How to Remove Paint from Wood Trim

Wood trim is a great finishing touch that really brings the elements of a room together. If you are like most homeowners,  you have probably painted your wood trim white or some other color to match or contrast with the wall color. You may decide, however, when redecorating a room that your beautiful hardwood trim would be more striking in its natural state. So now you have to remove the existing paint.

This is usually a fairly simple task but since wood trim is often ornate the paint penetrates into all of the grooves and carvings, making removal anything but simple. The following steps will help you remove paint without harming the wood.

Step 1 - Preparing the Wood Trim

Mix a very small amount of soap with a gallon or so of water. Saturate a sponge and wring it out and then wipe down the wood trim. You want to remove any dust particulates or surface oil on the wood. Get into all of the design elements of the wood trim. Let the wood trim air dry as wiping it dry creates streaks and fibers on the surface.

If you're not planning on painting the walls, you'll need to protect them from the paint removal process. Use the painters tape to section off the wood trim. Make sure to use two strips of tape with one being placed on top of the trim and the other piece of tape on the bottom of the wood trim.

Step 2 - Razor Blade

Using a razor blade to remove paint is best used on flat wood trim or wood trim with very minimal design accents. Place the razor blade on the wood trim at a 45-degree angle. Use very light pressure and slide the razor blade along the wood trim. Be careful to not remove wood along with the paint. If you do, you can fix it with some wood putty, using your finger dipped in warm water to smooth it out. You may be able to remove all of the paint this way but if not, use Step 3 to finish the job. After the paint has been removed wet a towel and ring it out then wipe down the wood trim. This will open up the pores of the wood and help to condition the wood so it does not dry out.

Step 3 - Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol loves to remove paint of all types. Open the bottle of rubbing alcohol and place the microfiber towel on top of the bottle and pour a small amount onto the cloth. Drape the towel of your finger and rub the wood trim with the alcohol. You will need to use some force to work the alcohol into the paint. The paint will begin to smear and wind up on the towel. Use a clean towel to wipe off the smeared paint. Continue until the paint is removed then wipe the wood trim down with clean water as you did in Step 2.