Small Patio Makeover Part 1: Painting Exterior Trim
I’m kicking off a quick makeover of my small patio, and I’m taking you on the journey! Today, I’m showing you show I painted the exterior trim and doors on this patio.
I’ve talked a lot about how this little patio right outside of my office is one of my very favorite spots in our house, and now that we’re approaching a year (!!) of living here, it’s finally time to show it a little love. It’s been absolutely great for me as-is, but it’s such a special little spot and I wanted to spend some time making it feel even cozier.
I’ve got a whole laundry list of things I’d like to do out here (read more about that here), and I’ve been putting it off for the last few weeks because I was feeling a little intimidated by the whole thing. But I had all of the supplies already in my house, so I finally told myself it was time to stop dragging my feet.
And, well, I’m so glad I did! Today, I’m showing you step one in the process: painting the exterior trim.
Painting Exterior Trim: The Video
To kick things off, I’ve got a little video for you with a look at the process of painting this trim. It’s less a tutorial and more a relaxing little ASMR-style video where you can watch it all come together. If you’re like me and you love to see the process, it’s a 5-minute video that you’ll enjoy!
What You Need to Know About Painting Exterior Trim
For this project, I was just working on the exterior trim on one section of my house. Typically, a project like this is tackled all at once. But, I think it’s worth pointing out that it doesn’t have to be! Sure, your house might look funny for a little while if you take it in sections, but don’t let that stop you. This is a big project to tackle yourself, but it doesn’t have to be stressful!
The Supplies You’ll Need
You don’t need much to paint your exterior trim, and you’ll find it’s a pretty relaxing and satisfying project. Here’s what I used:
- A high-quality paintbrush
- A stepladder
- Exterior paint
- Paint cleaning wipes
If you’ve got really old siding or are painting a light color over a dark one, you might also want to do a coat of primer. I recommend this primer! Similarly, if your caulk needs a refresh, this is a really great time to do that as well (learn more about how to use caulk here).
And, of course, if you aren’t comfortable cutting in paint without using painter’s tape, then you’ll want to take the time to tape off your trim before you dive in!
Choosing a Color
This is where I think most people get stuck – should you paint your trim the same color as your house? Should you do a contrasting color? Should you go crazy and do something fun? I saw a house on a run recently that had bright turquoise trim – WHY NOT?!
Here’s my personal opinion: you absolutely cannot go wrong with a basic neutral like black or white. I think that one of those two trim colors will look good with pretty much any siding or masonry, and it’ll never go out of style.
That being said, you should 100% go with what makes you happy! If you need inspiration, do some searching around on Pinterest! A Pinterest search is actually how I knew for sure that black was the color I wanted to use – because how gorgeous are these brown and black homes?!
I chose Tricorn Black by Sherwin Williams (color matched to my go-to Behr paint) for my trim because it’s a tried-and-true black that I know I love. See my deep dive on Tricorn Black right here!
Choosing the Right Paint
It’s really important to choose your paint wisely here. You can’t just grab any ol’ paint and slap it all over the exterior of your home!
When you’re painting exterior trim, you want to make sure to choose an exterior paint. It will offer a higher durability, prevent mold and mildew, and just last a lot longer than anything else!
What To Paint
Once you’ve decided on a color, the next step is to figure out which parts of your house you want to paint. Generally speaking you’ve got:
- Trim around windows
- Trim on corners of house
- The fascia & soffit (aka: the board that runs horizontally along the edge of the roof, plus the roof overhang)
- Door frames
- Exterior doors
There are endless combinations of what to paint the same color as the siding and what to paint a contrasting color. Again – I recommend doing some research and finding photos that show various options so you can decide what works best for you!
I decided that for now I’m just painting the doors, door frames, and window trim. I do think that eventually I’d like to paint the fascia and the columns for the patio roof, but that’s something I’ll probably go back and do maybe next summer. For now, I want to just live with this first step!
Should I Spray, Roll, or Use a Brush?
Generally speaking, you should just use a brush to paint the exterior trim on your house. If you’re doing the whole house at once, it might be worth it to tape off and use a paint sprayer, though. That’s what I did when I painted the exterior of our second home!
A roller isn’t the best plan for painting exterior house trim because it’s harder to control and can’t get into small spaces. You can use one for some exterior doors, but I find it’s easier to just use a brush for everything rather than switch back and forth.
The Before & After of My Painted Trim
I was pretty nervous about this project because it felt like a really big commitment. And, when I first started painting the paint was looking really navy blue, which scared me even more! But, the second coat really brought things together (as it always does) and now I am so glad I went with it.
I always say one of the biggest markers of a successful DIY project is when you finish and it looks like it was always meant to be there. The day I finished painting I told my husband to look outside and tell me what he thought – he didn’t even notice! He’s normally really good at recognizing what I’ve done, but even when I told him it was on my patio, it took him a minute to realize I had painted. He said it just looked right. And that, my friends, is how I know it was the right choice.
Next up? I’m staining the concrete – and let me tell you, I am nervous! Wish me luck!