Painting skirting boards (new)
Discussion
Having pretty much finshised doing my place up over the last couple of years, I learnt that it's easier to paint everything except the walls, then do the walls last.
Far easier to slap the gloss and ceiling paints etc on without worrying about cutting in over already painted walls.
It's easier to paint the walls last because it's emulsion rather than gloss , and you're painting a flat surface at the cutting in angle rather than trying to paint the upper curve of a skirting board at the same time as cutting it in neatly.
Far easier to slap the gloss and ceiling paints etc on without worrying about cutting in over already painted walls.
It's easier to paint the walls last because it's emulsion rather than gloss , and you're painting a flat surface at the cutting in angle rather than trying to paint the upper curve of a skirting board at the same time as cutting it in neatly.
audi321 said:
Yeah I was thinking more along the lines of how to get a straight line! I'm hopelessly wobbly!
You can try masking, but it does not leave a nice neat finish with paint as the paint will run round the back of the tape and it leaves a kind of lump straight line, which can look awful.Best to get some pratice in and take your time to do the cutting in. Get a decent brush, lots of paint on it, and try to do the cutting in with strokes as long as possible.
audi321 said:
Yeah I was thinking more along the lines of how to get a straight line! I'm hopelessly wobbly!
Good sized brush (I use a 3"!) from a decent maker, I use Harris.Plenty of paint loaded into it,
Slap the sides of the tin or kettle with the brush to avoid any drips,
Starting slightly away from the line you want, start drawing the brush along and using your shakes get nearer and nearer the line.
If you use too little paint there's a risk you'll need to do a couple of coats!
Use too small a brush and you'll have to reload frequently, then you'll have to get your aim in again!
What you don't want is so much paint in your brush that you are pushing a bead of paint along the surface, this can then drip as it works its way along.
I'm just doing this now myself after getting the room plastered. I've ditched gloss and gone for eggshell - i prefer the slightly matt finish and its not quite as bad as gloss in terms of getting in on yourself or walls etc.
Tip : Do get some decent brushes. Harris no-loss are superb. They've lasted me years and are great for cutting in.
I slashed the eggshell on and actually found that when cutting in with emulsion if there was a smidgeon of eggsell on the wall it made the brush motion a lot smoother. Sounds silly but i lay on my side on the floor and steady my brush hand with the other arm with my elbow on the floor and it produces a much straighter line. The cutting in technique is also important. You need to load the brush up, get rid of the initial paint on the wall then put the brush to the wall and inch or so above the skirting board, pull it down to the skirting whilst rotating the brush so the flat edge of the brush that is loaded with paint begins to paint a solid consistent line. Pull the brush away, up the wall from the skirting again just before the paint runs out on the brush - the longer the line the better. Repeat overlapping slightly and you should get a nice continously line.
Works for me anyway
PS - those cutting in plastic things are not bad - but if the walls are not perfect you can get drips or a rough line. They do have a bit of a technique as well to avoid paint running. I prefer to do it by hand now.
Tip : Do get some decent brushes. Harris no-loss are superb. They've lasted me years and are great for cutting in.
I slashed the eggshell on and actually found that when cutting in with emulsion if there was a smidgeon of eggsell on the wall it made the brush motion a lot smoother. Sounds silly but i lay on my side on the floor and steady my brush hand with the other arm with my elbow on the floor and it produces a much straighter line. The cutting in technique is also important. You need to load the brush up, get rid of the initial paint on the wall then put the brush to the wall and inch or so above the skirting board, pull it down to the skirting whilst rotating the brush so the flat edge of the brush that is loaded with paint begins to paint a solid consistent line. Pull the brush away, up the wall from the skirting again just before the paint runs out on the brush - the longer the line the better. Repeat overlapping slightly and you should get a nice continously line.
Works for me anyway
PS - those cutting in plastic things are not bad - but if the walls are not perfect you can get drips or a rough line. They do have a bit of a technique as well to avoid paint running. I prefer to do it by hand now.
Edited by J-Tuner on Monday 5th September 09:51
.:ian:. said:
bulb763 said:
Was painting before fixing the skirting to the wall not an option? This is what I am planning - hope I've not missed anything daft.
Assuming its possible, this is umpty-nine-bazillion times easier than painting in-situ...Also if you caulk them into the wall to get a decent finish, you can paint tight up to the wall, not so much an issue if the caulk is the same colour as the paint but will look shoddy if different.
I emulsion first, get the messier of the paints done first, then gloss.
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