Paint Techniques for Woodwork

Learn about useful varnish, stain, wax and paint techniques for the woodwork in your home. Create a smart, well maintained home, and learn useful tips and techniques....

Although painting walls will probably be your first thought when starting to paint a room, you certainly shouldn't forget or neglect the woodwork!

The woodwork can almost be seen as the 'finishing touch' when painting a room. A neat finish on areas of woodwork, such as:

• skirtings
• dado, chair rails, or picture rails
• window and door frames
• wood cladding
• kitchen cabinets

...but, needs must!

And a fresh coat of paint on woodwork can really make a huge difference to how neat and finished your job looks...

You'll be surprised at how grubby, chipped and discolored, old painted woodwork can get - so even though it's not the best decorating job - it's still worth doing! And certainly worth doing a proper job of...!

• You might choose the traditional color scheme for woodwork - a neutraul white, off-white or cream. This is a light, clean look, that goes with everything.
• A more modern trend is to paint woodwork, such as skirtings, dado's or chair rails, in the same color as the walls. This can minimise the impact of these features, and make the space feel larger.
• You may like to choose a complementary color to go with your walls - this will make features stand out more.

  Be as adventurous as you like, and think about different effects you can create with the different colors you use...

• Consider keeping wood, wood colored, rather than painted. This can give a lovely, natural look to wood in your home.
• Painting or staining different types of wood can allow different woods to work well together...

  Once wood has been treated in this way, though, it can be more difficult to return to the natural wood feel - it is possible to sand or strip wood though.

Stain, Varnish and Paint Techniques for Wood

There's quite an array of finishes to choose from when deciding on what you want for your woodwork.

I hope this guide to stain, varnish and paint techniques can help you to decide which is best for you...

• Gloss or satin finish
• Can be used indoors or outdoors
• Longlasting and durable
• Wipeable
• Use a primer and undercoat for the best finish
• Takes a long time to dry
• One-coat paints are available

Acrylic Paints

• A water based paint
• More eco-friendly
• Less odor, and less risk to health
• Drys quickly
• Tough and flexible finish
• Not high gloss

Wood Dyes

• This is a pigment, which soaks into the wood
• Keeps the natural grain, but changes the color of the wood
• Comes in water-based or oil-based versions
• Fast drying
• Several coats can be added, to deepen the color
• You will usually need to protect the wood, with a topcoat of varnish, or polish

Wood Stains

• A wood stain helps to protect the wood, as well as changing the color
• The stain still allows the wood to breathe

Varnish

• Varnish is used to seal and protect wood
• A clear finish (for a natural look) or colored finishes are both available
• Choose from matt, satin or gloss finishes
• Some clear varnishes may yellow over time - many modern ones do not though, so read the labels, as any that don't will definitely inform you of this fact!
• Some fast-drying varnishes may go on milky, but dry clear.
• Yacht varnish can be used to comprehensive protection in 'wet' areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens.

Wax Polishes

• This uses a mixture of waxes, such as bees wax, and carnuba wax.
• It can be used as a clear wax on top of a dye (to give a 'waxy' finish), or as different colors, and as a complete treatment in itself.
• It is easy and clean to apply, usually by rubbing on and polishing off
• It is not very protective, in areas of high or heavy use, so you may need to reapply frequently.

Oils

• Linseed oil, or modern oil alternatives
• Soaks into woodwork
• Comes in a variety of colors
• Protects the wood, and keeps it 'supple'

Cold-cure Lacquer

• A high-gloss or lacquered finish
• Contains plastic for durability
• Different colors are available
• Matt finishes are rarer, but are possible

French Polish

• This is a finish most usually used on furniture
• Made from shellac
• Different colors are available
• Very delicate, and easy to damage

Paint Techniques for Woodwork

• Paint woodwork before walls
• Choose a good quality brush for painting woodwork
• Choose the right paint type and finish for you and your home
• Read the instructions on the can/tin
• Allow coats to dry thoroughly, before adding another coat - this is particularly important if you are using gloss paint

From Bare (Untreated) Woodwork...

• Lightly sand
• Clean with white spirit
• Treat and seal knots in the wood
• Paint with primer
• Fill in any cracks, and sand down when dry, then dust clean
• Apply undercoat
• Sand down lightly
• Wipe with white spirit
• For the top coat:
  • Paint with vertical stripes, initially
  • Spread out the strokes in all directions, for larger areas
  • Finish off with gentle strokes, going in the same direction as the wood grain
• Don't try to retouch areas that have already started to dry - wait until completely dry before re-touching! Or you will make a mess!

For previously treated woodwork check that the surface is clean, flat and dry before starting....

• Repair any cracks, and give a light sanding
• Paint as above
• In most cases you won't need an undercoat, or primer, but if you are painting over a different type of paint to the topcoat, or if you are painting over a strong color, you can often save time in the long run by using one!

Some special paint techniques apply for painting a door or a window.

More about how to paint kitchen cabinets

More about choosing the right paint for the job

More about how to paint a room

More about how to paint a ceiling

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