One of the projects on our long guest bedroom makeover to-do list is stripping, sanding and painting the skirting boards.
We’re painting our skirting boards from scratch, but we also use the same method to repaint and freshen them up after a while. It’s pretty much impossible to avoid scratches and scuffs from cleaning and vacuuming, whilst they hold up very well, it’s inevitable that the odd touch will be required.
Luckily, painting your skirting boards (or baseboards depending on which part of the world you’re in) is quick. easy and cheap to do!
How you prepare your skirting boards for painting will depend on the condition they are in.
If they have been previously painted and are just a bit scuffed and chipped you can easily repaint them without having to do too much prep work.
Just give them a thorough clean with some sugar soap solution for a quick sand with some 120 grit sandpaper to roughen up the surface and remove any imperfections will be more than enough to prepare them for the next coat of paint.
If you have any chips, fill them with some wood filler before sanding everything smooth.
Our skirting boards had been painted so many times that all of the detail had been lost so we decided to go the extra mile and strip them right back to the bare wood and start from scratch.
Don’t forget to check if you have lead paint before starting to remove old paint, especially if you live in an older property!
After stripping what felt like dozens of layers of paint, we filled any holes and dents before sanding everything with 80 grit sandpaper to remove any last bits of paint residue and imperfections. After the first round of sanding, we then gave everything another sand with some 120 grit sandpaper to create a lovely smooth surface that’s ready to paint.
This method is the best way to paint skirting boards and it doesn’t matter if you’re painting new skirting boards or repainting skirting boards.
Before you get your paintbrush out, there are a few more things you’ll have to do before you can paint your skirting boards.
Make sure to remove any dirt and dust from sanding by giving the skirting boards a thorough vacuum (we love this vacuum cleaner for all building work dirt) and wipe to remove any traces of dust.
If your skirting boards have any knots, you should treat them with a knotting solution before painting. Knotting solution will stop the sap in the knots from bleeding through the paint finish and will stop any areas of the painted wood from turning yellow.
Knotting solution is available in any DIY store and only takes seconds to apply. Just dab a small amount on all knots and let it dry before continuing with painting the wood.
Now, for our time-saving tip to painting your skirting boards without spending hours masking off everything. There’s an easy way to paint your skirting boards without getting paint on the floor!
It’s a piece of cardboard (or paper)!
Yep, the secret tool we use to paint our skirting boards without getting paint on the floor or carpet is just a simple and free piece of cardboard!
Next time you get a delivery, don’t throw away the box. Take it to pieces and save it for painting your skirting boards!
It really is such an easy way to paint skirting boards. Just push the cardboard under the gap between your floor and the skirting board and start painting.
The cardboard will protect your floor (or carpet) from any paint and you can just push the piece of cardboard along as you go while painting each part of the baseboards.
If you’re wondering how to paint skirting boards with carpet, the process is exactly the same as if you don’t.
If you only have a low pile, you can easily use the cardboard method we mentioned above. Just push down the carpet and squeeze a piece of cardboard between the skirting board and floor/carpet.
If you have a really thick carpet and can’t use the cardboard trick, there is another product available that will work really well to protect your carpets while painting the skirting boards – carpet protection film.
This film is a huge water-resistant tape that sticks to your carpet and protects it from any paint drips. When you roll it out along the edge of your room, leave an overhang of around 5cm towards the edge of the skirting board and then push the excess foil under the skirting board with a spatula or putty knife to provide super-secure protection for your carpet.
Because it’s sticky and waterproof, this foil will protect the carpet really well and won’t slip around.
Painting wooden skirting boards is only like painting any other wood. It doesn’t really matter if you’re painting furniture, doors or if you’re painting skirting boards. The process is always the same.
Prime the surface and let it dry, then give it a light sand with some 240 grit sandpaper to remove any raised grain and imperfections before painting it with your chosen paint finish. When the paint is completely dry, give it a sand with some 240 grit sandpaper and repeat the painting (and cleaning) process, adding a second coat or even third coat of paint until you have coverage you’re happy with.
