Cost to Paint Trim and Doors in the Bay Area

When homeowners think about painting projects, walls usually come to mind first. But trim and doors—baseboards, crown molding, door frames, window casings, and the doors themselves—have outsized impact on a room's finished appearance. Fresh, crisp trim creates clean lines and architectural definition that elevate the entire space, while dingy, chipped, or poorly maintained trim cheapens even newly painted walls.

The challenge is that trim painting is significantly more labor-intensive than wall painting. Every linear foot requires careful brushwork, detailed cutting, and often multiple coats to achieve the durable, smooth finish that trim demands. This makes trim painting one of the more expensive elements of interior painting projects on a per-square-foot basis.

Understanding what goes into professional trim and door painting, what you can expect to pay in the Bay Area, and when the investment makes sense helps you make informed decisions about your project scope and budget.

Average Costs for Trim and Door Painting

Professional trim and door painting in the Bay Area follows several pricing models depending on project scope:

Trim Painting (Per Linear Foot)

Most contractors price trim painting by linear footage, typically $2.50-6.00 per linear foot depending on trim complexity, current condition, and preparation requirements.

Simple Baseboards Only ($2.50-4.00 per linear foot): Standard 3-4 inch baseboards in good condition, being refreshed in the same or similar color. A 12x14 room has approximately 52 linear feet of baseboard, costing $130-210.

Baseboards Plus Door/Window Casings ($3.50-5.50 per linear foot): Complete trim package including baseboards and all door and window surrounds. That same 12x14 room with one door and two windows might have 80-90 linear feet of trim, costing $280-495.

Complex Trim Packages ($5.00-8.00+ per linear foot): Rooms with crown molding, chair rails, picture rails, window seats, or built-in shelving. Extensive trim in a 12x14 room might total 120-150 linear feet (adding crown molding around the perimeter plus other details), costing $600-1,200.

Intricate Historical Trim ($7.00-12.00+ per linear foot): Victorian, Craftsman, or other homes with elaborate original woodwork featuring multiple profiles, detailed routering, or extensive previous paint buildup requiring careful stripping and preparation. These projects approach fine finish carpentry in complexity and pricing.

Door Painting (Per Door)

Interior doors are typically priced individually at $75-200 per door including both sides and the frame.

Standard Flush Doors ($75-125 per door): Flat, smooth doors common in modern construction. These paint quickly and require minimal prep.

Panel Doors ($125-175 per door): Traditional panel doors with raised or recessed panels, rails, and stiles. The details require more careful brushwork and longer application time.

French Doors or Complex Doors ($175-250+ per door): Doors with extensive glass panels, intricate designs, or those requiring special handling like exterior doors or entry doors with detailed finishing requirements.

Door Frames/Casings Only ($40-75 per opening): If you're painting just the trim around doors but not the doors themselves.

Whole-Room Trim Packages

For entire rooms, contractors often provide package pricing:

Standard Bedroom or Office (baseboards, one door, two windows): $350-650 Master Bedroom (baseboards, closet doors, multiple windows, possibly crown molding): $600-1,200 Living Room or Great Room (extensive perimeter, multiple windows, complex trim): $800-2,000+

These ranges assume trim in reasonable condition being refreshed or changing to similar colors. Extensive prep, dramatic color changes, or damaged trim increases costs.

What's Included in Professional Trim and Door Painting

Trim painting is detail work that requires different techniques and more time than wall painting. Understanding the process helps explain the costs.

Preparation and Cleaning

Trim accumulates dirt, oils from hands, dust, and grime more than walls because it's at floor level (baseboards) or frequently touched (door frames, doors). Thorough cleaning with TSP or dedicated cleaners is essential for proper adhesion.

Sanding: Existing trim finishes are typically glossy (trim is usually painted in semi-gloss or satin for durability). Gloss must be abraded with sandpaper (typically 150-220 grit) to create tooth for new paint to grip. This sanding happens on every surface—baseboard faces, door panels, window casings, all trim elements.

Damage Repair: Trim takes more abuse than walls. Baseboards get kicked, scuffed, and damaged by vacuum cleaners. Door frames get nicked by furniture during moves. Window sills may have water damage. Professional prep includes filling these dings and scratches with wood filler, allowing proper drying time, and sanding repairs smooth.

