Any area can benefit from baseboards’ architectural interest and charm. Additionally, they can shield your walls from potential harm brought on by sweeping and vacuuming as well as knocking chairs and tables into the walls.
But eventually, all of this knocking around can do so much damage that the scuff marks cannot be removed by just washing the baseboards. Alternatively, you can paint new baseboards that you’re adding as part of renovations. For whatever purpose, here’s all the information you require on painting baseboards.
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How To Paint Baseboards
Set Up the Space
Preparing that region is the first step in painting your baseboards. To prevent spills and drips on hard flooring or carpeting, place a drop cloth, plastic sheeting, or other material down. To keep the material in place, run a line of tape down the baseboard where it meets the flooring. Additionally, always have a moist cloth on hand for quick cleanup of any spills.
Make the baseboards clean
Take a big step back and clean the baseboards before you grab the paintbrush. To start, use a wand attachment on your vacuum to remove any dirt or debris. After that, you should give them a quick cleaning with a vinegar and warm water solution.
Examine the baseboards
The baseboards need to be carefully inspected to determine whether they are damaged. Wood filler is a useful tool for repairing dents and scratches. He does caution against overfilling the holes, though, since this will require additional sanding.
Sand the Baseboard
Once the baseboard’s cracks and dents have been filled, allow the wood filter or compound to dry before sanding and wiping the surface down once more. This will produce a level playing field.
Examine the caulk
Inspect the caulk’s condition as well. If it’s not in good shape, Thomas suggests filling up any gaps with caulk and waiting for it to dry before painting. You should allow a 1/8″ space between the tape and the baseboard if the baseboard hasn’t been caulked between the bottom of the baseboard and the floor. Thomas advises caulking the space before painting any flooring that isn’t carpeted. Caulk with an acrylic latex base works well on baseboards.
Put on Painter’s Tape
Painter’s tape, 2″ wide, should be secured every few feet before moving on to the next area in order to protect your floors. It should be applied at the bottom of the baseboard trim. Press the tape firmly to the surface using a tiny squeegee or flat-edge scraper.
Additionally, you ought to apply tape above the baseboard if the wall and baseboard are painted with different colors.
Mindeck emphasizes that in order to eliminate gaps and lower the possibility of paint seeping through, you should use longer pieces of tape rather than shorter ones.
Use paint or primer
Use a primer if the trim is constructed of recently or previously stained wood. Apply a thin layer of paint over the top and bottom of the baseboard with an angled brush to initiate the topcoat application. After letting the paint completely dry, apply the coating to the remaining baseboard surface using a small roller or brush.
use an angled paintbrush of superior quality. Start by filling the brush about two-thirds of the way up with paint, then dab any extra paint off the brush by dabbing against the container.
You can trim up to 2″ with detailed details using a 1 ½” angled paintbrush, depending on the size of the baseboard. “For this application, you’ll want to use an angled brush; a 2″ to 2 ½” angled brush works well for most trim.
Remove the Painter’s Tape
You can take off the painter’s tape once you’ve completed painting and give it time to dry. It might be necessary to gently cut away the dried paint and remove the tape using a utility blade or straightedge. To release painter’s tape from baseboards when removing it from carpet, run a straight edge along the baseboard’s bottom.
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