Skirting boards or baseboards are often the most overlooked part of any room’s decor. These humble strips of wood running along the base of your walls serve both practical and aesthetic purposes. Baseboards keep the walls from getting scratched or bumped and give the room a clean, finished look. When it comes time to refresh your room’s appearance, painting your skirting boards can make a surprising difference.
Should You Paint Your Skirting Boards?
Before diving into the how-to, it’s worth considering why you might want to paint your skirting boards in the first place. Over time, these fixtures can become scratched, scuffed, or simply look dated. Refreshing your baseboards with new paint can give it a crisp, clean look that goes well with your walls and floors. Not to mention, painted skirting boards are easier to clean and maintain than their bare wood counterparts.
Choosing the Right Paint
The choice of paint is crucial for achieving a durable and attractive finish on your skirting boards. While you might be tempted to use leftover wall paint, it’s important to select a paint specifically formulated for wood trim. You can trust that these paints will stand up to the abuse skirting boards endure for years to come.
For most interiors, a semi-gloss or gloss finish is ideal. These sheens are not only more resistant to scuffs and easier to clean, but they also provide a subtle contrast to the typically matte finish of wall paint. When it comes to colour, white still remains a classic choice. Most people enjoy using white on the skirting boards as it brightens up the room and complements most decor styles. However, don’t be afraid to experiment with bolder colors or even contrast your skirting boards with your wall color for a more dramatic effect.
Preparation Gives You a Professional Finish
As with any painting project, proper preparation is essential for achieving a professional-looking result. As with all painting projects you want to begin by thoroughly cleaning your skirting boards. Years of dust, dirt, and grime have accumulated in the nooks and crannies, so take your time with this step. A mixture of warm water and mild detergent, along with a soft cloth or sponge, should suffice for most cleaning jobs.
Once you are done cleaning, inspect the skirting boards for any damage. Fill any holes, dents, or cracks with wood filler, and once dry, sand the repaired areas until they are smooth. In fact, it’s a good idea to lightly sand all of the skirting boards to create a surface that the new paint can adhere to effectively. After sanding, wipe away any dust with a tack cloth.
You will need to take the steps necessary to protect your floors and walls from paint splatters. Use painter’s tape to mask off the edges where the skirting board meets the wall and floor. Lay down drop cloths or old newspapers to catch any drips.
If your skirting boards have never been painted before, or if you’re making a dramatic color change, apply a coat of primer. Even just a single coat of primer will ensure better paint adhesion and a more uniform final color.
Mastering The Painting Process
Once your preparation is complete, you’re ready to start painting. Here’s where technique becomes important. You want to load your brush with paint, but not too much. Overloading your brush can lead to drips and an uneven finish. Start at one corner of the room and work your way along the skirting board in sections of about a meter at a time.
Use long, smooth strokes to apply the paint, making sure to follow the wood’s grain. This makes it easier to reduce the appearance of brush marks. Pay special attention to any decorative molding or intricate details, ensuring the paint gets into all the crevices.
While you are painting the skirting boards, watch out for any drips or pools of paint. Smooth these out immediately with your brush to maintain an even finish. It’s better to apply two or three thin coats rather than one thick coat, as this will result in a more durable and professional-looking finish.
Between coats, lightly sand the dried paint with fine-grit sandpaper. Sanding removes minor imperfections and creates a smoother surface for the next coat. Remember to wipe away any sanding dust before applying the next layer of paint.
Dealing with Challenges
Painting skirting boards isn’t always straightforward. One of the hardest parts you will face is painting around radiators or other fixtures that are close to the floor. In these cases, you might need to use a smaller brush or even a foam brush to reach those tight spaces. Taking the time to do this carefully will ensure a neat finish.
Another issue is paint bleeding under the painter’s tape. And trust us this happens more often than you might think. The best way to prevent this from happening is to press down firmly on the edges of the tape when applying it. Some painters swear by running a credit card along the edge of the tape to ensure a good seal. Additionally, removing the tape while the paint is still slightly wet can help prevent peeling.
If you’re painting in a room with carpet, extra care is needed. In addition to using tape and drop cloths, some painters find it helpful to use a paint guard – a thin, flexible piece of plastic or metal that can be slid between the skirting board and the carpet to protect the fibers.
Finishing Touches
Once you’ve applied your final coat of paint and it has dried completely, carefully remove the painter’s tape. This is also the time to take care of any touch-ups. Small artist’s brushes can be useful for fixing minor imperfections.
You might want to add a clear protective coat after the paint has fully dried, which can take up to a week based on the type of paint and the weather. This is helpful in places with a lot of foot traffic or homes with pets or little kids because it adds extra protection against scratches and makes cleaning easier.
Maintenance and Care
To keep your newly painted skirting boards looking their best, you want to keep them clean. A soft, damp cloth is usually sufficient for removing dust and light dirt. For tougher stains, a mild detergent solution can be used, but avoid harsh chemicals that could damage the paint finish.
Periodically inspect your skirting boards for any chips or scratches. Small imperfections can often be touched up with a bit of paint and a small brush. The faster you address these smaller issues the better as it prevents more significant damage and maintain the fresh look of your paint job.
Summing It All Up
As a final note, painting the skirting boards may seem like a small part of home improvement, but it can make a big difference in how a room looks as a whole. You can get a professional-looking finish that will make the inside of your home look better for years to come if you prepare it well, use the right materials, and be careful with your technique. Whether you’re refreshing your current color or making a bold new choice, a well-executed skirting board paint job is a satisfying and rewarding home improvement project.