Caulking: Gaps between trim and walls, between trim pieces at corners, and at trim joints need filling with paintable caulk. Proper caulking creates seamless transitions and prevents the dark shadow lines that make trim look sloppy. This is time-consuming, detail-oriented work.

Previous Paint Buildup: In older homes, trim may have 5, 10, or 15 layers of previous paint creating rounded edges and clogged details. Sometimes partial stripping or aggressive sanding is necessary to restore crisp lines and profiles. Bay Area Victorian and Craftsman homes often have this issue—beautiful original woodwork obscured by a century of paint layers.

Prep work for trim typically takes longer per square foot than wall prep because every linear foot requires individual attention. Time investment: 40-60% of total trim painting time.

Priming

Primer is essential for trim, especially when:

• Painting bare or stripped wood
• Changing from dark to light colors
• Covering stains, knots, or tannin bleed-through
• Painting over repairs where wood filler needs sealing

Specialty primers designed for trim and woodwork (often oil-based or hybrid formulations) provide superior adhesion and stain-blocking compared to wall primers. Time investment: One coat of primer with drying time.

Finish Coat Application

Trim requires at least two coats of finish paint, sometimes three for dramatic color changes or when covering dark stain or previous dark paint. Each coat must dry completely before the next application.

Brush Technique: Most trim is brush-painted rather than rolled. Skilled brushwork creates smooth, even coverage without brush marks, drips, or runs. This takes practice and patience—rushing creates visible defects.

Cutting and Detailing: Where trim meets walls, precise cutting creates clean lines. Where trim pieces join at corners or where door frames meet walls, careful application prevents overlap onto adjacent surfaces.

Sanding Between Coats: Professional trim painting often includes light sanding (220-320 grit) between finish coats to remove dust nibs and create glass-smooth results. This extra step dramatically improves final appearance.

Time investment: Multiple coats with drying time between applications represent 50-60% of total project time.

Doors: Additional Considerations

Doors require special handling:

• Both sides need painting, plus edges
• Panel doors have routed profiles, recessed areas where paint can pool, and raised panels requiring careful brushwork
• Doors must be painted in proper sequence (panels first, then rails and stiles) to avoid lap marks
• Hardware removal and reinstallation adds time
• Doors need several hours of drying time before rehanging to prevent sticking

Many professional painters remove doors, paint them horizontally in a controlled space, and rehang after curing. This produces superior results but adds handling time.

Key Cost Factors for Trim and Door Painting

Trim Complexity and Profile

Simple Colonial or Ranch Trim (flat baseboards, simple door/window casings): These basic profiles paint quickly with minimal detail work. Time per linear foot is lowest.

Craftsman or Traditional Trim (baseboards 6-8 inches tall, multi-piece casings, back-banded trim): More surface area and defined profiles require more paint and careful brushwork.

Victorian or High-End Custom Trim (rosettes, plinth blocks, complex crown molding, multi-layered casings): These elaborate details may have 5-10 distinct elements meeting at corners, each requiring individual attention. Time per linear foot can be 3-4 times that of simple trim.

Bay Area Craftsman homes, common in Oakland, Berkeley, and throughout the East Bay, typically feature substantial original trim that's beautiful but time-intensive to paint properly.

Current Condition

Good Condition (minimal prep needed): Trim previously painted within the past 5-10 years, in good repair, just needing light sanding and new coats. This represents the best-case scenario.

Fair Condition (typical prep): Some damage, years of accumulation requiring thorough cleaning, caulk gaps that have opened over time, minor repairs needed. This is normal for trim that hasn't been painted in 10-15 years.

Poor Condition (extensive prep): Heavy damage, significant previous paint buildup obscuring trim details, rot or water damage requiring replacement of sections, or previous poor paint jobs requiring correction. Prep time can exceed painting time in these situations.

Color Changes

Same or Similar Colors: Refreshing white trim with new white, or making minor tone adjustments, typically requires primer and two finish coats.

Medium to Light: Moving from beige or cream to white needs primer and potentially three finish coats for complete coverage.

