Guide

How to Paint Skirting Boards (and How Much You Need)

Freshly painted skirting boards lift a whole room, and they use surprisingly little paint. Here's how to do them and how much to buy.

Prep and prime

Clean the skirting, sand it lightly to key the surface, and fill any gaps or dents. Bare or new wood needs a primer or undercoat first, and any knots need knotting solution so they don't bleed through. Mask the floor and wall edges if your cutting-in isn't confident.

Choosing the paint

Traditional gloss is hard-wearing and wipeable but shows every imperfection and brush mark. Satinwood and eggshell have a softer sheen, hide flaws better and are now more popular for a modern look. All three suit skirting, frames and doors.

How much you need

Skirting is deceptively small in area. Thirty metres of 15cm skirting is only about 4.5 square metres, so under a litre for two coats. Our skirting and trim paint calculator works it out and stops you buying a big tin for a small job.

Technique

Use a small angled brush, work in thin coats, and lay off in long strokes for a smooth finish. Two coats give the best result, letting the first dry fully before the second. Keep a wet edge and don't overload the brush, or you'll get runs on the vertical face.