DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

hi, im new to decorating and was after some advice on how to go about glossing the skirting boards and window sill.

it is about 10 years old so i thought it was about time i got round to freshening it all up abit.

ive sanded it all down so its smooth, but im not sure if i can just put the gloss straight on or do i need to use a primer or under coat, and even how many coats of gloss should i put on?

please help!

Hi

Have you checked out our projects area?

There are quite a few painting and decorating projects related to your issue that may be of some assistance to you: https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects.htm

Hope this helps!

Kind Regards

The Doc

Hi, if you have sanded it all down and filled any bits that need doing then you are ready to start. First of all you will need to prime any bare bits, then give it 1 or 2 undercoats depending on how it covers followed by a topcoat ie gloss, eggshell. In between coats I would give it a very light sand with fine sandpaper to remove any little bits that may have found their way on to it and if you want a really bit free finish get a tack cloth and wipe that over it before putting on the finish coat. Make sure you use a decent paint brush as this can make all the difference. I always use Hamilton Perfection brushes myself, others on here would say to use Purdy. It depends on how much you want to spend on them. One final thing would be that if you think any of the surfaces are greasy or dirty then wash them off with Sugar Soap before putting any paint on as paint will not adhere properly to dirt of any kind.

thankyou so much, your advice is really helpful.

The quality of the paint job on the skirting boards will mostly depend on the finish of the board, if it has a low quality or rough finish, the painting is going to be very difficult. the best way to achieve this is to sand down the profile prior to priming and afterwards, and before painting.

You can also use satinwood. Stick masking tape on the floor before painting skirting board. Give a coat of emulsion matt.

I know this is an old post, but if anyone else has the same trouble, you must, must use a primer, otherwise you get very rough results.

If you're painting skirting boards in a room where there is carpet but can't take it up, use a paint edge tool to stop you getting paint on the carpet.

Hi Guys, just a reminder that there are almost 20,000 pages in the main site with a heap of info on. For example, our page on preparing timber for painting will help out with this post. https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/prepwood.htm