How To Paint Baseboards In 11 Easy Steps (with Pictures)

Painting the baseboards of a room can freshen up its décor and give the room a thoroughly clean and concluded seem. The total process of getting ready, painting, and tidying up afterwards will usually take two days to comprehensive, and other than some reasonably fundamental instruments, the method is fairly straightforward. Deciding on the proper paint is essential, and so way too is selecting on the most efficient approach of applying the paint: a paint roller does not provide the type of precision you want, but a combination of brush and pad can be very efficient. If you are utilizing a roller, use a three-inch 1 and make certain that all dust and grime is correctly removed prior to you commence work.

Materials And Tools

Get all the resources and supplies you require for the work ready just before you begin. This consists of purchasing brushes and making sure that you have enough paint.

How To Paint Baseboards In 11 Easy Steps (with Pictures)
Image Credit: McKinleys, Shutterstock

Choosing Paint

A semi-gloss end is the usual choice for trim, like baseboards. It is more sturdy than higher-gloss and it is less difficult to cleanse, so you will not really feel the want to have to repaint yet again as before long.

Although h2o-based mostly paints can produce a great finish that is mostly totally free from brush strokes, acrylic and oil-dependent paints are even much better. Nonetheless, water-based mostly paints give an easier clean up.

Brushes And Paint Pads

You have the choice of what kind of tool to use for the application of paint.

Rollers are convenient and stay away from brush strokes, but you will need a smaller sized roller than you would use on walls—a three-inch roller must permit you to protect most of the baseboard without obtaining paint just about everywhere.

A brush does allow for far better coverage, but if you use a water-primarily based paint, anticipate some brush strokes to be evident when finished. Consider to use nylon or poly-nylon brushes for the very best outcomes.

Pads, which contort around molding are extremely efficient at achieving limited angles and hard corners.

How To Paint Baseboards In 11 Easy Steps (with Pictures)
Image Credit: Pixabay

Supply List

How To Paint Baseboards (11 Steps)

1. Open the Windows

You should constantly guarantee a area is nicely ventilated prior to painting. Open up home windows and doors and, if the room does not have any exterior home windows, use fans to inject refreshing air into the space.


2. Clean the Baseboards

Dust and dirt gather at the bottom of rooms and walls, and especially on baseboards. If you don’t clear this dirt away, it will become engrained in the paint and will be impossible to remove without also removing the paint on top. Use some dish soap, warm water, and a clean cloth to completely remove all dirt. Allow the surfaces to dry completely before moving on.


3. Patch Holes and Damage

Tiny dints will fill with paint, but anything larger than this will need filling before you paint. Use a wood filler and putty knife. Ensure you fill any nail holes that are visible: this is more of a problem if the board was nailed by hand, rather than using a brad nailer. Allow the putty to dry.


4. Sand Down

Frivolously sanding the baseboards will guarantee a clean finish and is specifically essential if there are paint drips from a prior paint task or if you had to use putty to fill holes. You really do not want to sand all the paint off and are actually only hunting for a sleek and uniform area when you appear to paint.


5. Tape Up

Taping the wall right previously mentioned the baseboard and the floor straight under indicates you can avert paint from obtaining where you do not want it even though making sure that you don’t have to be too cautious even though brushing or rolling the paint. Use masking tape, or painter’s tape, due to the fact it will avoid paint from soaking via but is effortless to take away when the task is concluded. Use your putty knife to push the tape proper up to the baseboard, or somewhat driving it, if possible.


6. Protect the Floor

Use a drop cloth to go over the flooring. Make sure there are as handful of creases as achievable and location parts of cardboard down the place the roller tray and paint tins will sit. There will inevitably be some drops of paint that find their way down the facet of the tin and a pool of paint can soak through the cloth.


7. Prime Baseboards

If you are portray present baseboards, they should not need priming, though could still gain ifyou had to do a good deal of sanding and caulking. If you have experienced new baseboards equipped and they ended up not dealt with ahead of installation, you will need to have to implement primer. Make sure you go over all of the baseboard as evenly as achievable with primer. Let the primer dry before transferring on.


8. Paint Baseboards and Let Them Dry

Guarantee your paint is well combined prior to beginning. If essential, just take it to the shop to have it shaken. If making use of a brush, really don't overload it with paint because this will increase the chance of drips. Use lengthy strokes alongside the length of the baseboard and overlap as you transfer on to the next line. The first coat should not just take also significantly paint. Leave the initial coat to dry for 24 hours. If you will be implementing a 2nd coat, wrap your bushes and rollers in plastic luggage. That way, you do not have to clean them and they will not dry out.


9. Apply A Second Coat and Let Dry

When the very first coat is dry, evenly scuff the area making use of sandpaper. This will assist make certain the second coat sticks. Or else, the paint will run off the area of the 1st coat. Apply the second coat in the identical way as the very first and, yet again, leave it to dry for 24 hrs when concluded.


10. Remove Tape

Take away the masking tape from the wall and the carpet once the paint is dry. Really don't get rid of ahead of the paint is dry or you could smudge your difficult operate.


11. Clean Tools

Make confident you clean your brush, roller, and pad ahead of the paint dries. Use a paint brush comb to aid get all of the paint out of the bristles much more easily and shop the equipment someplace cleanse ready for your up coming paint task.

Conclusion

Portray baseboards is a great way to freshen up the décor in a space, but it is a job that a lot of individuals place off because they are frightened of getting paint on partitions or, worse even now, in the carpets. Get your time, guarantee that you tape up properly and usually operate in a nicely-ventilated area to make certain you are not inhaling as well several noxious paint fumes.


Highlighted Image Credit: Pixabay

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