Dark to Light: Painting previously stained or dark-painted trim (common in homes from the 1980s-90s with oak or dark brown trim) requires stain-blocking primer and three to four finish coats. This can double material costs and add 40-60% to labor time.

Bare Wood to Painted: If you're painting previously stained and clear-coated trim, or bare wood trim, primer is essential and grain fill may be necessary (especially for oak). This is a significant undertaking.

Paint Quality and Finish

Trim takes more abuse than walls—hands on door frames, feet and vacuum cleaners on baseboards, windows opening and closing. Durable paint is essential.

Standard Trim Paint ($45-65 per gallon): Professional-grade products from Sherwin-Williams (ProClassic), Benjamin Moore (Advance, Regal Select), or equivalent. These provide good durability and flow characteristics for smooth application.

Premium Trim Paint ($65-90 per gallon): Top-tier products including Benjamin Moore Advance (excellent leveling), Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane (exceptional durability), or Scuff-X (impact and scuff resistance). The cost premium is justified for high-traffic areas or when you want maximum longevity.

Finish Sheen: Trim is almost always painted in semi-gloss or satin for durability and ease of cleaning. These sheens show imperfections more readily than flat paint, which is why thorough prep and careful application matter.

Doors: Type and Quantity

Panel doors take 2-3 times longer to paint than flush doors because of the detailed profiles and recessed areas. If you're painting 10 doors in your home, the difference between flush and panel significantly affects total cost.

French doors and those with glass panels require extensive masking of glass, careful cutting around muntins (if present), and detail work that approaches fine finish carpentry. A single French door pair might cost as much as 4-5 standard panel doors.

Whole-Home vs. Single-Room Projects

Painting all trim throughout your home provides economies of scale—setup occurs once, the painter works efficiently moving room to room, and volume pricing may apply. Per-linear-foot costs for whole-home projects are typically 15-25% lower than single-room work.

Cost Comparison: Trim Painting Scenarios

To make these ranges concrete, let's look at typical Bay Area projects:

Scenario 1: Refreshing One Bedroom's Trim

Scope: 12x14 bedroom, baseboards only, same white color, good condition

• Linear footage: 52 feet of baseboard
• Cost: $130-210 (at $2.50-4.00 per linear foot)
• Timeline: Half day

Scenario 2: Complete Bedroom Trim Update

Scope: Master bedroom, baseboards plus two windows, two doors (one closet), crown molding, changing from cream to white

• Linear footage: 100 feet total (baseboards, window/door casings, crown)
• Doors: 2 standard panel doors
• Cost: $500-800 for trim, $250-350 for doors, total $750-1,150
• Timeline: 2-3 days

Scenario 3: Whole-Home First Floor Trim

Scope: Living room, dining room, kitchen, entry, hallway, powder room—all baseboards, doors, window casings, crown molding in main rooms

• Linear footage: 350-450 feet of trim
• Doors: 8 doors (mix of panel and flush)
• Cost: $1,400-2,250 for trim, $750-1,200 for doors, total $2,150-3,450
• Timeline: 5-7 days

Scenario 4: Victorian Home Restoration Trim

Scope: Detailed historical trim throughout main floor, extensive previous paint buildup requiring partial stripping, rosettes, plinth blocks, multi-layered casings

• Linear footage: 400 feet of complex trim
• Doors: 6 original panel doors with intricate details
• Cost: $3,200-4,800 for trim, $900-1,500 for doors, total $4,100-6,300
• Timeline: 10-14 days

When to Paint Trim

As Part of Whole-Room Painting

When you're painting walls, adding trim to the project makes sense—the painter is already set up, surfaces are already being prepped and masked, and incremental cost is lower than painting trim separately later.

Many homeowners paint walls and ceiling but skip trim if it's in good condition, adding trim work when it shows wear years later. This can work well, though achieving perfect color matching after several years can be challenging if the unpainted trim has yellowed or faded.

