Skirting board painting in Exeter
Professional skirting board painting services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£110-£210
Typical Duration
2-4 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
Skirting boards painted with proper preparation, clean edges, and a smooth professional finish. Filled, sanded, and painted to look sharp and stand up to daily wear.
Transform Your Room from the Bottom Up
Scruffy skirting boards drag down the whole room. Fresh white (or your chosen colour) makes everything look cleaner, sharper, and actually finished. It's the detail that people notice without realising they're noticing.
💡 Pro tip: Skirting boards take more abuse than any other paintwork in your house - kids, dogs, vacuum cleaners, boots. Quality paint and proper prep mean the difference between skirting that looks good for years and skirting that chips and scuffs within months.
Why Professional Skirting Painting Matters
Anyone can slap paint on skirting. Getting clean edges and a smooth finish takes prep, technique, and patience.
| ✅ Done Right | ❌ Done Wrong |
|---|---|
| Filled, sanded smooth before painting | Lumps and dents visible through paint |
| Clean straight line at carpet edge | Paint on carpet, wobbly edge |
| Even coverage, no brush marks | Streaky, patchy, drips and runs |
| Corners and joints painted carefully | Gaps and missed spots showing |
What You Get
🔧 The Full Service
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Prep | Fill holes and gaps, sand smooth, clean dust |
| Prime | Undercoat if needed (bare wood or big colour change) |
| Paint | Two coats with clean edges, smooth finish |
📦 You're Left With
- Crisp, clean skirting throughout the room
- Protected carpet edge (no paint on it)
- Durable finish that handles knocks
Pricing Guide
| Room Size | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Small bedroom | 2-2.5 hrs | £110-£135 |
| Average living room | 2.5-3 hrs | £135-£160 |
| Large room or open plan | 3-4 hrs | £160-£210 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Price assumes standard skirting in reasonable condition - heavily damaged or ornate Victorian skirting takes longer.
Perfect For Your Project If...
✅ New carpet fitted - finish the job properly
✅ Room refresh - skirting looking tired and scuffed
✅ Selling your house - scruffy skirting puts buyers off
✅ Just redecorated walls - don't leave the skirting looking shabby
Why Choose Us for Skirting board painting in Exeter?
Clean cut-in line at carpet and wall
Smooth finish with no brush marks
Filled and sanded before painting
Durable paint that stands up to knocks
What to Expect
Step 1: Prep & Fill
I fill nail holes, dents, and gaps with decorator's filler, then sand everything smooth once it's dry. Clean off the dust and we're ready to paint.
Step 2: Undercoat (If Needed)
Bare wood or big colour changes get an undercoat. Gives a proper base and helps the top coat cover evenly.
Step 3: Two Top Coats
Two coats of paint applied with brush and small roller. Edges cut in clean at the carpet and wall. Smooth, even finish with no drips.
🔧 DIY Tips
Fancy painting your own skirting? Here's how to do it properly:
🔧 Tools you'll need
- 1.5-2 inch angled brush for cutting in
- Small foam roller for flat surfaces (way faster than brushing)
- Decorator's filler and filling knife
- Fine sandpaper (120 grit)
- Masking tape or dust sheets for carpet protection
- Sugar soap for cleaning
🎨 Surface prep (the important bit)
- Clean the skirting with sugar soap - removes grease and dirt
- Fill every dent, nail hole, and gap with filler
- Let it dry completely (couple of hours)
- Sand smooth - you should barely see where you filled
- Wipe down to remove dust
🖌️ Painting technique
- Protect carpet with masking film or a thin metal shield
- Cut in top edge first (skirting to wall junction)
- Paint the flat face with a small roller (smoother than brushing)
- Cut in bottom edge last (skirting to carpet)
- Work in sections - don't let edges dry between sections
- Two thin coats beat one thick coat every time
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- Skipping the filling and sanding (every mark shows)
- Using a brush for everything (roller gives a smoother finish on flat bits)
- Not protecting the carpet properly
- Painting too thick (causes drips and takes forever to dry)
- Only doing one coat
💡 Pro trick: Use a small foam roller for the flat face of the skirting - it's ten times faster than a brush and gives a factory-smooth finish. Save the brush for the edges and any detailed moulding. Your arm will thank you.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🎨 Colour matters: Brilliant White is the standard, but Pure Brilliant White is brighter (better with modern white walls). If your walls are off-white or cream, match the skirting to avoid it looking dirty. Or go bold with colour - dark grey or black skirting hides scuffs brilliantly.
Doing the doors and window frames too? Get it all done in one go - I'm already set up and you'll save on setup time.
Victorian house with ornate skirting? The detail takes longer to paint properly, but it's worth it - that moulding is a feature, not a hassle. Adds maybe an hour to a room, depending on how fancy it is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you paint skirting boards without getting paint on my carpet?
Yes - I use a combination of masking film, cutting-in technique, and a steady hand. If your carpet is really tight to the skirting, I tuck a thin metal shield down the gap as I paint. Been doing this for years - your carpet stays clean.
Do you sand and fill the skirting boards first?
Absolutely. Sanding smooths the surface and gives the paint something to grip. Any dents, nail holes, or gaps get filled and sanded flush. Skipping this step is why DIY skirting jobs often look rough - you can see every imperfection through the paint.
How many coats of paint do skirting boards need?
Usually two coats. First coat seals and covers, second coat gives the depth and durability. If you're going from dark to light colour, sometimes three coats. I'll tell you what's needed when I see the existing finish.
Can you match the paint to my existing woodwork?
If you've got the paint tin or know the colour, easy. If not, I can usually get close with standard whites (Brilliant White, Pure Brilliant White, etc.). For exact matches on unusual colours, you'd need to get a colour match done at a paint shop - I can advise on that.
Will it be dry by the end of the day?
Touch dry in a couple of hours. You can walk carefully near it the same day, but give it 24 hours before putting furniture back against the walls or vacuuming along the edges. Full hardness takes about a week.
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