Paint

How To Paint Interior Woodwork

Photograph of green panelled wall and wooden bench
Giving your interior woodwork features a fresh lick of paint can be all you need to give your home the refresh it deserves. However, preparing and painting your interior woodwork correctly is crucial to achieving that clean, crisp finish.
Whether you want to clean up your space with some freshly painted skirting boards or give your wooden wardrobe a new lease of life, our comprehensive guide has all the information you need.

How to prepare your interior woodwork for painting

For painted wood, first, lightly sand the woodwork to rough up the top layer of paint from the surface. This creates a texture to which the paint can adhere. If your wood is old and you believe it may have been painted with lead paint, you should consult a painter and decorator on how to remove the paint.

Next, wipe the woodwork down with a damp sponge to remove any dust and dirt. Avoid soaking the wood with water and give it time to dry after it is clean.

At this stage, you may want to apply a primer or undercoat. Primer helps the paint adhere to surfaces and even increases the durability of your chosen wood paint. Remember to ensure that the primer is completely dry before you start painting.

Painting your interior woodwork

Before you start, it’s important to make sure you’ve got the right paint for the job. The best paint for interior woodwork depends on how you want the finish to look. While gloss paint is traditional for things like skirting boards, you also have the option of a satin or eggshell finish. At Homebase, we have a range of specialised interior woodwork paint, available in all three finishes and an array of exciting colours. This paint range is perfect for wooden cabinets, wardrobes, doors and any other interior woodwork features.

Once settled on your chosen finish, you’re now ready to paint your woodwork. Thinly apply your undercoat to the wood, working with the grain of the wood. If your wood is bare, you should apply a second coat once dry – otherwise, one coat will do.

Finally, you should apply your topcoat. Again, apply this thinly and work with the grain. Your paint will look better and last longer if you apply several thin coats, rather than fewer thick ones. One coat may be enough, but always allow it to dry before you add any further coats.

How to paint a skirting board

As they often sit in high-traffic areas of the home, skirting boards can easily get scuffed or marked, which can often make your room look scruffy and unloved. Luckily, a lick of paint can easily remedy this, and finding the best paint for your skirting boards is easy with our extensive range of interior woodwork paint. Read on for our step-by-step guide to painting skirting boards.

  1. Put masking tape around the floor to stop paint getting on your carpet.
  2. Lightly sand your skirting board to remove imperfections, brush off any dust.
  3. Fill any gaps along the top edge of the skirting board – this is known as ‘caulking’. Wipe off any excess filler with a damp cloth.
  4. If you have any cracks in the skirting, remember to use a flexible wood filler like Polycell Polyfilla for Wood. Wait for it to dry before sanding and painting.
  5. Remember to tape the edge nearest the wall.
  6. Use a primer first, allow it to dry before sanding down, ready for the top coat.
  7. Paint your skirting board using the gloss, satinwood or eggshell you’ve chosen
  8. Once the paint’s dry, remove the masking tape and the job’s done.

Now that you’ve finished painting your interior woodwork, why not get inspired for your next home renovation project with our painting ideas?

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2023-12-15 10:44:46By Homebase



Homebase

Homebase

Writer and expert