Oak trim is common on older homes with elaborate molding.
Oak, particularly white oak, is a common wood for exterior oak molding and trim. This strong wood is easy to carve and bend and can stand up to years of weathering if treated correctly. While exterior oak molding may be expensive, it's a good choice for homeowners who want their exterior trim to endure. As with other wood molding, oak requires regular painting to keep it in good condition, and it must be sanded before paint can be applied. Fortunately, with the right tools and knowledge, sanding oak trim can be relatively simple.
Clean Thoroughly
Even if the entire piece of trim is to be sanded, dirt and airborne contaminants may still adhere to the surface. Don Vandervort's Home Tips recommends using a scrub brush and tri-sodium phosphate solution to remove dirt and loose paint on existing oak trim. A paint scraper may be required to remove stubborn old paint flakes. The trim should be rinsed thoroughly and allowed to completely dry before sanding begins. Sanding wet oak is inefficient and may clog the sandpaper or sanding disk.
Power Sanders
According to House Painting Info, exterior wood surfaces should be sanded using power sanders. Large, flat areas may be an orbital or disc sander, while a palm sander is more appropriate for delicate areas and tight corners. Oak's hardness makes it resistant to gouges and waves from power sanding, but it's still a good idea to keep the sander moving. This prevents accidental removal of too much material and keeps the surface smooth. Use coarse disks for old trim with many layers of paint, and follow with a finer sanding disk to create a paintable surface.
Bare Wood
New oak molding may require less sanding than existing trim, but it should still be smoothed with a fine sandpaper. Homeowners should sand the oak in the direction of the grain, rather than against it, and work to smooth raised areas that may create ripples in the paint. New oak molding may also feature shiny spots called "mill glaze." These are created while the trim is being carved and can keep primer from adhering to the surface. These should be sanded away completely. On old trim with bare spots, the paint should be sanded down to the level of the exposed wood. According to Don Vandervort's Home Tips, bare wood requires two coats of primer before it can be painted. After priming, it may be necessary to sand again with a fine paper in order to enable the paint to adhere.
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