A good quality paintbrush is worth investing in and it will help you achieve a smooth finish without brush strokes. We’re still using the same set of paintbrushes that we bought over 10 years ago and highly recommend them!
Another tip when painting wood is to remember not to use too much paint.
Only ever dip your paintbrush about a third of the way into the paint so that you don’t have too much paint on it.
If you’re painting new wood, you should always apply an undercoat before applying the paint finish. It will help seal and protect the timber giving it the perfect base for your paint finish.
Some paints, like the paint we used to paint our skirting boards, don’t require an undercoat, so we could get stuck straight into the painting. Just double-check the paint you’re using and apply a coat of general wood primer (it doesn’t have to be anything special) if necessary.
It doesn’t matter if you use oil-based paint or water-based paint to paint your skirting boards. Both have pros and cons but both will work well.
If you’re a messy painter, it’s always a good idea to give your floors some extra protection and cover the floor with some dust sheets, too.
Don’t forget to treat the knots in the wood with a knotting solution first! If you miss them, they’ll seep through the paint and show up as yellow marks.
Try to apply a really thin coat of paint and use long brush strokes – it’ll help to achieve a smooth finish. Lots of thin coats of paint are always much better than one thick one. The finish will be more even, more durable and you’ll avoid any paint drips, too!
Something else we like to do is attach a piece of masking tape or an elastic band over the can of paint. If you have too much paint on the brush, you can wipe it on the tape. It’ll avoid gloops of paint around the edge of the paint tin and will help keep your paint clean.
While working, keep all the supplies in a small box. That way you are less likely to mess up your floor and it also keeps everything together in one place while you’re shuffling along the floor painting your skirting boards
Here are the answers to a few skirting board questions we get asked again and again!
What colour should I paint my skirting boards?It’s totally up to you! We like to keep the woodwork in our home a clean white but another option we love is to paint the skirting the same colour as the walls. This works particularly well if you have dark walls and gives the room a really contemporary and sleek look.
What kind of paint should I use to paint my skirting boards?Generally, the glossier the paint is, the more hard-wearing the finish will be. We recommend opting for a satin or eggshell finish which has a lovely soft sheen but isn’t too shiny. Because skirting boards inevitably get knocked and bashed quite a lot, we wouldn’t recommend a matt finish which will be more difficult to keep clean.
Should I paint my skirting boards or walls first?When decorating, always start at the top and work your way down. That way you won’t drip any paint from your ceiling onto your freshly painted walls and won’t drip any paint from your walls onto your freshly painted skirting boards.
Should you paint your skirting boards with a paintbrush or roller?We always recommend using a good quality paintbrush for painting woodwork. A high-quality paint brush will help you reach all corners and will help you achieve a perfectly smooth finish.
How do I fill the gap between the floor and the skirting board?Nobody likes draughts and filling the gap between your skirting and floor is quick and easy. Best of all, it will save you money on your heating bills, too! Here’s where you can see our full guide on how to fill the gap between the floor and skirting boards.
There’s still a lot more to do in the bedroom, but the first bit of skirting board in the corner of the room is done.
While painting the upstairs skirting, we also finally got around to touching up the skirting board in the hallway. We’d already done most of it, but after removing the laminate flooring and sanding the floor there was a little edge left that needed painting.
Some of you have asked if it would be quicker and easier to replace the skirting boards instead of painting them and, honestly, it’s something we hadn’t really considered. The skirting boards are still the original ones that have been in our house for over a hundred years and it would be a shame to remove the original features.
The skirting boards are also higher than most of the ones that are now available, so we’d have to replaster the wall over the skirting boards to make up for the difference. For us, it just seemed to make more sense to keep the original ones.
If your skirting boards are beyond repair, you can replace them. Another great alternative is to upgrade your skirting boards which is what we did in our current home. You can see what we did along with tips on how to choose the right skirting boards for your home there, too!
There’s still loads to do in the bedroom, including sorting out the window (more on that tomorrow), attaching a picture rail, sorting the electrics and plumbing and then painting and decorating everywhere. With some overnight guests visiting soon, we’d better get a move on!
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