Woodwork

This section covers the various types of woodwork you will encounter –

• Doors and Frames
• Skirting boards
• Picture rails
• Dado rails
• Windows 
• Window Sills
  
• and also the technique of "Laying-Off"

Before starting to paint make sure you have masked off the relevant areas – surrounding carpet edge and at the base where the frame meets the door saddle.

Loading the Brush (Back to Top)

Dip the brush about to about half-way up the bristles. Don’t drag the brush across the rim of the tin as this removes most of the paint. Instead tap against the sides of the paint kettle or can.

Cleaning Up (Back to Top)

A professional finish is as much about cleaning-up as it is about preparation. Clean brushes, rollers and containers as soon as you have finished with them. If paint cans have paint left in them that you want to keep for touching up make sure the lids are secured tightly. Old paint can be revived by adding a little Owatrol Oil™ and stirring it in thoroughly.

I do not believe that there is a set sequence required to paint a complete door. I generally start from the bottom and work upwards. The reason for this is drips! Drips form where the panel meets the flat outer frame of the door. If you start at the bottom and a drip is going to form this gives it more time to become noticeable and therefore fixable. As you paint upwards you are more likely to see a drip forming than down towards the floor. Keep checking back after you have finished painting the entire door. Nothing spoils a finish like a drip!

·        Remove or mask the door handle

·        Remove any coat hooks if possible

·        With the brush, paint the mouldings of each panel which the roller will not reach.

·        Place your cardboard under the door

·        Load your gloss roller with paint, roll lightly in the tray to remove excess paint

·        Carefully lift from tray, press against door and roll smoothly until you need to re-fill the
      roller

·        Repeat until the door is completely finished

·        Gloss rollers give a great finish with no brush marks

Method - Flat panel doors (Back to Top)

These are doors which consist of one smooth sheet with no detail.
Use a gloss roller as above – a brush takes too long.

Door Edges (Back to Top)

There are two edges on a door that are relevant. The edge that contains the handle mechanism and the edge that the hinges are fixed to.

If you are painting just a room paint the inner door surface plus the handle edge only. If you are painting an adjoining room, hall, landing etc then the hinge edge will need to be painted also.

Drips!

Paint is a liquid and will therefore drip and run if applied too thickly or without sufficient care. Panelled doors are a particular source of potential drips since there are many edges which can gather paint which will eventually begin to sag or drip. Keep checking back over painted areas and brush out while still wet.

If drips have dried in slice them off with a sharp knife then sand smooth. Sanding on its own tends not to give as good a result in my experience. Once you have finished your door and move on with your painting it’s important to check back after 10 minutes or so to check on drips. Nothing spoils the look as much as a drip!

Door Frames (Back to Top)

Door frames are among the most difficult pieces of woodwork to paint since they comprise a series of curved edges plus some very narrow edges.

Paint the door first in its closed position. Open it and then paint the relevant edges (see Door Edges above). Finally tackle the door frame. Use as wide a brush as you are comfortable with. You can also use a mini gloss roller for the wider sections of woodwork so long as you are careful.

To paint the narrow edge of the frame it is advisable to use either a synthetic brush or a sash brush. Either will deliver the paint in a manageable and straight line.

If you paint from the top down as you paint in a single movement paint begins to build up underneath the bristles and will eventually drip! The best way to counteract this problem is to paint upwards where you can more easily see when the paint begins to build. Once the brush is clear of any potential drip you can then paint upwards and downwards as usual.

If you feel that your hand isn’t steady enough then simply apply low-tack masking tape to the adjoining wall surface and carefully paint the frame with the gloss paint. Once dry remove the tape and touch up any areas that need it.

Skirting Boards (Back to Top)

Skirting boards are generally, but not always, painted with a gloss or satin-finish oil paint but of course may also be varnished. They vary in shape and design and some have a very narrow top edge which meets the wall surface.

Mask carpet carefully with wide masking tape. Stretch it tight and make sure it provides a good seal between carpet and skirting especially at the corners.

Picture Rails (Back to Top)

Difficult to paint as they tend to have a narrow edge where they meet the wall. Like dado rails it may be easier to paint these first and then paint the walls. Depends on the design and how confident you are! Mask off the wall if you are not so confident.

Dado Rails (Back to Top)

Dado rails are decorative timber forms generally placed at the height of a chair back. The idea is that the dado stops the chair-back making unsightly marks on painted walls.  It is generally much easier to paint the dado before painting the walls as many of them incorporate an extremely narrow edge into their design which makes painting them difficult. It is far easier to cut in with emulsion on a wall which is facing you than at an angle with oil-based paint.

Windows (Back to Top)

Security!

Unfortunately open windows can be tempting to some people even though they may have wet paint! Be careful and vigilant!

Windows can be tricky and time-consuming to paint. Usually they are painted using oil-based gloss paint which takes some time to dry so you need to plan carefully how you’re going to tackle them.  It is best to start early in order that they can be left open for as long as possible. If they are locked shut before the paint has dried the paint will stick and when you open them again will pull off leaving an unsightly finish.

Tools

·        Paintbrush – preferably a sash brush or an angled synthetic brush

·        Gloss or Eggshell paint

Opening it out progressively allows you to get easier access to the upper recesses which have to be painted upside down.

A little practice with a sash brush will mean that you don’t have to apply masking tape to the glass. This is time-consuming and fiddly. It is also not 100% accurate in keeping paint off the glass.

This is particularly relevant to small-paned windows which have frosted-glass with an uneven surface. Care and of course, patience, is always needed when painting any narrow and awkward surface.

If paint does get onto the glass – let it dry thoroughly then scrape it off with a razor-blade.

Window Locks (Back to Top)

These come in various shapes, colours, finishes and sizes. If they require painting, paint them last of all as they are useful for manoeuvring the window in and out. They can be painted of course, but you may achieve a better finished look if you buy new ones in say white or brass.

Window Sills (Back to Top)

Most window sills are made from either timber or MDF and comprise a flat upper surface and a rounded lip. Often there are gaps where they meet the window-frame. These should be filled with acrylic filler prior to painting.