Tips to fix your yellowing skirting boards Leave a comment

Have you got Yellowing skirting boards or any other mouldings? We feel your pain. It can be really frustrating and completely change the look and feel of your room. Sometimes, it may just be due to a build up of dirt that a proper clean can solve. But more often than not, and especially if your mouldings were painted a long time ago, there’s a common cause.

Oil based paints:

If you’ve noticed that your white mouldings are starting to turn yellow, it’s likely because they were painted with oil based paint. This is a natural in an oil based paint due to the binders in it, but it can be difficult to look past. There are 2 things you can try:

• Dust and Rub down your mouldings with a baking soda solution (baking soda and water).
• Sand down and repaint with a water based paint

Oil based paints were more common around 20 years ago and worked well, but over time, aging and lack of sunlight light can cause a yellowing effect. If cleaning down your mouldings doesn’t work, then this is likely the cause of yellowing. To fix it, they will need to be repainted.

1. First, sand down your skirting or other mouldings. This will allow your new coat of paint to adhere effectively.
2. Make sure the surface is smooth and remove any excess dust that may be left in any crevices.
3. Next, apply a thin coat of primer and leave to dry. A thin coat is best to prevent drips of paint.
4. Once dry, apply a second coat of water based paint.

Consider using satin or egg shell:

Satin offers a relatively low sheen. With a good balance of cleanability and durability, it’s great for hiding minor imperfections caused in high traffic areas. Egg shell is arguably the most popular finish, creating a more matte look than other finishes. This finish best in low traffic areas like architraves where it is able to maintain its flat, soft finish.

When we paint our products, we always use water based paints, so you wont need to worry about any yellowing. Want to paint them yourself? When painting, ensure that you’re using water based paint. This will help to avoid yellowing and the hassle of dealing with it in the future!