I am not a painting expert. In fact, Donnie recently confessed that he used to watch me paint and laugh because I was so terrible at it. Even though I’ve gotten in a lot of practice and improved my skills, when it came time to patch and paint our baseboards, I naturally thought that it would be one of those “man jobs” that he would take on. After all, he did spend a summer in college running his own painting business and another summer helping his dad do all sorts of “man jobs” in their newly-built house, so I figured he was much more qualified.
Donnie had different ideas, though. He said it was easier for me to “bend that way” (true) and that I get to spend time with the Cs all week while he’s at work (also true), so he would take them to the park on Saturday and I could work away at painting baseboards. {Someone has a new-found confidence in my painting skills all of the sudden…} So the job fell to me, and I scoured the internet looking for any tips or methods I could find to make my job easier.
After watching many videos and reading articles on several painting sites and blogs, I discovered a helpful post by Shelley and Cason used over at The House of Smiths. I used their method as a guide and tweaked it to meet my needs, and, surprisingly, patching and painting the baseboards didn’t end up being too bad at all!
Here are the supplies I used:
List contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
- Patch-N-Paint Lightweight Spackling
- Painter’s Tool
- Behr Premium Plus Ultra Pure White Paint in Semi-Gloss
- Tape & Drape
- Large Paint Shield
- HANDy Paint Pail
- Angled 1 1/2″ Paint Brush
If you are awesome at keeping up with the task of scrubbing down your baseboards, you can jump right into patching. If, however, you are one of those people that tends to neglect your baseboards from time to time, (ahemME!ahem) you will want to give them a good wipe-down first.
Step 1: Patch
My first job was to fill in all of the little tiny holes in the baseboards and shoe molding in the living room, dining room, stairwell landings (2), upstairs hallway, and our bedroom. That’s a lot of little holes, people! The painter’s tool did a great job on the flat baseboards, but the curved shoe molding was another story. It was taking forever to get the patching putty in there because of the angle until I discovered this revolutionary high-tech tool:
…my finger. So take it from this girl, just get your hands dirty (literally) and scoop that putty right into those hard-to-reach holes with your little pointer finger. It works wonders.
Step 2: Make ‘Em Flat
Since your Patch ‘n Paint will cause some extra bumps and lumps in your baseboards, you’ll want to smooth those out before you begin painting. For most areas, I just took a wet cloth and wiped away the excess putty. If you have areas that are extra-stubborn, though, you may have to bust out the sandpaper to get your baseboards nice and smooth.
Step 3: Painting Baseboards with Tape and Drape!
My jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw this nifty little product in Shelly’s post. It’s tape and plastic liner in one, so you don’t have to worry about messy drop cloths. I attempted two different methods with the Tape & Drape.
Method A: Budget Friendly & Environmentally Conscious
It seemed like a waste to throw away a perfectly clean, unpainted piece of plastic, so for the majority of my painting, I worked with two three-foot long pieces of Tape & Drape. I would paint the section of baseboard above piece #1 and while that was drying a little, I painted above piece #2. While piece #2 was drying, I carefully peeled up piece #1 and moved it to my next section of baseboard and so on, alternating pieces #1 and #2 so I didn’t have to throw away as much plastic. When my tape would start to lose its stickiness (evidenced by more leaks), then I knew it was time to start with new pieces of Tape & Drape.
Method B: Time Efficient
By the time I got to my bedroom (the last room to paint), my kids were going to be waking up from nap soon, so I was trying to get done in a hurry. I just taped up the entire room at one time, painted everything, and then peeled up all the plastic and threw it away. This method was definitely quicker, but I did end up using most of a roll of Tape & Drape.
Whichever method you use, you’ll also need to protect your wall, so…
Step 4: Use That Paint Shield!
Instead of holding up the paint shield the entire time I was painting, I would usually paint the lower part of a 10-ish foot section of molding, then whip out my paint shield and hold it at the top edge of the baseboard so I could quickly paint the top section without getting white paint all over the walls. As long as I was diligent about cleaning off the edge of the shield every once in a while and pressing it down firmly while I was painting, this method worked like a charm and was much faster than trying to tape off the top of the baseboards.
