Inspection

• The first step in wood trim repair is inspection. You want to figure out what caused the damage to the wood. There could be a variety of factors. The most important thing to look for is signs of termite damage. Termite damage looks like small holes bored into the wood. If you see termite damage, contact a termite pest controller right away. Eliminate the termites from your home before replacing the trim. Another common cause of trim damage is rot. Make sure nothing is leaking onto your trim. Fix any leaks to prevent the damage from occurring again. After the cause of damage is removed, you can move on to repairing the trim.
  
  

Epoxy

• The best way to repair wood that is damaged in a few spots, or that does not have large sections of rotted wood, is with a two-part epoxy glue. The glue not only prevents further rotting from occurring, but it also acts as a putty to cover the damaged wood. If the wood is rotten in any way rather than just damaged, you will need to use a borate wood preservative on the surface of the exposed wood. Drill holes about three inches deep into the wood and inject the preservative into the holes until it starts to drip. Allow to dry for 24 hours. Follow this treatment with an epoxy primer. Mix the two parts of the epoxy glue and use a putty knife to apply over the wood. Shape the glue into a shape that matches the original wood. Allow the glue to dry for 24 hours. Sand the glue down to an even level with the rest of the trim.
  
  

Replacement

• Occasionally wood trim will be too damaged to be repaired, even with epoxy glue. When this happens the trim must be replaced. The easiest way to replace trim is to replace a whole section. If you try to replace a piece of the section, the line between the sections will cause the trim to look unprofessional. Use a putty knife to break the seal between the trim and the wall. Use a crowbar to pull the trim away from the wall once the seal is broken. After the old trim is removed replace it with a similar-looking trim piece using finishing nails. If you cannot find a matching color for the old trim, then paint over all the trim.