How to Paint Trim – Expert Review
Skirting boards are wooden boards which are placed at the base of an interior wall in order to attractively cover the joint between the floor and the wall surface. While the proper painting technique is important, with the proper preparation and the right tools, even a beginner can paint skirting boards with ease. Kneeling and bending down to paint the skirtings can be tiresome, but with a helpful guide, you can make the job easier. Many people believe in using masking tape, and they mask along the edges of the skirting before commencing with painting. A good tip is to start painting the skirting with your best paint brush from the corner of the room, taking care not to get paint on the walls.
Once you have chosen your skirting board paint and color after preparation of the surface, using a good quality brush is essential, with tapered brushes being ideal for skirtings.
Skirting boards in a passage often take quite a bit of abuse. They get scuffed and scraped, and will need to be sandpapered first to smooth out grooves and scratches and to also remove any paint residue. Even if the existing paint looks good, you will still need to sand it so that the new paint adheres better. Before skirting boards are painted, they will need to be dusted and wiped clean to ensure dust isn’t mixed into the paint. Remember that there will be knots in new wood, which contain sap. These will need to be sealed properly or else they will bleed through the paintwork and result in yellow color stains. Apply primer and an undercoat before you put your final coat on.
Before you start painting you will need to take steps to protect your floors—whether hardwood, tiles, or carpets. The difficult part about painting skirting boards is that it can be difficult painting with fluff, dirt, and lint from the carpet. The carpet will need to be vacuumed thoroughly before painting, and then it’s time to cover the floors with old newspaper. Some people instead like to use a thin piece of cardboard, which they place between the skirting boards and the floor. They then move the cardboard along the floor and boards. If the floor has carpeting, pull the carpeting back, using a wallpaper knife, before painting the skirting boards.
▪working from left to right cut in the top of the board
▪apply a thin coat of paint, using long brush strokes—drips can be caught with a damp cloth
▪don’t soak your brush in the paint. Too much paint results in it dripping off of the brush. A good idea is to use downward strokes when painting skirting boards
▪paint the bottom edge of the board
▪for a professional finish, once dry you can sand with a fine-grade paper to remove any lumps before applying a 2nd coat
▪skirtings for an outdoor area or in a wet area wet area such as a bathroom will need to be well sealed to avoid warping from exposure to moisture.
Preparation is important for painting a skirting board, as well as ending off your job properly. After applying a satin finish paint, add a further coat or two of polyurethane varnish, as this will ensure your skirting boards are protected for many years to come.
