When it comes to painting the outside of your home, it’s easy to focus on the main color and forget all about the trim. But here’s the thing: your exterior trim plays a big role in both protecting your home and making it look great. Choosing the right paint for your trim is just as important as picking the color for the siding.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through what exterior trim is, how it differs from other elements like fascia, and how to choose the best color and type of paint for long-lasting beauty and durability.
What is Exterior Trim (and Why It Matters)
Exterior trim is the finishing touch that frames your windows, doors, corners, and sometimes the edges of your roof. While it may seem like just a detail, trim serves a double duty:
- It protects vulnerable seams where water can enter.
- It adds visual definition and style to your home’s exterior.
Think of trim as your home’s “eyebrows” – a small feature that makes a big difference!
Trim vs. Fascia – What’s the Difference?
This is a common mix-up. While both trim and fascia are on your home’s exterior, they serve different purposes:
- Trim outlines windows, doors, and architectural features.
- Fascia is the horizontal board that runs along the edge of the roof, where your gutters are usually mounted.
Both can be painted or covered to enhance the look and protect the wood underneath.
Choosing a Trim Color: Blend or Contrast?
One of the first decisions you’ll need to make when selecting trim paint is whether you want your trim to blend in with your house or stand out. A trim color that closely matches the body of your home will create a seamless, modern, and minimalist appearance. This is a great choice for contemporary styles or stucco exteriors where a clean, uniform look is desired.
If you prefer a bit of contrast but still want a subtle effect, try using a trim color that’s slightly lighter or darker than your main house color. This low-contrast look offers a soft definition that works well on craftsman or ranch-style homes, giving them a more cohesive yet still interesting appearance.
For a more traditional or bold design, high-contrast trim, like bright white on dark siding, can make your home’s architectural features pop. This style draws the eye and highlights special elements such as unique windows, door frames, or rooflines, making it a good fit for classic or character-rich homes.
Zook’s Look Pro Tip: If you want the trim to stand out, make sure there’s at least a two-shade difference between the siding and the trim. This helps define the details without overwhelming the overall look.
Match the Style of Your Home
Your home’s architectural style should help guide your trim choice.
- Traditional homes look great with crisp white or off-white trim.
- Modern homes often go with a monochromatic scheme—same color for body and trim.
- Victorian homes may use 2–3 accent trim colors for a historic, colorful palette.
- Farmhouse or cottage styles often mix white trim with soft or muted body colors.
Working with Brick or Stone?
If your home has brick or stone, the trick is not to match your trim to a single color in the brick, but to stand back and look at the overall tone from a distance. Choose a trim color that harmonizes with the whole picture.
Test Before You Commit
Before painting the entire house, always test your trim color:
- Paint a small section next to your siding.
- View it in the morning, afternoon, and evening light.
- Stand back 15–20 feet to see how it looks from the street.
Trust us, it can look very different at different times of day.
What Kind of Paint Should You Use?
Trim is more exposed to water, sun, and weather than other areas, so quality matters.
- Use a high-quality exterior paint with good adhesion and flexibility.
- Satin finishes are ideal for trim. They’re easy to clean and help water bead off the surface.
- Primer is key- ALWAYS prime new trim–it’s essential for good adhesion of your top coats, and seals/protects the trim from moisture. Trim that has been painted before can be “spot primed” in any area that has bare wood/metal showing or after scraping loose paint from an area in preparation for painting.
Zook’s Look Pro Tip: The most important part about painting trim is caulking anywhere trim meets the house, on all sides. This prevents moisture from getting under your trim or trapping it between the trim and the house, which causes paint to peel and rot/rust to set in.
Wrap-Around vs. Face-Off Trim Painting
When it’s time to paint your trim, ask your contractor if they plan to:
- “Face off” – just paint the visible front of the trim.
- “Wrap around” – paint the front and sides of the trim boards.
Face-off is faster and cheaper, but wrapping the paint all the way around offers better protection and a more finished look. Make sure you’re both on the same page before work begins.
Small Detail, Big Impact
Choosing the right paint and color for your exterior trim may seem like a small decision, but it can have a big impact on how your home looks and how well it holds up to the Iowa weather.
Whether you’re going bold or keeping it classic, Zook’s Look is here to help you find the perfect trim solution for your home. Our experienced local painters in Ames know how to bring out your home’s best features with top-quality paint, precision, and care.
Need help choosing a trim color or planning an exterior update? Contact Zook’s Look today for a free consultation!