Skirtings caulking and painting...

SG27

I cant seem to find the answer to this on google? I have a newly plastered house. So do I paint the walls first then fit the skirtings and caulk. Or do I fit skirtings and caulk first then paint after? Its seems sensible to me to paint first but things I have read seem to say caulk ready for decorating?

Thanks!

Grenage

Caulk first, get all the base work and prep done before you start painting.

SG27

So fit the skirting boards before painting? It makes more sense to me to paint the wall and then fit the skirting over the top, that way no cutting in along the skirting board? Whats the reasoning behind doing it the other way?

Grenage

Cutting in above the skirting is pretty quick because the skirting has yet to be glossed - you don't need to be so precise.


I also caulk first so that I'm not worrying about damaging the relatively fresh paint. Painting is the last thing I do in a room.

bris

NO way, walls first every time, it gives the cleanest finish.
if it's new skirting still be be installed then paint them before they are fitted so only minor touch ups are needed.


Caulking won't do any harm to freshly painted walls unless you are that bad at caulking you plaster it every where which is pretty unlikely.

Mr.Generous

What bris said, most people don't have the chance to paint first because skirting already on, much easier to just paint a blank wall.

paint, fit skirting (primed before fitting if you want, caulk, gloss.

scottishblondie

Paint first then fit the skirting. If the skirting needs painted I would also do that beforehand and the touch up the nail holes after it is installed.

SG27

Thanks all. Painting first makes the most sense!

jennifernil

Why the need for caulk? Are the walls so uneven?

We have no caulk anywhere in the house, walls are plasterboard on timber frame, skirtings, and all woodwork,are hardwood.

Until a few years back I had never heard of caulk!

Mr.Generous

You'd be lucky to fit new skirting and not need to caulk at all, it will fill any tiny gaps inc mitre gaps in skirting. Great stuff. Also called flexible decorators filler.

Jonesya

When you caulk the skirting some of that caulk, depending on the plastering and the radius of the caulking tool, will need painting the same colour as the wall. You will probably also get points where you get a bit of caulk on the wall.

If you paint the walls first then you've got to come back and do these edges again.