If You Have Carpet…
You could definitely still use the Tape & Drape method on carpet. The House of Smiths did. Our landings and small upstairs hallway are the only areas that were carpeted, though, so I used a slightly different method. I wasn’t confident that I would be able to secure the Tape & Drape well enough to protect the carpeting, so I just used the paint shield to press down and cover the carpet as I painted, trying not to get paint on the shield (because it made it easier to move it around without getting paint everywhere). I then went back and used the paint shield at the top of the baseboards to get a nice, clean line, and I was in business.
Baseboards may not be a glamorous project like a furniture makeover or room reveal, but they can definitely make a big impact in a room, so it’s important to do them well. After waiting almost two years to paint ours (terrible, I know!) I am thrilled to finally be able to check that project off the list!
Looking for more easy DIY projects to tackle? Try these…
Add Crown Molding to Plain Baseboards
Frame in a Builder Grade Mirror
Add Crown Molding to Kitchen Cabinets
Have you painted any baseboards lately? What are your best tips and tricks?
Mandy says
July 18, 2013 at 9:36 amThank you so much, I need to see this right now! I am dreading dreading dreading paint my baseboards, but they need it desperately! I have given myself a deadline, which is a week away. So glad to know you did your’s in a day. I was thinking it would take me several days.
abbylawson says
July 19, 2013 at 7:00 amI’m so glad this helps! Good luck with your baseboards–you can do it!!
~Abby =)
Krista thehappyhousie says
July 18, 2013 at 11:04 amIsn’t it amazing what a difference freshly painted baseboards make! You did a great job… it is worth all the effort for sure:)
abbylawson says
July 19, 2013 at 7:01 amThanks, Krista! I love seeing how they really “pop” now…so worth the effort! Have a wonderful weekend!
~Abby =)
Kacia says
July 18, 2013 at 1:29 pmOh!! Looks GREAT!!! I will probably need to do this in a few areas of our home…even though it’s a new construction! Great tips! – I’ve been nervous!
abbylawson says
July 19, 2013 at 7:02 amThanks, Kacia! You can do it! 😉 See you tonight!
~Abby =)
Carolina says
July 18, 2013 at 2:45 pmHi Abby! I found your blog and you have given me so many ideas on projects to work in my new home. I need to paint my wood color baseboards and this post is so helpful! I already have DAP drydex spackle at home ( see link below)
https://www.amazon.com/12345-drydex-spackle-patch-PRICE/dp/B0039O2HFK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_2
Do you think I can also use this product to patch the little holes? My husband has been using this for the walls and ceilings but, I wasn’t sure if it is OK to use in baseboards. Help!
Thank you
Carolina
abbylawson says
July 19, 2013 at 7:05 amThanks for stopping by, Carolina! That your product will work just fine for your baseboards! Happy painting!
~Abby =)
[email protected] says
July 18, 2013 at 6:01 pmoh! yes they do make a great impact into any room Abby! yours look great you did a great job and your boys were sleeping! 🙂 thanks for not making it look complicated, I might consider painting the ones from my son’s bedroom, I’ve been asking hubby for a while and I’m still waiting for him to start 😉
abbylawson says
July 19, 2013 at 7:08 amThanks, Ingrid! Ours were on the “honey-do” list for a while before I finally tackled them myself! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
~Abby =)
Crystal says
July 18, 2013 at 10:04 pmI was just thinking about painting my baseboards. They need a good touch-up. Thanks for the tutorial! It really helps!!
abbylawson says
July 19, 2013 at 7:09 amYay! So glad it was helpful! Happy painting, Crystal!
~Abby =)
Mags says
July 20, 2013 at 9:34 amI wish I had read you post months ago when I tackled my own baseboards. I did okay but I really could have used Tape and Drape, wow what a great product. Thank you for sharing. I’m pinning so I don’t forget your great tips.
abbylawson says
July 20, 2013 at 2:22 pmI do heart tape & drape for sure! Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!
