After you have installed and filled all fixings or surface features of your skirting. A fine sand is recommended prior to applying top coats. 400 grit should be used to avoid sanding through the sealer on the mouldings, which can lead to differential grain swell.

Paint suppliers will only give warranty on their coating adhesion if the surface that the paint is being applied too has been prepared properly, and this includes the sanding process. Not only will your paint ‘stick’ better, you will achieve a smoother, more pleasing result.

For Raw timber skirtings Dulux professional total preparation sealer undercoat (oil-based) is highly recommended and can be applied via conventional spray method or brush and roller.

Should acrylic/water-based paint be specified we recommend Dulux acrylic total preparation sealer undercoat as an option.

Most commonly used on skirting boards is a water/acrylic based or oil/enamel-based paint. We recommend Dulux Super Enamel (Semi-Gloss) if you go for oil/enamel-based paint.

Dulux Aqua Enamel (Semi-gloss or gloss) is recommended  if you wish to use water/acrylic-based paint.

Do not use paints that are designed for absorbent surfaces such as plasterboard sealers.

Paint coats should always be applied in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Typically a gloss (very shiny) or semi-gloss (mildly shiny) paint is used on skirting boards.

A high gloss finish highlights any imperfections on the surface and therefore there needs a lot more preparation to fill and sand any fixing holes, timber features, including grain lift, splits, small cracks, surface variations that are inherent with natural timber.

Our recommendation for timber skirting boards, whether it is to stain, clear lacquer or paint, is to choose a semi-gloss, low sheen or matt finish top coat of paint on the skirting boards.

If you are set on having a high gloss finish, we would recommend using MDF (Medium density fibreboard) material instead of natural timber for your skirting boards. MDF is an engineered material like particleboard (has no natural timber features), so requires minimal surface preparation to achieve a smooth surface prior to applying further coats.

Some of you might be thinking ‘what is emulsion?’ The definition of emulsion is the coming together of two liquids that would not easily mix well ie. water and oil, which is pretty much what emulsion paint is. The paint is water-based with vinyl or acrylic resin added for durability.

Emulsion paints are thick and easy to apply, humidity resistant (great for use in kitchen and bathrooms), dry quickly, are less toxic, don’t  dry, crack or fade in the sunlight and are less likely to attract the growth of mildew. Getting all these benefits of course equate to a higher cost and bigger hit to your back pocket and when we’re talking about mouldings, which are usually finished in a gloss or semi gloss, emulsion paint usually provides a matte finish.

Now, can you use this paint on mouldings? The answer is Yes, but you must prepare the skirting board as set out in this article for a positive result.

Sanding is a VERY important step that cannot be missed. If your skirting boards are  MDF, it is important not to scratch through the pre primer as it is waterproof and the result will be grain swell in the scratches, which can look unsightly. It is best to use fine sandpaper (say 400 grit).

If you are choosing not to sand (which is not the way we recommend to prepare skirting boards) we do suggest applying Dulux Precision Max adhesion as the first coat down.

After you have installed, filled, prepared and sanded skirting boards.

It is recommended to apply coats by brush.

If you wish to spray coats, you must test a small section of moulding, prior to coating all the product.

Typically apply another primer coat on top of pre-primed skirting boards and two top coats, depending on the paint coverage and finish you wish to achieve.

It is not recommended that further coats be watered down or thinned out as this can cause problems with paint integrity (peeling, cracking, bubbling) and not provide a smooth, even coverage.

You should always refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations and assess the level of coverage after each coat has fully dried.