Some home improvement jobs should be left to professionals.
Trying to sort electrics or plumbing without sound expert knowledge can leave your home in a worse state than when you started and cost double to repair.
But there are plenty of DIY jobs that everyone can do. Simple things like adding wall panelling, vinyl-wrapping kitchen countertops and painting the walls and ceilings can breathe fresh life into your space for a relatively low cost and effort.
Painting is something everyone can do but to get a top-quality finish, a few things are key.
Choosing the right tools and paint formula for the space you’re going over is crucial. When it comes to interior wood like door frames and skirting boards, choose a satin or eggshell finish for a subtle sheen and high durability.
Before you do anything though, prep work is essential. We’ve drawn up a bullet-pointed checklist to help:
How to prep interior wood for paint
- Protect your floors from accidental drips by taping down a dust sheet before you begin.
- Clean the surface that’s about to be painted thoroughly with soap and warm water to get rid of grime, dirt and dust. Painting a clean, dry surface will give the best results.
- If your surface has old paint, sand it down gently with sandpaper or a small electric sander to allow the paint to adhere more effectively.
- Repair chips and cracks with wood filler and sand back once fully dry.
- Sharp edges are key if you’re painting skirting boards and door frames in a different colour to your walls. Decorator’s tape will give your edges a sharp finish.
- Use the right brushes and your decision will repay you in the time and effort saved. Rollers are great at distributing an even layer of colour quickly. Apply in thin layers for the best results.
While skirting boards and other interior wood are normally white, nothing is stopping you from choosing another playful colour to inject some brightness into your space.
Colour can have a transformative effect on a space; even highlighting small details like skirting boards, door frames and staircase bannisters promises to revitalise your interiors with minimal effort.
We’ve rounded up the best paint to smarten up your skirting boards.
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Johnstone's Quick Dry Satin Brilliant White
Sick of the sight of yellowing baseboards and stair bannisters? Make them look brand new again with this brilliant white wood and metal paint from Johnstone's. The satin finish will give skirting boards a subtle definition that won't yellow with age. It's also low-odour and dries in as little as 60 minutes, making it a great choice for quick but effective touch-ups.
Buy now £11.60, Amazon
Wickes Non Drip Matt Wood & Metal Paint - Pure Brilliant White - 750ml
Want to keep it pure and simple? Wickes' budget buy is perfect for speedy spruce-ups on trims and furniture around the home, working as well on metal as it will on wood.
Expect a light coat to be touch dry within hours, and fewer drips to contend with too. It is ideal for making yellowing and aged woodwork look like new and dries to a matt finish.
Buy now £16.00, Wickes
Rust-Oleum White Gloss Universal All-Surface Paint
An all-purpose white paint is a handy thing to have around the house, allowing you to touch up minor works as and when needed. Rust-Oleum's White Gloss combines a primer and paint in one, streamlining the painting process and as a bonus it can be used on exterior surfaces as well as inside. The gloss finish is ideal for woodwork projects.
Buy now £20.00, Dunelm
COAT Pampas in Eggshell
COAT bills itself as a ‘climate-positive’ paint brand, and offers 56 colours to make the most of your space.
A crisp blueish white can feel jarring against dark walls, which is why Coat's Pampas shade is such a revelation. The off-white has subtle yellow and green undertones, offering a warmth that's more suited for pairing with moody shades.
Paint is mixed to order to cut waste and delivery is fast so you can get on with your renovations as soon as possible. The emulsion is water-based, uses no solvent and comes in recyclable tins and packaging.
Buy now £34.00, COAT
Dulux Simply Refresh Multi Surface Eggshell Paint Rich Black - 750ml
Hate the idea of blinding white skirting boards? Come over to the dark side with Dulux who has this rich black hue in an eggshell finish.
The paint can be used on all types of interior woodwork - think doors, windows, cupboards, kitchen cabinets, wall panels and radiators - and it can also be used to revive old furniture. It's a primer and paint in one, meaning you can get the job done faster. Expect it to be touch dry in as little as one hour.
Buy now £30.00, Homebase
Lick Green 18 Eggshell
There are plenty of pure and simple white shades to choose from at Lick but if you're up for doing something a little different, the brand's wood paint has plenty of bright surprises in the, erm, can.
This moss green offers a twist to skirt boards, and with green being a naturally relaxing and soothing colour, it's just the shade to bring calm to chaotic high-traffic areas like the hallway.
If you're toying with the idea of colour drenching your space - painting all surfaces in the same hue - Lick offers this same shade in a matt finish for walls too.
Buy now £45.00, Lick
Dulux Quick Dry Gloss Paint - Mineral Mist - 750ml
Bring woodwork to life with Dulux’s sky-blue water-based paint, named Mineral Mist. The soothing shade is just one of many in this collection, offering a high-sheen finish after a six-hour drying time.
The low-odour formula can be used on door frames, skirting boards, bannisters and even radiators that need livening up. It comes in a range of colours and finishes including Satinwood and Eggshell, in addition to Gloss.
Want pure brilliant white? Find it here.
Buy now £14.90, Amazon
Graham & Brown Fortune Cookie Paint
Brighten up dark halls with a burst of zingy citrus. Graham & Brown's intense Fortune Cookie shade in Fortune Cookie comes in three finishes, with Interior Eggshell best suited to details like skirting boards and stair bannisters. It comes in a one-litre can only, meaning you should have plenty left over if you find the colour addictive.
Buy now £36.00, Graham & Brown
Dunelm Black Eggshell Emulsion Paint
There's no doubt that black is a bold choice, but it could pay off big time - even in small settings. The trick is to use something with a satin or sheeny finish that will bounce light around the room, be it natural or artificial.
Buy now £20.00, Dunelm
Farrow & Ball Estate Eggshell Paint
- Finish: Satin
- Coverage per Litre: 12 m2
- Drying Time: 4 hrs
- Drying time between coats: 4 hrs
Farrow & Ball’s Estate Eggshell Paints offer a timeless touch to any interior that needs sprucing up. Available in quantities of 2.5L and 750ml, the paint has a satin finish for a glossy sheen. This makes it suitable for doors, kitchen cupboards, radiators, skirting boards and other wood and metalwork. Wipe clean with ease when marks and scuffs start to appear.
Buy now £32.00, Homebase
