Can we debate whether painting trim before or after installation is better?

Last month I painted all my baseboards before nailing them up in my Denver living room, and it gave me a perfect finish with no brush marks on the wall. But my buddy swears you get better caulk lines and gap coverage if you install first then paint it all together. Which method actually holds up longer without cracking or peeling?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_taylor1mo ago

Did you use a sprayer or brush and roller for the pre-install stuff? I painted all my kitchen cabinets before hanging them last year and I kept finding tiny drips on the edges after they dried that I had to sand off. Trim might be different though since it's not as complicated.

ruby_henderson361mo ago

Sprayer all the way... my cousin tried brushing his trim and ended up with more brush hairs stuck in the paint than actual paint on the wood.