XIM Products Inc. Trim Magic  ****
Manufacturer: XIM Products Inc.
Official Site: www.ximbonder.com
Type used:  Trim magic quart
Avg. Cost:    One quart  avg. $18.00
                      One Gallon  avg. $ 60.00
                     

It takes a lot of confidence in a product to use the word "magic" in it's name, but XIM Products Inc. did just that. They dubbed  their new super high build primer "Trim Magic" and according to XIM the name says it all. It's a specialty primer used for priming and smoothing very rough or alligatored woodwork trim boards.
 My sample quart of Trim magic languished in my van for a while since we rarely encounter rough or alligatored trim, so I decided to try it out on some checked (cracked) and weathered wood porch railings. I soon discovered that  it is not intended to be applied in thin coats and the best way to apply it is to "plop" a large brush full on the surface and then smooth it out. I coated all of the needy horizontal rails and returned the next day to determine how much magic had taken place.

To be honest I was surprised at how smooth the rails were, there were a few deeply checked areas that required some touch up, but all in all the rail's appearance was improved by at least 90%. (with 100% being new rails). I was so impressed with the rails that i put the primer to task on a few of the vertical posts that were in rough shape. The vertical application required a bit more finesse than the horizontals and I had to keep an eye out for swags and sags but the end result was a huge improvement in appearance.

XIM also claims that there will be a big improvement in the finished paint job's longevity. In my case this has yet to be determined but I finished this job about a year ago and so far there has been no signs of primer or paint failure, that's a good indication of paint structure stability, especially for exposed deck rails.

So how do I rate XIM's Trim magic?

Cost to Quality ratio - A
Ease of use - B
Performance on horizontals - A+
performance on verticals - B+
Overall performance - A

One again XIM has backed up their confidence with performance, Trim Magic lives up to the expectations derived from it's name.

Roger Woodward
12/03/09
www.painterforum.com





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Have a different opinion, or want a product reviewed? Contact Roger Woodward

Roger Woodward is the Founder of PainterForum.com He is also a high end Painting Contractor with over 25 years in the Painting Trade.
 Painter Forum is independently owned, and we have no direct affiliation with any particular name brand product or service. That keeps my focus on the product's actual  performance and not it's well-heeled advertising. The products I review are tested by me in real world conditions and I can only offer my honest opinion based on my experience with the product.