How to Paint Skirting Boards

Skirting boards are great for adding dimension to rooms and protecting the bottom of your walls, but this means they’re susceptible to general wear and tear, and other damage. Painting your skirting board is a simple way to completely refresh them, ridding of any scratches and marks.

Painting skirting boards is also a beginner-friendly DIY task that removes the need for you to make any drastic changes to a room. But there’s still more to it than just adding another layer of paint over the top of what’s already there. Keep reading for our tips and guidance on how to prep and paint a skirting board.

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To paint skirting boards, you’ll need to clean, sand, and prime them, protect surrounding floors or carpets with masking tape and dust sheets, and apply a suitable paint for interior wood using several sized paintbrushes for a neat finish. Always use angled brushes to follow the wood grain, apply multiple coats if needed, and remove masking tape once the paint is completely dry.
Skirting boards can be painted with eggshell, satin, gloss, or emulsion paints. Gloss is a good choice as it’s easier to clean and reflects light. White is the most common colour choice as it can work for both contrast and blending.

What paint do you use on skirting boards?

Eggshell, satin, or gloss paints all work well for skirting boards, each giving you a slightly different finish. Paints with a high gloss finish reflect more light and brighten up a room, whereas paints with a matt finish can absorb light to create a more muted look. It’s also worth noting that glossy paints are easier to clean than matt paints, making them ideal for high-traffic areas. Emulsion skirting board paint also works well but requires a lot of prep beforehand to make sure it properly adheres to the wall.

You’ll want to choose a colour that complements both your walls and carpet or flooring. The most common shade for skirting boards is white, which will either blend in with your walls or create a bold contrast to darker wall shades.

Painting skirting boards: oil-based vs. water-based paint

There are pros and cons to both oil-based and water-based paints when painting skirting boards.

Pros: hard, durable finish that’s ideal for high-traffic areas as it can withstand a lot of general wear and tear.

Cons: will likely take longer to dry, has stronger fumes and requires strong solvents to clean up.

Pros: Dries quickly, has barely any odour, cleans easily with water and is more flexible, so it’s less prone to cracking.

Cons: May be less durable in high-traffic areas.

Generally, water-based paints are recommended for painting skirting boards as they’re easier to use.

How to paint skirting boards

Below we’ve outlined how best to paint skirting boards, so you can achieve a professional-looking finish.

Lightly sand the skirting board. Then use a damp cloth to clean it and a vacuum to get rid of any debris. For stains and dirt, wipe down the surface with sugar soap. Then rinse off with clean water.

If you’re painting skirting boards in a room with a hard floor, stick masking tape to the floor as close to the skirting as possible. This will prevent any paint from dripping down past the skirting.

You’ll also want to tape the wall with low tac masking tape above the skirting board, so you get a clean line without having to be extremely accurate with your brush. Once you’ve applied the masking tape, place a dust sheet down to protect the rest of the floor.

Note: if your skirting needs repairing with wood filler or priming, do that now.

Load up your paintbrush with paint. An angled-head cutting-in brush will get the best results as the pointed corner helps to give you more accuracy as you paint. Use brushstrokes in the same direction as your sanding and priming. Let this layer dry and apply another coat if needed.

Top tip: add some water to your paint and mix well to make the painting process smoother.

Top tip: if you’re using a satin paint on a larger, flatter skirting board, use a foam roller to get an even finish.

Once the paint has almost completely dried, remove the masking tape. You’ll want to remove it just before it’s fully dry to avoid the removal of the tape chipping away the paint on the wall.

Once you’ve done the satisfying tape-pull, you’ll now have fully refreshed skirting boards to set off your space.

Painting your skirting boards is a really simple task that, if done right and prepped properly, doesn’t have to take too long. Once the fear of paint marks on your floor is removed with a bit of masking tape and a dust sheet, you’ll be on the road to flawless results in no time. If you’re looking for a complete skirting overhaul rather than a simple repaint, take a look at our handy guide on how to fit skirting boards.

FAQs

Generally, homeowners will stick to white as it can give the effect of brightening up a room and is less likely to clash. However, there’s the option of creating a contrast against your walls with a black or dark brown to mimic wood.

You’ll want to use a primer which has strong adhesion and prevents stains like an acrylic or oil-based primer suitable for interior wood.

All you need to do is wash them in warm, soapy water if you’ve been using water-based paints, or use a mineral spirit for oil-based paints. Rinse them thoroughly and try reshaping their bristles before leaving them to dry flat.

It’s not advised due to the small surface area, and the risk of paint splats to carpets, flooring and walls.

Paint on skirting boards can take anywhere between 4-6 hours for water-based paint, and 12-24 hours for oil-based paint. But this’ll depend on the temperature and humidity levels of the room.

Yes, as it prevents paint splatters on freshly painted walls.