One of the golden rules of decorating is to start at the top and work your way down. By painting a feature wall beforehand, you’ll avoid any drip marks ruining your newly painted skirting boards. The order should be: ceiling first, walls second, skirting board and wood trim last.

How do you paint already painted skirting boards?

Follow the first steps closely and a professional finish will be much easier to achieve when repainting skirting boards.

  1. Clean The Surface Of The Skirting Board. A damp cloth or rag will suffice here. …
  2. Sand The Surface. …
  3. Clean The Skirtings Again. …
  4. Masking Tape. …
  5. Paint The Skirting.




Can I paint over old paint on skirting boards?

If the skirting is currently painted you should be able to just paint over it. If its painted in a dark colour and you are going over it with a light colour, it might be worth painting with undercoat first to reduce the amount of gloss coats you’ll need. See below for our top tip about using varnish.

How much do you need to sand skirting boards before painting?

3Sand the Skirting Boards
Time for sanding! This is essential for a flawless finish and makes the biggest difference to the durability of the paint. It will only need lightly sanding so once you have sanded, be sure to wipe away any dust and make sure they’re completely dry before painting. Prep work done!

Do you need to undercoat old skirting boards?

Any bare timber must be primed first. If your choice of paint finish is Gloss you will need to undercoat then apply the Gloss. Satinwood and Eggshell are self coating so no undercoat is required just two coats of the same.

Can I paint over existing paint?





How Do I Paint Over Painted Walls? If the wall is in good condition and the paints are chemically the same (both latex, for instance), you have a few options when the new paint is the opposite shade of the old paint. You can use a primer to thoroughly cover the old color, then apply 1 or 2 coats of the new paint.

Do I need to undercoat over old gloss?

Once the gloss sheen has been completely sanded off, you are ready to paint. You will need to add at least one coat of undercoat.

Do you need to sand skirting boards before repainting?

We don’t recommend painting your skirting boards without sanding them first. Sanding gives the paint a better surface to stick to and means applying fewer coats. Lightly sand the surface of the skirting board and wipe down the dust. Leave it to completely dry.

Do you need to sand gloss paint before repainting?

Can You Paint Over a Glossy Surface Without Sanding? Yes, you can paint over a high gloss without sanding. Start by cleaning the glossy surface with sugar soap and water. Once it’s completely dry, scuff it with a de-glosser and let it dry for at least 10 minutes.

Do you need to prime skirting before painting?



Before painting, you will need to prepare your skirting boards. A bare wood skirting board needs to be treated with a knotting solution and wood primer first. If they’re already painted or varnished though, you will need to thoroughly clean and abrade the surface using wet and dry paper with a mild detergent.

How do you freshen skirting boards?

TIP: The Easy Way to freshen up those glossed or varnished doors and skirting boards. Normally, to paint over previously glossed or varnished surfaces such as doors, architraves, skirtings etc, you would need to sand the surface first, then undercoat and finally top coat.

What is the fastest way to sand skirting boards?

Painted Skirting Boards
Use sugar soap and a sponge to get rid of dirt and grease. Wipe dry and then sand down with a fine grit sandpaper. Use a hand sander (if you have one) to speed up the process. To get rid of any dust, first vacuum and use a damp cloth to finish.

Should I sand undercoat before glossing?



Use 240-grade sandpaper (wrapped around a sanding block, where possible) to put a key onto the surface so the undercoat will adhere to it. Always sand in the direction of the grain. This surface had a couple of coats of wood stain on it and it was straightforward to key up.

Do you need to remove old paint before repainting?

No, you only need to scrape off old paint not properly adhering. Not all old paint. If any paint is flaking, curling up, this must all be removed, easiest way is scraping. Using a hand or powered tool, remove all this paint off of surface, before going any further.

Do you need undercoat when repainting?

If you are covering a dark colour or a surface that’s never been primed or painted, you will need to use an undercoat. It can also provide a better coverage and hiding power than just applying extra top coats.

What happens if you don’t use primer before painting?

If you skip priming, you risk peeling paint, especially in humid conditions. Moreover, the lack of adhesion could make cleaning more difficult months after the paint has dried. You may find the paint wearing off as you’re trying to wipe off dirt or fingerprints.

What’s the difference between primer and undercoat?



Although similar, both serve quite different functions. Primers act as a foundation for your paint to stick to while undercoats create a flat and level base for topcoats. One easy way to remember is if a surface is painted use an undercoat, if it’s new, use a primer.

Is primer just white paint?

Primer is usually white but can be other neutral colors. This is to provide a neutral surface to ensure that paint colors show true. There is no need to color the primer itself, but some paint stores will add a small amount of pigment to the primer to make it closer to your final paint color.

Can I paint over old paint on wood?

Never attempt to paint an existing wood surface without preparing its surface. Applying a direct coat of paint over the old coating will not work and eventually will tend to peel, especially if it has a glossy finish. This painting technique needs to prepare the wooden surface first.

Do you need to rub down wood before painting?

Painting wood furniture has to be one of the best ways to transform it on a dime (hello, flea market finds!), but sanding it first can be a real pain.

Can you paint over paint without stripping it?



No, you do not. But you do need to properly prep the surface first. Wiping it down with a clean soapy rag is always advised, and you may want to use a deglosser. I choose to use an oil-based paint instead which will adhere to a varnished surface and is a great way to prep for a final coat of paint.