Step 5: Adding the Finishing Touches – Painting the Woodwork

Before you dive into painting the woodwork, now is an excellent time to clean your rollers, as they won’t be needed for this stage. Here’s a handy tip if you have more rooms to paint: wrap your clean roller tightly in a plastic carrier bag. This can keep the roller fresh and usable for up to 48 hours, saving you the immediate need for a thorough wash until all your painting is fully complete.

When it comes to painting woodwork, the variety of paint options can be overwhelming. For this example, we’ll be using a traditional and durable combination of oil-based undercoat and gloss.

First, carefully pull back your floor protection by about an inch around the perimeter of the room. It’s then a wise precaution to mask the floor where the carpet or flooring meets the skirting boards and door frames. This will provide an extra layer of protection against stray paint.

Next, open your oil-based undercoat and stir it thoroughly. This is particularly important for oil-based paints to ensure the oil binder is fully mixed with the pigment. While any good quality brush will do, my personal preference is a larger 3-inch angled brush. The benefit of a larger brush is that it holds and distributes more paint, meaning fewer trips back to the paint pot and a more efficient workflow.

Using the undercoat, carefully “cut in” the paint where the wall meets the skirting boards and door frames all around the room. Take care to avoid getting undercoat on your flooring, even with the masking tape in place. Continue painting all the woodwork with the undercoat, including doors and windowsills.

It’s important to note that oil-based paints typically have a longer drying time. Always refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines on the paint pot for specific drying times and recoating instructions.

Once the undercoat is completely dry, you’ll need to lightly sand it down using fine-grit sandpaper. This creates a smooth surface for the topcoat to adhere to. After sanding, thoroughly dust off all the woodwork with your dusting brush to remove any sanding residue before applying your topcoat.

Now, you’re ready for the final step: applying your topcoat of gloss paint. Begin with the skirting boards and work your way around the room, leaving larger areas like doors and windowsills until last. For these larger surfaces, you can choose to use either a gloss roller or a brush. However, if you use a brush, it’s crucial to “lay off” the paint once you’ve applied it.

Laying off gloss paint is similar to laying off emulsion on walls and ceilings, but you’ll be using a brush instead of a roller. Gently run your brush diagonally across the painted surface in one direction, and then lightly run it again in the opposite diagonal direction. This technique helps to eliminate brush strokes and achieve a smooth, professional-looking gloss finish.