I have white wood trim and looking to repaint it white but wondering about a couple of things:
Since it’s already painted white, should I apply a coat of primer? Or am I good with just paint?
Wood is still in great shape (no rotting or holes), so is it recommended to sand the trim prior to painting/priming?
Any tips or recommendations welcomed.
I would recommend a light sanding - just enough to get rid of any gloss or smoothness. After the sanding it would be a good idea to spay the surfaces with a garden hose to remove any “sanding” dust.
Be sure to get exterior paint.
Paint is designed to go over old paint and should be fine. Smooth surface gives better appearance.
If the old paint is chalking, a power wash may be a good idea.
Will you use latex paint? Can be oil sensitive. But not usually a problem on trim.
How old is the house? Lead paint before abt 1970. Dust from sanding can be a problem. Oil based housepaint used in the past? Can mean chipping. Better to remove first, then prime.
1. Since it’s already painted white, should I apply a coat of primer? Or am I good with just paint?
Seems as though most paints come as paint and primer in one these days.
2. Wood is still in great shape (no rotting or holes), so is it recommended to sand the trim prior to painting/priming?
YMMV, and it’s unlikely to be a popular suggestion, but for the past several years I have been putting a new coat of the same paint on our vacation home one section at a time. Unless it is seriously dirty, like from rain hitting the ground and splashing back up onto the siding, I just take a clean paint brush and do a dusting off of the dry siding, then paint with primer/paint. it has held up beautifully. No flaking paint on my siding however, nor any rotting wood.
IP
No LBP; home built in 2000s.
Paint store recommended Benjamin Moore acrylic paint…can’t recall the name of it but previously painted trim around a new window and looked great.
My plan is to do a little over the weekends: first I’ll paint three window trims in front of lower level of house, then trim on back of house (lower level), and lastly the trim on edges of home. I’m in no hurry so will spread it out over rest of summer.
Benjamin Moore is a Berkshire Hathaway company. Warren Buffett will be pleased to hear your comments.
Traditionally Benjamin Moore paint was sold in hardware stores. But recently they have been opening their own paint stores. That usually means better trained salesmen. And more choices.
We recently had nearly the whole interior painted by a great guy, he used Kelly-Moore. An earlier bath remodel, different painter, also used Kelley-Moore… Had a little trouble getting that Tint base for the bathroom, short supplies, but it came through, I had taken photos of the paint cans at the time of the earlier work, and evidently tossed the surplus paint, but eventually was able to match it. Just touched up my towel bar fix yesterday, perfect match… Very professional store here, sadly this particular tint base only came in gallons, so a tad more expensive…
I’ve made up an Excel spreadsheet with all the paints, codes, for every room, cieiling,trip and wall colors so no more mysteries…
Maybe Kelley-Moore is West Coast, it’s unrelated to Benjamin-Moore, per Google, but definitely a nice paint, and not a big box store brand… Behr’s is HD, not sure what Lowes promotes…
I’ve made up an Excel spreadsheet with all the paints, codes, for every room, cieiling,trip and wall colors so no more mysteries…
Even if you have the paint codes, it doesn’t mean new paint will match old paint so you may not be able to touch up. Paint formulations change over times so the tint can slight change even if you are using the same code from your old paint.
Well, this worked out, I also came home with their paint card and while not semi-gloss the color was right… It looks a bit lighter when wet, but dries to the perfect match…
Next major paint job will be the exterior, pretty sure my new found friend/painter, Ben, is up to it… Should change his name to Kelley… 
Pressure wash it it first to reveal any problems you might not have seen.
Then fill and sand any glitches.
Paint.