~Abby =)
Eva Humblebee says
July 20, 2013 at 5:15 pmPainting trim is the WORST! And somehow I always get stuck with it. But you make it look so easy, I’ll have to use some of your methods next time:)
abbylawson says
July 20, 2013 at 9:49 pmI know– I can’t use power tools, so I always get the painting jobs too! 😉 Hope this method works for you! It was so wonderful to meet you last night, Miss Eva!
~Abby =)
Ursula Rosien says
July 21, 2013 at 12:28 amOh why did I see your post??? Now that I know how to tackle the baseboards I should volunteer to do this? I literally haven’t done nothing to our home in 9 years…pretty much the age of my oldest kid. (I only have 3 but feel I have maybe 5 or 6.. with the boundless energy they have.)
Please quick question, I have never painted a wall or a baseboard or nothing… I should probably paint a wall first and then the baseboards right? Do you have a tutorial or could you point me to a tutorial for painting? I feel embarassed even asking for this! Anyway, I loved, loved this tutorial. Very simple! Nice to meet you! Hope you come visit my blog too!
abbylawson says
July 23, 2013 at 4:40 pmGood luck with all of your painting, Ursula! Opinions definitely vary on whether to paint walls or baseboards first. We did our walls first, then baseboards, but I know there are others who swear by doing it the other way around–it’s really a preference thing. I have several great painting tutorials pinned on my “Home Tips” Pinterest board, which can be found here: https://pinterest.com/justagirlabby/home-tips/ ! Happy painting!
~Abby =)
Selene Galindo says
July 21, 2013 at 1:07 amThanks for the easy tips! I had no idea that paint shield existed!!!
abbylawson says
July 23, 2013 at 4:22 pmI had never used one before this project, but it is a gem! Thanks so much for stopping by, Selene!
~Abby =)
Kayla says
July 21, 2013 at 10:48 amLoving this post! Thank you for posting! I have to paint my living room by the 15th =)
abbylawson says
July 23, 2013 at 4:22 pmThanks, Kayla! Good luck with your painting!
~Abby =)
Larissa ~ Prodigal Pieces says
July 22, 2013 at 7:39 amI used tape and drape all the time when I worked on our college paint crew. I learned so much during that time. Great tips and tricks!! :o)
abbylawson says
July 23, 2013 at 4:18 pmSounds like you’re a pro! The tape & drape was a lifesaver! Thanks so much for stopping by, Larissa!
~Abby =)
Trish @ Uncommon Designs says
July 22, 2013 at 8:13 amI have never heard of Tape and Drape, but am so glad to know of it now… everything looks fabulous! It is just beautiful… I love it! Thank you so much for sharing at Monday Funday this week! Have a good one!
Take care,
Trish
abbylawson says
July 23, 2013 at 4:16 pmThank you, Trish! The Tape & Drape really was a huge help! Thanks for hosting such a fun party!
~Abby =)
Carrie From Carrie This Home says
July 22, 2013 at 8:24 amGreat Tips! I’ll be painting a lot of baseboards in my house soon so I can use all the help I can get! Pinning this right now! I’m stopping by from Give Me The Goods Monday.
I also have an open blog hop & I’d love it if you linked it up there.
abbylawson says
July 23, 2013 at 4:15 pmThank you so much, Carrie! Good luck with your baseboards! Hope you’re having a wonderful week!
~Abby =)
Manda Wolf says
July 22, 2013 at 9:13 amRight on! I understand the hesitation. Every piece of bead board, baseboard, chair rail, crown molding we have put up over the last three years (trust me it is a lot) has yet to be painted or caulked. I still stuck in the phase of it looks good enough but I don’t want to mess with it again just yet. Although after reading all these blogs I am starting to think I need a date with my caulk gun.
Manda @ Our Wolf Den
abbylawson says
July 23, 2013 at 4:13 pmHave fun on your caulk gun date, Manda! Lol. I put off our trim for-ev-er, but it does feel nice to finally have it done! Thanks for reading!
~Abby =)
The French Hens Nest says
July 22, 2013 at 9:58 amThank you for all the great tips! My sister-in-law is visiting us for the first time from CA and I”m looking at rooms with a more critical eye. It’s funny how you get used to stuff! I’m painting the baseboards in the bathrooms this week and your post was so timely!
