How to Install, Prep and Paint Paneled Trim...

The shelves before.... I hated them.... That may have been the reason we started this whole crazy business of remodeling. They were made out of particle board.... Basically sheets of glued up sawdust.... The problem with particle board is it has no fiber to keep it ridged. So after a short amount of time it sags.

I'm sad that my before pictures are so super tiny... So I came up with a curved wall with square paneling. The curve was to add square footage to the room without creating more harsh edges. We took apart the bed Drew made, that Polly destroyed by chewing on the edges... Damn dog...

Not the best pic... Judge me...

I walked through part of the trim work a while ago...

Just some pictures to refresh the process...

After framing, Sheetrock and square trim.

We took quarter round trim... We cut it all to size and soaked it in the tub. This was to help the quarter round curve... In the edges with the most curve we had to use exterior plastic quarter round trim... Drew installed all the horizontal pieces of 1/4 round first. Then measured the vertical to the edge and coped the vertical pieces around the horizontal.

Then came my contribution... Prep work!

To prep trim to paint this is the order we follow...

1. We use Crawford's putty and take a ball of it and press it with your thumb into the nail hole. With a thin putty knife slice in between the putty and the wood with your thumb still in the putty.

2. Caulk all the lines and edges.

3. Sand

4. Prime everything

5. Spackling, Drew's spackle of choice is 3M Bondo Glazing and Spot Putty that you can get at Home Depot. With a putty knife fill in all the dips and cracks.

5. Sand

6. Paint... The bondo glazing is redd, but it does not have to be primed because it takes paint at the same consistency as the primed surfaces will. Always always always two coats of paint...

Same steps for crown moulding. For this room we wanted to give the illusion of height so we created a stepped crown moulding. We did 2 3/4" strips of MDF ripped down to size. Then installed the standard crown under that. Then used the painting steps above. You can see below... It's a major statement piece...

Painting... We did high gloss on the trim and flat on the walls... We got two recessed can lights from ikea... The come in a pack of 3 for $19.99. Steal! I can't find them on their site.... Hmm?

And then we got carpet.... And I wept....

 

Done!

Now we need to paint the top and get a pretty register... And that is trim!

...continue on this little journey>>>>