When it comes to painting a room, one thing that completes it is the trim around your doors. If you’re thinking about DIY painting your door trim - and possibly touching up your door in the process - you want to make sure you have the best tools for the job.
To make your doors and trim look good as new, you’ll need to know what’s available to use and how to decide what you need. This article will help you find the best brush to paint door trim by covering the following:
- 8 best paintbrushes for door trim
- What’s the best type of brush for door trim
- Best way to paint door trim: brush, roller, or spray
- Best way to paint door trim without marks
Before we get into the best types of brushes to use, let’s dive into the top brushes available for painting your door trim. If you’re painting more than the trim around your doors, check out our guide for the best paintbrushes for trim and baseboards.
8 best paintbrushes for door trim
When painting your doors and the trim around them, it’s important to make sure you’re using the right tools. These are our recommendations for a paintbrush for door trim plus paint rollers and sprayers.
1. Purdy Clearcut Glide Angular Trim Brush
Image Credit: Amazon.ca
Type: Brush
Quantity: 1
Size: 2-inch
Material: Nylon-Polyester
Best Feature: Quality
If you're looking for a brush that will give you a smooth finish on your doors and trim, you'll need the Purdy Clearcut Glide Angular Trim Brush. This brush is made with angled nylon-polyester bristles to help you easily apply your paint. It also leaves behind little mess when used properly.
2. Shur-Line Ergonomic Sure-Grip Foam Mini Roller
Image Credit: Amazon.ca
Type: Roller
Quantity: 1
Size: 4-inch cover length, 12-inch handle length
Material: Foam
Best Feature: Comfort
If you want a roller that prioritizes quality and comfort, check out the Shur-Line Ergonomic Sure-Grip Foam Mini Roller. It comes with both a cover and handle, which are the perfect size for working with smaller projects like doors and trim. The handle is also made with an ergonomic grip, so that you can maintain control and comfort the entire time you're painting.
3. Graco TrueCoat 360 DS Electric TrueAirless Sprayer
Image Credit: Amazon.ca
Type: Spray
Quantity: 1
Size: 2.04 kg
Best Feature: Efficiency
If you want to spray using a spray on your doors and trim, the Graco TrueCoat 360 DS Electric TrueAirless Sprayer is a great choice. This sprayer has adjustable speeds, allowing you to easily use it for smaller projects. It's also designed to help you spray for long periods of time in any direction.
4. Wooster Silver Tip Angle Sash Paintbrush
Image Credit: Amazon.ca
Type: Brush
Quantity: 1
Size: 2.5-inch
Material: CT Polyester
Best Feature: Softness
The Wooster Silver Tip Angle Sash Paintbrush is ideal for those wanting to avoid brush marks on their doors and trim. The bristles are really soft, helping to smoothly apply paint to your surface of choice. The wooden handle is also designed to be comfortable to hold.
5. Purdy White Dove Jumbo Mini Roller Covers
Image Credit: Amazon.ca
Type: Roller
Quantity: 2
Size: ¼-inch nap, 4.5-inch length
Material: Woven Dralon
Best Feature: Smooth finish
The Purdy White Dove Jumbo Mini Roller Covers are a great option for those looking to achieve a smooth finish on their doors and/or trim. The quality material of the cover helps to apply a beautiful finish to smooth surfaces. It's also the perfect size for working with smaller sized surfaces.
6. Graco Magnum X5 Electric TrueAirless Sprayer
Image Credit: Amazon.ca
Type: Spray
Quantity: 1
Size: 6.8 kg
Best Feature: Easy to use
The Graco Magnum X5 Electric TrueAirless Sprayer is a great option if you want to give your doors and/or trim a smooth finish and make a great investment for future projects. The sprayer can easily be adjusted to get the right paint flow for your project. It's also designed to allow you to spray directly from the paint bucket.
7. Wooster Shortcut Angle Sash Paintbrush
Image Credit: Amazon.ca
Type: Brush
Quantity: 1
Size: 2-inch
Material: Nylon-Polyester
Best Feature: Flexible handle
If your project requires you to work in tricky spaces, you need the Wooster Shortcut Angle Sash Paintbrush. The quality angled bristles on this brush are perfect for smoothly applying paint to doors and trim. The flexible handle is also great for helping you paint with less room available.
8. Wooster Ultra/Pro Extra-Firm Lindbeck Angle Sash Paintbrush
Image Credit: Amazon.ca
Type: Brush
Quantity: 1
Size: 2.5-inch
Material: Nylon
Best Feature: Controllability
For a paintbrush that helps you apply smooth lines, check out the Wooster Ultra/Pro Extra-Firm Lindbeck Angle Sash Paintbrush. It's perfect for projects that need careful detail, such as edging and trim. The brush is also super durable, meaning you can use it for a long time going forward.
What’s the best type of brush for door trim
If you’re shopping for a new paintbrush, it’s important you know what to look for in order to get the best brush to paint trim and doors. The big details to focus on are the size, the bristles, and the handle. In terms of size, you’ll want to use a smaller brush between 1 inch and 2.5 inches, depending on the size of your trim and/or door panels. You should also make sure that the bristles have an angular sash to allow for perfect lines, and that your handle is short or square to allow for a comfortable grip.
Best way to paint door trim: brush, roller, or spray
When it comes to painting your doors and the trim around them, the best way to paint them is to use a brush. Using a small-sized paintbrush with angular bristles will give you the most control and quality finish while working with the smaller widths of the door trim and edges. If you’d like to speed up the process, you can consider using a 4-inch length (or smaller) paint roller instead. This will give you a quality finish while still maintaining some control while working with the trim. If your project is larger and you’re unafraid to make a mess, you can work even faster with a sprayer.
Choose a brush if…
- You’re working with smaller trim and edges.
- You want to pay extra attention to detail.
- You want to ensure a high quality finish.
Choose a roller if…
- You’re working with flat trim, edges, and panels.
- You want to work a little faster.
- You’re painting a lot of surfaces.
Choose a spray if…
- You’re working with larger trim, edges, and doors.
- You want to work really fast.
- You’re not afraid to make a mess/don’t mind putting in extra work to clean up.
Best way to paint door trim without marks
Before you start painting, you’ll want to be sure you know what to do to get the best results for your doors and trim. Here are some tips for how to paint door trim without marks:
- Clean the surface - Use a damp cloth to wipe down your doors and trim to eliminate any dust and debris from showing up in your paint.
- Sand the surface - If you want to improve the chances of paint sticking nicely, consider sanding down the surface before cleaning.
- Use painter’s tape - Applying tape where you don’t want any paint will help you to paint your door trim with confidence.
- Use a minimal amount of paint - Dipping your brush bristles ⅓ of the way into the paint will ensure you’re only using what you need and help you avoid unnecessary blotches or thick patches.
- Paint every section separately - Painting every piece of trim, edge, panel, and section on its own will help you to maintain a smooth finish and avoid lines crossing into other areas.
Now that you know everything about painting your doors and trim, you can get ready to paint. If you think you’d rather go the professional route instead, the City Painters are here to help. Contact us here or give us a call for a quote.