Painting skirting boards

sophiedophie

I am wanting to paint the skirting boards and bannisters in my new house and don't know what paint to use (or how to go about it correctly). I have tried to do some research but my DIY skills are extremely poor!!

I am moving into a house that's 6 years old, skirting boards are currently painted - no idea whether it was painted with oil or water based paint before and I think it was painted in gloss - from what i've been reading this might make a difference on the paint I need?

Do I need to sand the skirting boards down first prior to painting, paint an undercoat or do both?! Also, any recommendations on paint given that I don't know what went on there previously? I am currently looking at Johnstone's Trade Aqua Water Based Gloss.

Any help greatly appreciated, would like to get it right first time!

no1catman

You may need to give them a quick rub-down to take any surface grime off - but then if it is a new build there shouldn't be much of that!
Painting on wood, would be using an oil-based paint, an undercoat first, and then when completely dry, a top-coat - it may need two coats.
But once done, it's done for quite awhile.
Good luck, and don't forget the white spirit to clean the brushes after each session (an empty jam-jar comes in useful for this).

FreeBear

Also worth using good quality paint brushes. Forget the cheap stuff you find at Poundland, they are cheap for a reason (they're cr#p).

Sanding sponges are very useful. http://www.screwfix.com/p/flexovit-sanding-sponges-fine-medium-pack-of-6/69248
http://www.screwfix.com/p/norton-expert-dual-grit-angled-sanding-sponge-fine-medium/7241d

Also available from other sources.

gamston

if you are painting them white use satinwood pain, it keeps the colour lovely, the oil based glosses don't keep the colour now, (they have had to change the makeup of gloss paint so its lost the colour retension)

Ectophile

If the wood's already painted, then there's no need to bother with an undercoat. Just give it a bit of a sanding down to smooth out any lumps and give a key for the new paint to stick to. New wood would need an undercoat.

You can go for oil or water-based paints, but if you're doing both an undercoat and top coat, then don't try to put water based paint on oil-based undercoat, because it won't stick.

Sicard

When I did my already painted skirting boards I washed with sugar soap, rinsed and overpainted with a one-coat gloss which is affectively an undercoat and top coat all in one.

getmore4less

Decide what finish you want Gloss, Satin, Eggshell, Matt.

We went for Matt in the living spaces and Gloss in the hall stairs.

like the flat finish in the living space and the brighter reflective finish in the hall.

We used the Dulux Diamond matt PBW(domestic version Endurance)

Good wash, light sand,clean again. touch up if you break through the current paint.

Should get away with a single coat.

our doors and skirting are fine with the Matt, the window sill has not done so well(2.5 years) where we have been putting things on that have scratched next time we paint a room the sills will get a fresh coat.

To speed things up just use masking tape to protect the floor coverings.
put all the care into cutting into the wall getting a clean edge.

DigForVictory

Here is a stellar opportunity to help a very pregnant pal. Time spent on hands & knees, scrubbing with sugar soap solution at the skirting boards is exactly what helped my firstborn decide to roll into a more comfortable for us both & ready to depart position.
If noone's at that stage, well, it's still good exercise & then medium sandpaper to "key it" & a hoover to lift the dust away & once the floor is protected, you're ready to paint!

Another time, where skirting is going in new, my father cut each length to fit (mitering edges etc) then laid each out up on the workbench & painted them at a height he was comfortable with, then had us daughters screw them into place (but he'd even got brass grommets sorted to facilitate removal & repainting time future - some Naval thing, I think). If you have child labour available, well worth considering!

JP1978

Do all the sanding first and then give the whole area a good clean with sugar soap and then vacuum to lift the dust away - else it will just stick to the new paint.

Depending on the floor coverings, you may need to consider lifting any carpets. If they are a deep pile, the pile may come up the skirting and either you paint them or, even if you use a device to compress the pile, once removed the pile could touch the newly painted surface. There is some advice found on google if you search "painting skirting boards with carpet down". If you have laminate or vinyl, then masking tape is all you need to mask off the flooring.

Preparation is key :-)