Homes in North Richland Hills and what they ask of paint
North Richland Hills grew in waves. The southern part, near Grapevine Highway and Loop 820, has many 1960s and 1970s single-story brick ranches. The middle of the city filled in through the 1980s with brick homes, vaulted family rooms, wood-burning fireplaces and oak trim. The northern edge, near Davis Boulevard and Precinct Line Road, added 1990s and 2000s homes with stone accents and larger lots. Inside the older homes, wallpaper, paneling and stained oak trim are common. For paint, that usually means careful paper removal, sealing any glue residue and choosing primers that block old stains.
Taking down 1980s wallpaper without wrecking the drywall
Many original wallpapers in North Richland Hills homes were hung directly on unprimed drywall, which makes removal tricky. If we tear too fast, the paper face of the drywall comes with it. We start by scoring the paper lightly, then soak it with warm water and a wallpaper remover solution and let it soften before scraping.
Where the drywall face tears, we seal it with an oil-based or shellac primer so it doesn't bubble when we skim coat. Then we skim with joint compound, sand at 150 to 180 grit, prime and paint. Glue residue is washed off thoroughly, since paint over leftover paste can crack.
- Light scoring and warm-water soak
- Torn drywall face sealed before skimming
- Glue residue washed off completely
- Skim coat, prime and two finish coats
Changing stained oak trim and doors to painted white
A lot of 1980s homes here have honey or orange oak baseboards, door casings and six-panel doors. Painting them white or a soft off-white can make a room look brighter without new carpentry. We clean the trim, scuff sand, fill nail holes, caulk gaps and apply a bonding or stain-blocking primer so tannins in the oak don't bleed through.
Then we brush and roll two coats of a waterborne alkyd enamel, which levels well and dries hard. Doors are painted on both sides. A full house of trim and doors usually costs about $2,950 to $6,600, depending on the number of doors, window casings and stair parts.
Paneled dens and vaulted family rooms
Wood paneling in older North Richland Hills dens can be painted if it's solid and firmly attached. We clean it, sand the glossy finish, prime with a bonding primer and either paint over the grooves or fill them with a flexible filler for a flatter look.
Vaulted family rooms with beams are common in 1980s homes. We use extension poles and tall ladders to repaint high walls and ceilings, and we can paint beams in a contrasting color or leave them stained.
Streets and places we know in North Richland Hills
- NRH2O Family Water Park
- Iron Horse Golf Course
- Rufe Snow Drive
- Davis Boulevard
- Grapevine Highway