Standalone Trim Projects

Painting just trim (without walls) makes sense when:

• Walls were recently painted and don't need refreshing
• You're updating trim color as a design choice
• Trim is damaged or in poor condition while walls are fine
• You're converting from stained to painted trim
• You're doing a phased project and want to tackle trim separately

Before Selling

Fresh trim has disproportionate impact on home presentation. Dingy baseboards and door frames make entire rooms feel neglected, while crisp, clean trim signals care and maintenance. For homes being prepared for sale, trim painting—especially in high-visibility areas like entries, main living spaces, and primary bathrooms—delivers strong return on investment.

DIY vs. Professional Trim Painting

Trim painting is more challenging than wall painting but still DIY-feasible for patient, detail-oriented homeowners. Understanding what's involved helps you decide whether to tackle it yourself.

DIY Trim Painting Reality

Trim requires:

• Steady hands for cutting clean lines
• Patience for multiple coats with adequate drying time
• Attention to detail for caulking, sanding, and prep work
• Proper brush technique to avoid visible brush marks
• Physical endurance (painting baseboards means hours on your knees)

Capable DIYers can achieve good results, though professional work typically shows better cut lines, smoother finish, and superior durability due to more thorough prep.

DIY Cost for One Room

For a 12x14 bedroom (baseboards, two windows, one door, door frame):

Materials:

• Paint: $50-70 (1 quart primer, 1 quart finish coat—small projects have poor material efficiency)
• Supplies: $30-60 (quality angled brush, sandpaper, wood filler, caulk, painter's tape)
• Total: $80-130

Time Investment: 8-15 hours (prep, two coats, drying time, cleanup)

At $25/hour opportunity cost, your time represents $200-375, making total DIY cost $280-505 versus professional work at $350-650 for the same room.

When DIY Makes Sense

DIY trim painting is reasonable when:

• You have adequate time and patience for detail work
• The project is small (one or two rooms)
• You're comfortable with prep work
• Budget constraints are significant
• You enjoy detailed work and take satisfaction in careful results

When Professional Painting Makes Sense

Hire professionals for:

• Whole-home trim projects
• Historical or intricate trim requiring specialized knowledge
• When you want exceptional results
• Time is limited
• You're painting before selling (ROI justifies the cost)
• The trim is in poor condition requiring extensive prep

Ways to Reduce Trim Painting Costs

If estimates exceed budget, several strategies can help:

Paint Just High-Impact Areas

Focus on highly visible trim in entries, main living spaces, and primary bedrooms while deferring secondary spaces for later. This spreads costs across multiple projects.

Skip Crown Molding or Secondary Trim

If budget is tight, paint baseboards and doors but defer crown molding, picture rails, or other secondary trim. Baseboards have the most impact (they're at eye level when seated and show damage most readily).

Handle Some Prep Yourself

Filling nail holes, light sanding, and cleaning are tasks capable homeowners can manage. Discuss with contractors whether they'll reduce quotes for you handling portions of prep work.

Combine With Wall Painting

Adding trim to a room painting project costs less than painting trim separately because setup and protection are already in place. If you're planning to paint walls soon, bundle the projects.

Accept Similar Rather Than Perfect Color Matches

If you're refreshing trim, using the closest stock color to your existing shade may require fewer coats than custom color matching, reducing material and labor costs.

Bay Area-Specific Considerations

Historical Home Prevalence

The Bay Area has exceptional concentrations of Victorian, Edwardian, and Craftsman homes with elaborate original trim. Maintaining this trim requires specialized knowledge and proper techniques. Contractors experienced with historical trim command appropriate rates for their expertise—this isn't work for general painters without relevant experience.

Cost of Living and Labor Rates

Skilled finish painters in the Bay Area earn $50-85+ per hour in direct labor because our cost of living demands it. Trim painting, being detail work requiring specific skills, falls toward the higher end of painting labor rates. This reflects market reality, not overpricing.

Design Trends

The Bay Area market has moved toward white or soft neutral trim regardless of wall colors, creating bright, contemporary feels even in traditional homes. Many homeowners are painting previously stained oak, fir, or redwood trim to align with current aesthetics. This dark-to-light transformation is investment-intensive but dramatically modernizes older homes.

Environmental Regulations

California's low-VOC requirements mean trim paints have lower odor and emissions, important for interior work in occupied homes. However, some specialty primers (stain blockers, adhesion primers) may still have higher VOC content under specific exemptions because they serve critical functions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to paint baseboards in a house?

