Painting Architrave

[keenbutconfused]

I am painting some architrave that has some quite fine detailing on it. I am finding that some of that detail gets lost as I paint it. Is there a trick to doing this or is it just a matter of thinning the paint a bit.

 

[paulpolly]

i've been trying to get to the office all weekend- and week to finish some design work, but guess what, my beatiful wife decides she wants to re-decorate the bedroom? hit the same problem as you. What i found was that if i removed the existing layers of paint buit up over the years with a good quality paint ramover so that i was back down to the natural wood finish, i could then prime the architrave with a good (thin) primer coat. To retain the detail. i then used a good quality high gloss paint. dont go for the one coat porridge like substance she buy's cos , apparently, its easier. Select a good quality high gloss paint and apply with a good soft & fine 1" (25mm) or smaller paint brush. the key was to take my time.

I did think of removing the architraves and painting them, then fixing them back with no nails or something, but think she would have killed me?

 

[Zampa]

You dont need to thin the paint...it could make your problem worse.

Use a stipplning action when your painting the mouldings instead of an up an down brushing action..which tends to scrape the paint from the brush and causes it to run.