Painting Skirting Boards in London: Prep, Paint Choice and a Perfect Finish
A practical guide to painting skirting boards in London homes — from filling and sanding to choosing between oil and water-based paints and cutting in cleanly.
Why Skirting Boards Deserve Proper Attention
Skirting boards are one of those features that you barely notice when they are done well — and cannot stop noticing when they are not. A crisp, well-painted board anchors a room, creating a clean visual boundary between wall and floor. In London properties, where original Victorian and Edwardian skirtings are often tall, profiled and full of character, the quality of the finish matters enormously.
Whether you are refreshing a period townhouse in Pimlico, finishing a newly plastered room in Battersea or redecorating a Chelsea flat, the approach is largely the same: meticulous preparation followed by the right paint applied correctly.
Assessing the Condition First
Before you pick up a brush, run your hand along the boards and look closely at the surface. Common issues in London homes include:
- Layers of old paint building up over decades, obscuring the profile detail
- Cracks and gaps along the top edge where the board meets the wall, and at the bottom where it meets the floor
- Impact damage — dents, chips and scratches from furniture and vacuum cleaners
- Lifting paint where moisture from ground floors has worked its way through
If the boards have accumulated many paint layers and the profiled detail is being lost, consider stripping back to bare wood before re-painting. A heat gun or chemical stripper followed by thorough sanding restores the crispness that makes period skirtings worth having.
Preparation: The Stage That Determines Everything
No amount of premium paint compensates for poor surface preparation. For a lasting finish on skirting boards, work through these stages methodically.
Fill all gaps and cracks. Use a flexible decorator's caulk for the gap between the top of the board and the plaster wall — this joint moves with the building and rigid fillers will crack again quickly. Use a fine surface filler for any holes or dents in the wood itself, applying it slightly proud and sanding back flush when dry.
Sand the surface. If the existing paint is sound, a light sand with 120-grit paper is sufficient to provide a key. Work with the grain and pay attention to the profiled sections. If you are going from a previously oil-based paint to a water-based product, a thorough scuff is essential to ensure adhesion.
Wipe down thoroughly. Dust from sanding will ruin a topcoat. Wipe all surfaces with a clean, slightly damp cloth and allow to dry fully before painting.
Prime bare wood. Any areas sanded back to bare timber need a coat of primer before the topcoat. An acrylic wood primer is fine for interior use and dries quickly. If you are using an oil-based topcoat on very absorbent or resinous wood, an oil-based primer will give better results.
Oil-Based vs Water-Based Paint: Making the Right Choice
This is the question most London homeowners ask, and the answer depends on your priorities.
Oil-based alkyd paints have been the traditional choice for skirting boards for good reason. They self-level beautifully, giving a smooth, hard-wearing finish with minimal brush marks. The downside is longer drying time — typically overnight between coats — stronger odour during application, and a tendency to yellow on white and pale colours over time, particularly in rooms with limited natural light.
Modern water-based satinwood and eggshell paints have improved enormously and are now the preferred choice for most decorators. They dry in two to four hours, have very low odour, clean up with water and do not yellow. The finish is slightly less hard-wearing than an oil topcoat, but for interior skirting boards in normal use this is rarely a practical issue. Brands such as Farrow & Ball, Little Greene and Lick all produce excellent water-based eggshell and satin products.
For a traditional period home in Kensington or Mayfair where a higher-sheen, ultra-hard finish is wanted, an oil-based satin remains a defensible choice. For most London flats and houses, a premium water-based eggshell or satinwood is the better option.
Applying the Paint: Cutting In Cleanly
The technique for skirting boards is straightforward but benefits from care.
Use a good quality angled cutting-in brush — a 50 mm or 63 mm sash brush works well for most profiles. Load the brush lightly to avoid drips and work in long, flowing strokes, following the direction of the profile.
Protecting adjacent surfaces. Masking tape can be used along the wall above the board and along the floor below, but be aware that paint can bleed under tape if it is not pressed down firmly. Many professional decorators prefer to cut in freehand using a steady hand and a good brush, achieving a cleaner result without the risk of tape lines.
Apply two thin coats rather than one thick coat. A thick coat on skirting boards almost always results in runs and sags, particularly on profiled sections where paint pools in the recesses.
Finish Level and Sheen
Skirting boards traditionally carry more sheen than walls. An eggshell or satinwood level of finish (roughly 20–40% sheen) is the standard for most London homes and is durable enough for the knocks and cleaning that skirting boards receive. Gloss is less fashionable than it was but remains popular in some period homes where it complements the original character of the house.
A freshly painted set of skirting boards can transform the feel of a room almost as much as new wall colour. Done properly, it is the kind of detail that signals a well-cared-for home — exactly the impression that matters in properties across Belgravia, Chelsea and beyond.