For a whole-home baseboard painting project in a 2,000-square-foot Bay Area home, expect costs of $1,200-3,000 depending on baseboard height and complexity. A typical home might have 250-350 linear feet of baseboard at $2.50-6.00 per linear foot. Simple 3-inch baseboards in good condition fall toward the lower range, while tall, complex baseboards or those requiring extensive prep cost more.

Should I paint trim before or after walls?

Professional sequence is typically walls first, then trim. This allows you to be less careful when cutting in walls (you'll overlap slightly onto trim), then paint trim afterward with careful cutting back against the walls. However, if trim needs stripping or extensive prep creating dust and debris, some painters prefer addressing trim first. Discuss sequencing with your contractor based on your specific project.

Can I paint trim without sanding?

Painting over glossy trim without sanding risks poor adhesion and eventual peeling. While some specialized primers claim to bond to glossy surfaces without sanding, light abrasion with 150-220 grit sandpaper is cheap insurance for long-lasting results. Professional painters virtually always sand trim before painting.

What's the best paint for trim?

Semi-gloss or satin finishes in professional-grade trim paints provide the best combination of durability, washability, and appearance. Benjamin Moore Advance (hybrid alkyd with excellent flow and leveling), Sherwin-Williams ProClassic or Emerald Urethane (both very durable), and specialty products like Scuff-X (exceptional impact resistance) are popular professional choices. Avoid using wall paint on trim—it won't hold up to the abuse trim receives.

How many coats of paint does trim need?

Trim typically needs one coat of primer (if required based on color change or surface condition) plus two coats of finish paint. Dramatic color changes, especially dark to light, may require three finish coats for complete coverage. Each coat must dry completely before the next application—rushing creates poor results.

Is it worth painting trim?

Trim painting delivers impact beyond its square footage. Fresh, clean trim makes entire rooms feel renewed and well-maintained, while dingy trim cheapens the overall appearance even with fresh wall paint. For homes being sold, trim condition significantly affects buyer impressions. The investment is worthwhile when trim shows wear, you're changing color schemes, or you want to maximize the impact of room painting projects.

How do you paint trim without getting paint on walls?

Steady hands, quality angled brushes, proper paint consistency, and good technique allow professionals to cut clean lines without tape. For DIYers or when absolutely crisp lines are essential, high-quality painter's tape (FrogTape or similar) applied carefully to walls just above the trim creates sharp divisions. Remove tape while paint is still slightly wet to prevent peeling.

Can you paint trim a different color than doors?

You can, though traditional approach is matching trim throughout a home—baseboards, door frames, window casings, and doors all the same color. Some designers advocate for doors in an accent color while keeping trim neutral, or painting interior sides of doors to match wall colors while keeping exterior sides consistent with trim. Discuss options with your painter and consider how choices affect flow between rooms.

Making Your Trim Painting Decision

Trim may not be the largest surface area in your home, but it defines spaces, creates architectural interest, and signals care and quality maintenance. Fresh trim transforms rooms, creates clean lines, and provides the finishing details that make professional painting projects look polished and complete.

The investment—whether $350 for a single bedroom or $3,000 for whole-home baseboards—delivers value through improved appearance, protection of woodwork, and enhanced home presentation. For sellers, trim condition significantly influences buyer perceptions. For homeowners staying long-term, properly painted trim lasts 10-15 years with minimal maintenance.

The key is working with painters who understand that trim is detail work requiring patience, proper materials, and careful technique. Not all painters excel at trim—this is finish carpentry as much as painting.

When you're ready to explore trim and door painting for your home, detailed estimates from qualified contractors provide accurate pricing for your specific situation. Trim complexity, current condition, and project scope all affect costs, and in-person assessment ensures reliable quotes.

At Lamorinda Painting, we've specialized in interior painting throughout the Bay Area for over 20 years, including extensive trim work in historical homes and modern residences alike. We understand the techniques that produce crisp, clean lines and smooth, durable finishes, and we use premium materials designed for trim durability.

If you'd like to discuss your trim and door painting project, we're here to help. Contact us to schedule an assessment of your home and receive detailed information about scope, timeline, and investment for your specific project.