How Can You Speed Up Painting Exterior Eaves and Trim?

Use rollers to quickly paint eaves and trim.

Painting exterior eaves and trim might seem like a chore—climbing a ladder and painting overhead is messy and tough on your neck and shoulders. Spraying the eaves is the fastest approach, but it involves a lot of masking. You can also paint the eaves and other exterior trim fairly quickly using a roller and a brush. Rollers come in various lengths beyond the standard 9-inch size, and a smaller roller can efficiently handle eaves and trim.

Step 1

Stir the trim paint, and pour some into a clean bucket for "cutting in" with a brush rather than dipping directly from the can. Pour additional paint into a 5-gallon bucket for rolling. Moving a 5-gallon bucket and grid around outside is much simpler than a paint rolling tray.

Step 2

Use a 2 1/2- or 3-inch brush to cut in corners, grooves, and angles. If you're working on a two-story or taller house, do it in sections and roll each section after cutting in. For a one-story home, it's faster to cut in from the ladder and then roll the flat areas with an extension pole from the ground.

Step 3

Roll the eaves with a 9-inch roller. A 1/2-inch lambswool roller cover costs a bit more than a synthetic one but holds more paint and works paint into grooves and corners more efficiently.

Step 4

Switch to a smaller roller for trim. Rollers range from 3 to 14 inches; a 6-inch roller is a versatile choice for most exterior trim. Always brush edges and corners first, then roll.

Step 1

A sprayer is the quickest way to paint eaves.

Mask the house body with masking tape and paper. A hand-masker is essential for this, as it lets you apply masking materials quickly and precisely. Use two strips of 9-inch masking paper, taping along the bottom edge of the eaves.

Step 2

Spray the eaves. Don't be tempted to spray the fascia and gutters simultaneously, because you'll get overspray on the roof, which is nearly impossible to remove from most roofing materials. Paint the fascia and gutters after spraying the eaves.

Step 3

Remove the masking paper and tape once the eaves are dry, which should take one to three hours depending on weather. Save time by painting the fascia and gutters while you're already on the ladder removing the masking materials.