms and hallway: walls, doors, built-in shelving and a half-wall cap, with floors masked edge to edge.
Service
Staircase & Trim Painting
Trim is where a paint job is judged. You can get away with a slightly uneven wall; you can’t get away with a gloppy baluster, a baseboard that bleeds onto the floor, or a door with brush marks you see every time you close it.
Staircases are the hardest of all: dozens of balusters, handrails that get gripped every day, treads and risers that need to stay usable while they cure. It’s slow, detailed work, and it’s the kind we like.
What’s included
- Staircases: stringers, risers, balusters, newel posts and handrails
- Baseboards, crown molding and chair rails
- Interior doors and door frames
- Window casings and sills
- Built-in shelving and bookcases
- Sanding, filling, caulking and priming on all trim
What’s not
- Refinishing stained hardwood treads (sanding and polyurethane is a flooring job)
- Replacing broken balusters or rebuilding railings
Not sure where your project fits? Call us and ask. We’ll tell you straight.
Our process
How we do staircase & trim painting
- 01
Walkthrough
We look at the condition of the existing finish and talk through sheen. Trim usually looks best in semi-gloss or satin.
- 02
Protect
Floors, treads and walls around the trim are masked so lines stay clean.
- 03
Fill and sand
Nail holes, dents and open joints are filled. Glossy old paint is scuffed so the new coat bonds.
- 04
Caulk and prime
Gaps between trim and wall are caulked. Bare wood and repairs are primed.
- 05
Finish coats
Brushed carefully along the grain, balusters one at a time, with time between coats to level out.
- 06
Stair access plan
On staircases we work in sections so you can still get upstairs while paint cures.
Why the finish matters here
Trim is mostly enamel, and enamel shows everything: brush strokes, drips at the bottom of balusters, ridges where a coat was overloaded. A smooth result comes from thin coats, light sanding between them, and patience.
Handrails and doors get touched every day. If the old glossy finish isn’t cleaned and scuffed first, the new paint peels at the grip points within months.
Staircase & Trim Painting projects
All projectsWhere we offer staircase & trim painting
Staircase & Trim Painting FAQ
Can you paint balusters and leave the handrail stained?
Yes. White balusters with a stained rail is a classic look. We mask the rail and treads carefully and keep the lines clean.
Can we still use the stairs while you paint them?
Yes. We plan the work so there’s always a usable path, for example painting alternate steps or one side at a time.
What sheen do you recommend for trim?
Usually satin or semi-gloss. They clean up well and look crisp against flat or eggshell walls. We’ll go over options with you.
Do you paint doors on or off the hinges?
It depends on the door and the finish you want. Doors we take down are painted flat for a smoother result and rehung when dry.
Other services
Planning staircase & trim painting?
Tell us what you want painted. We’ll come see it, talk through the details and put an estimate in writing.