Linda at The French Hens Nest
abbylawson says
July 23, 2013 at 4:10 pmGlad to be of help! Have a fun time with your sister-in-law!
~Abby =)
Megan @ Our Pinteresting Family says
July 23, 2013 at 4:38 pmGreat tips! These are my least favorite thing to paint because of all the prep, but it’s worth it in the end.
abbylawson says
July 23, 2013 at 4:44 pmI agree, Megan! I definitely put it off for too long, but they look so white and pretty now! Thanks so much for stopping by!
~Abby =)
Christine says
July 23, 2013 at 8:49 pmGREAT tips Abby!!! I need to attack my baseboards!!!
abbylawson says
July 25, 2013 at 10:47 pmThanks, Christine! Go for it! 😉 Thank you again for hosting a fun party each week!
~Abby =)
heidi says
July 24, 2013 at 1:44 amThat tape and drape looks awesome. I am the world’s sloppiest painter paint goes every which way when I paint so that would be so handy.
abbylawson says
July 25, 2013 at 10:45 pmI hear ya on the sloppy painting! I really need all the help I can get! Thanks so much for stopping by, Heidi! Have a great weekend!
~Abby =)
Jessi @ Practically Functional says
July 24, 2013 at 1:20 pmGreat tutorial Abby! And great job on your baseboards! In case you didn’t see it earlier, I featured this on my blog today! I’m stopping by to pin, and to let you know you can grab a Featured button if you don’t already have one! https://practicallyfunctional.net/2013/07/10-creative-ideas-3/
abbylawson says
July 25, 2013 at 10:40 pmThank you so much, Jessi! I am always excited and honored to be featured on your fabulous blog! Hope you’re having a great week!
~Abby =)
Monica says
July 25, 2013 at 4:02 pmThis is an awesome post, and comes at the perfect time for me! I need to give all my baseboards a touch up, but didn’t even know where to start. Now I have something to reference to! Thanks for sharing!
abbylawson says
July 25, 2013 at 9:47 pmYay! So glad I could help! Happy painting, Monica!
~Abby =)
Lora @ Craftivity Designs says
August 5, 2013 at 11:25 amThese are great tips & thanks so much for introducing me to tape & drape — that is an awesome product! Pinning 🙂
abbylawson says
August 6, 2013 at 8:33 pmThank you so much, Lora! I’m so flattered that you stopped by! Love your blog! Hope you’re having a wonderful week!
~Abby =)
Tash says
October 14, 2013 at 6:40 amThis is brilliant!! we desperately need to do ours! but they are a scratchy horrible stained wood. And I fear they will need sanding back before painting :S
justagirlabby says
October 14, 2013 at 1:14 pmI hear ya! I put off ours forever!! It feels so great to have them done now, though! Just keep telling yourself, “I think I can, I think I can!” Lol. Have a great week!
~Abby =)
Mary Kay says
March 14, 2019 at 7:39 pmEver heard of liquid sand paper? A MIRACLE product!!! When all else fails call your local paint store or Home Depot or Lowe’s paint Dept. They carry all the best tools and/ or know the best shortcuts/tricks!!
Alix says
November 11, 2013 at 2:07 pmGreat tutorial and very useful as I too have baseboard touch up on my to do list. On a different note, I love the color on your walls. What color is that? I love the contrast. 😉
justagirlabby says
November 14, 2013 at 3:36 pmThanks so much, Alix! Our wall color is called “Barnwood” by Valspar (Lowe’s). Good luck with your baseboards!
~Abby =)
kim schumacher says
November 13, 2013 at 6:43 pmFYI…Duct tape works great when painting baseboards and protecting your carpet. As long as you rip it up right away it should be fine. That’s what I used and there were no leaks. Way cheaper than a roll of Tape and Drape.
justagirlabby says
November 14, 2013 at 3:04 pmI should have known…Duct tape works on everything! 😀 Thanks for the tip, Kim!
~Abby =)
Kathy says
November 13, 2013 at 11:45 pmI need to patch and paint new baseboards but I also need to caulk the tops of them. Any ideas on a quick, easy way to do that too? Thanks!
