How To Paint Over Gloss Skirting

Gloss paint is the most common choice for skirting boards and other woodwork around the home. Because gloss can go yellow over time, it might be time for a fresh coat. So, how do you paint over gloss skirting?

Clean & Sand

If you want to get stuck in and paint over gloss skirting, thoroughly clean and sand the surface. If done properly, you'll have no problem adding a layer or two of fresh paint.

If you're here for a more detailed guide, continue reading and we'll break it down further.

Easy Guide For Painting Over Gloss

Whether you're using satin paint or gloss paint, this guide will work for you.

You'll find that the most important aspect of painting over gloss skirting is the preparation. 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. Make sure you get into all the grooves and detail on the skirting board for a thorough clean.

Dirt and grime are what you are looking to remove. Grease can be present in a kitchen which is tougher to remove so take extra care in these areas.

If you have some stubborn stains, it might be best to use a little sugar soap too. This will really help to break down the residue making it much easier to clean away.

Once you are satisfied that the skirting is clean, allow it to completely dry before moving on.

2. Sand The Surface

Now that your skirting is squeaky clean, the new gloss paint needs a little extra work so that it has a perfect surface to adhere to.

You shouldn't be trying to strip back layers of old paint here. All you are aiming for is to take the very top layer off.

In doing so, you will leave a smooth and uniform surface on which to paint. Sanding also helps to remove any of the very stubborn dirt that simply cleaning would not shift.

We recommend using a 120 grit sandpaper. It will be strong enough to sand away a layer of paint without leaving deep gouges in the surface.

When sanding a corner or an edge, take it a little easier. The paint will come off of these sections much quicker and you might end up exposing the wood underneath.

3. Clean The Skirtings Again

After you have sanded the skirting down, you'll have created a fair bit of dust.

Again, a damp cloth or rag will do the trick to remove this. You can vacuum the dust from the carpet / floor at this point too.

Removing as much of the dirt and dust now will reduce the chances of anything unwanted sticking to the gloss when you start painting. Taking your time in the cleaning stages will pay off when it comes to having a professional end result.

4. Masking Tape

This is another vital step where you'll need to spend a little more time in order to get the best results.

Using masking tape, you can mask off the area directly above and below the skirting board. This will normally be the wall and the flooring / carpet to ensure that the fresh gloss doesn't go anywhere other than on the skirting.

Doing this properly will leave nice sharp lines around the edges of the skirting.

5. Paint The Skirting

With the time and effort you've put into the previous steps, applying the new coat of gloss should be a breeze.

As you are painting the skirting board, apply paint to the brush sparingly as you are only covering a small surface area. This will help to prevent the paint running and pooling up.

Horizontal strokes are best used in this scenario and if you see drips or runs forming, quickly brush them out.

We'd recommend a couple of coats of gloss for good coverage and longevity of the finish. Being gloss, you'll have to wait longer in between the coats for the first layer to completely dry.

If you're using a water based paint, you may find that the section you started on is dry once you have completed the first coat in the room. If this is the case, you can repeat the process straight away obviously making this paint choice a quicker option to complete.

Job Done

That's it, you've cleaned and painted your way to a perfect gloss finish on your skirting boards! Hopefully, we've given you all the advice you need and now you know how to repaint skirting boards.

All that's left to now is to sit back and admire your handy work.

Lee Watkinson

Digital Marketing Director at Skirting World with 10 years of experience in Home Interiors & Manufacturing.