The Beginner’s Guide to Patching and Painting Baseboards

Patching and portray baseboards doesn’t need to be a tough job! These easy methods with assist the patching and portray course of go easily from begin to end.

I’m not a portray knowledgeable. In truth, Donnie just lately confessed that he used to observe me paint and snort as a result of I used to be so horrible at it.

Despite the fact that I’ve gotten in lots of follow and improved my expertise, when it got here time for patching and portray baseboards, I simply assumed that he can be the one to do it.

Donnie had totally different concepts, although. He mentioned it was simpler for me to “bend that method” (true). He additionally made the purpose that I get to spend time with the boys all week whereas he’s at work (additionally true). So he agreed to take them to the park on Saturday and I might work away at portray baseboards.

(Somebody has a new-found confidence in my portray expertise swiftly…)

So the job of patching and portray baseboards fell to me, and after doing somewhat little bit of analysis, I used to be assured that I might do it effectively.

I assumed I’d share the strategy that labored finest for me. As a result of surprisingly, patching and portray baseboards didn’t find yourself being too dangerous in any respect!

A Easy and Efficient Technique for Patching and Portray Baseboards

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The simplest technique to paint baseboards is with a top quality angled brush and a few easy instruments to assist masks off the flooring and partitions.

Listed below are the provides I used to patch and paint our baseboards:

Step 1: Clear the baseboards earlier than patching and portray.

Except somebody is tremendous meticulous and has very, very clear baseboards, we’ll wish to clear them earlier than we bounce into patching and portray. (There’s nothing worse than getting mud and dirt combined in in your paint brush– yuck!)

I usually vacuum off the baseboards with the hose attachment after which wipe them down with a humid fabric, including a mild cleanser if they’re particularly soiled.

Step 2: Patch the holes within the baseboards.

My first job was to fill in the entire little tiny holes within the baseboards and shoe molding in the lounge, eating room, stairwell landings, upstairs hallway, and our bed room. That’s lots of little holes!

My painter’s instrument did an ideal job on the flat baseboards, however the curved shoe molding was one other story.

It was taking endlessly to get the patching putty in there due to the angle. So finally I ditched the instrument and simply used my finger, which was a lot faster!

It was a lot simpler to maneuver the spackling into the holes on the curved shoe molding utilizing this methodology.

Step 3: Easy and sand the baseboards.

Because the spackling will trigger some further bumps and lumps within the baseboards, we’ll wish to easy these out earlier than we start portray.

I first took a moist fabric and wiped away the surplus putty. Then I adopted up with a lightweight sandpaper to get the baseboards good and easy. I wiped away the mud from sanding, grabbed my HANDy Paint Pail, and I used to be prepared for the subsequent step…

Step 4: Portray Baseboards with Tape and Drape!

Since I wasn’t assured in my capability to chop in with out getting paint on the flooring, Tape & Drape was my finest buddy. It’s tape and plastic liner in a single.

I had the good thing about a strong tape line so I didn’t have to fret about being rigidly precise with my portray. And the plastic sheeting acted as my drop fabric so I didn’t get any drips on the ground both.

Making the Many of the Tape & Drape when Portray Baseboards

I attempted to take advantage of every bit of the plastic sheeting. So for almost all of my portray, I labored with two three-foot lengthy items of Tape & Drape.

I’d paint the part of baseboard above piece #1 and whereas that was drying somewhat, I painted above piece #2. Whereas piece #2 was drying, I rigorously peeled up piece #1 and moved it to my subsequent part of baseboard and so forth, alternating items #1 and #2 so I didn’t need to throw away as a lot plastic.

When my tape would begin to lose its stickiness (evidenced by extra leaks), then I knew it was time to start out with new items of Tape & Drape.

A Faster Tape & Drape Methodology

By the point I obtained to my bed room (the final room to color), my youngsters had been going to be waking up from nap quickly, so I used to be making an attempt to get executed in a rush.

I simply taped up the whole room at one time, painted the whole lot, after which peeled up all of the plastic and threw it away. This methodology was positively faster, however I did find yourself utilizing most of a roll of Tape & Drape.

The Tape & Drape did an ideal job at defending the flooring, however I additionally needed to guarantee that I didn’t by chance get paint on the wall.

I might have used painter’s tape above the baseboard, however I discovered a faster methodology…

Step 5: Use a paint defend to maintain paint off the partitions whereas portray baseboards.

The paint defend allowed me to have a barrier between my paint brush and the wall with out the tedious job of taping each single baseboard.

As a substitute of holding up the paint defend the whole time I used to be portray, I’d often paint the decrease a part of a 10-ish foot part of molding. Then I’d escape my paint defend and maintain it on the high fringe of the baseboard so I might shortly paint the highest part with out getting white paint all around the partitions.

So long as I used to be diligent about cleansing off the sting of the defend each every now and then and urgent it down firmly whereas I used to be portray, this methodology labored like a appeal and was a lot sooner than making an attempt to tape off the highest of the baseboards.

Portray Baseboards When You Have Carpet

Portray baseboards with carpet brings a complete new set of challenges! We don’t wish to damage our carpeting, so there are some things we will do to guard it.

When portray baseboards with carpet, Tape & Drape can be utilized to masks off the carpeting to maintain it protected. After I’ve used this methodology, I simply attempt to get the tape very near the baseboard (and even underneath the baseboard if doable!) and make it as comfortable as I can with the carpet.

For this specific venture, I used to be solely portray baseboards in a really small carpeted space (our stair touchdown). So I simply used the paint defend to press down and canopy the carpet as I painted, making an attempt to not get paint on the defend as a lot as doable.

I then went again and used the paint defend on the high of the baseboards to get a pleasant, clear line, and I used to be in enterprise.

Baseboards is probably not a glamorous venture like a furnishings makeover or room reveal, however they’ll positively make a big effect in a room, so it’s essential to do them effectively.

After ready virtually two years to color ours (horrible, I do know!) I’m thrilled to lastly be capable to test that venture off the record!

Have you ever painted any baseboards recently? What are your finest suggestions and methods?

This submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks. For extra data, see my disclosures right here.