Lauren says
February 8, 2014 at 9:19 amI have been putting off painting our dark brown 70’s style baseboards for months (we just moved in 6 months ago) because our house is mostly carpet and I dreaded taping the carpet… the paint shield is genius! I will be making a run to Lowe’s this week to get one! Thanks for the inspiration and newly found confidence! 🙂
justagirlabby says
February 12, 2014 at 3:15 pmYay! Good luck with all of your painting! We put ours off for a long time but then ended up knocking it out in a weekend, and it feels so good to have that item checked off the to-do list! Happy painting!
~Abby =)
Olivia says
August 8, 2014 at 2:00 pmThis is on my to-do list badly so I’ll use these tips as I’m sure it will be ME doing the work. Our baseboards/trim are an off white which is annoying so I might do them all white but then if have to repaint all the doors and trim of whole house…eek!
Carole says
September 20, 2014 at 6:14 pmThanks for the tips. I’ve always used my finger to apply the compound into smaller holes. It’s just easier overall. I like the idea of using a paint shield or spackle knife as a painting guide. Not sure why I never thought of that, although with heavily textured walls it might not work quite as well for me. Will certainly give it a try when the time comes though.
Melissa says
January 7, 2015 at 9:27 amThank you!! I didn’t even know about a painting shield. I just painted our dining room this weekend and felt all proud of myself, until I pulled off the tape from the baseboards – definitely not a clean line! Gray paint on white baseboards is not a good luck. I need to touch them up, and that little shield looks like just the ticket.
Melissa says
January 7, 2015 at 9:27 am*good look
Pam says
November 4, 2015 at 11:31 amThank so much for the tips. We have dogs and the baseboards near the doors really need painting.
Brooke says
July 31, 2016 at 11:11 pmGreat post! Thanks for all of the great tips! I need to paint my own baseboards and this has given me the motivation to finally do it. I think it will make such a huge difference though! I can’t wait to see the finished product. Hopefully mine look as good as yours do. 🙂
-Brooke
http://www.beautydecorandmore.com
janeen herlugson says
June 29, 2017 at 1:06 amHi Abby! I came across this post and because I am just really looking forward to painting my baseboards (HA!) I had to read it and I have a question about the BEHR Paint you used. It says on the Home Depot website that it resists stains and scuffs and has excellent durability. So my question is, have you found this to be true with your baseboards after painting them? I know you have 2 boys and I have 4 boys that are always throwing and kicking things around and if it can protect my boards from them even a tenth better than other paints, then its worth the money! Thank you for any advice!
justagirlabby says
July 3, 2017 at 2:22 pmHi, Janeen! We don’t live in that house anymore, but I felt like the baseboards held up pretty well while we were still there. We would do the occasional touch up here and there, but nothing major. Hope you’re having a wonderful week!
~Abby =)
Miley Lopez says
July 6, 2017 at 8:06 amGreat blog, baseboards are typically white, which is easily coverable with the wall paint color. So, if you happen to slop white baseboard paint on the wall, you can paint over it.
LIBI RIDES says
February 8, 2018 at 8:42 amDo I have to first sand the paint off my old baseboards? They seem to be painted white with a sheen to them.
Can I skip this step? Should I prime them and then paint white?
justagirlabby says
February 10, 2018 at 1:29 pmMine were new, pre-primed baseboards, so they didn’t have any prep work. If yours have a bit of a sheen to them, I might do a quick sanding over the old paint, just to rough them up a little bit and help the paint stick. If they’re already white and you’re painting white over them, I wouldn’t think you’d need to prime. If you’re covering up a darker color, priming may help or an all-in-one paint may do the trick. I hope this helps!
~Abby =)
Mel says
August 4, 2018 at 2:49 amWhat was the style of flooring in this house? Do you have the brand/color name?
justagirlabby says
August 7, 2018 at 2:08 pmHi, Mel! This was actually IKEA laminate flooring from when they used to make it way back when. We installed it in 2009, but they no longer make flooring like this, unfortunately. So sorry about that!
~Abby =)