Having Skirting Boards Painted: Price per Metre

What does painting skirting boards cost per metre?

We charge skirting boards per running metre, not per m². A skirting board is narrow, but there is a lot of work in every metre: sanding, masking along the floor and wall, and a crisp line along the top.

Prices exclude VAT. For a home more than 10 years old, 6% VAT usually applies; the exact rate is shown in your quote.

Sanding is already included in the price of the first coat. That matters, because paint sticks poorly to a smooth, glossy surface, and a skirting board takes more knocks than a wall.

A skirting board in RAL 9010 or 9016 is the standard. If you want another colour, for example the colour of the wall, the price for that is shown in the quote.

The price list also includes a small-job surcharge of €249.99. If you only have a few metres of skirting board done, it is good to know that this surcharge exists. Whether it applies to your job, you will see in the quote. Curious about the other rates? We list them on our prices page.

Paint the skirting boards or the walls first?

With us, the walls come first, then the woodwork. We plan a complete finish in a fixed order: first the wallpaper or plasterwork, then painting the walls, followed by window frames, doors and skirting boards. That way no wall paint ends up on a painted skirting board.

When the wall is painted, the top of the skirting board is masked off. Once the wall is dry, the skirting board is next and this time the wall above it is masked. That gives you a crisp separation between wall and skirting board.

Who does the masking and what else is included in the m² price for painting is explained in do you need to mask when you have your walls painted.

We take the walls along straight away: having the walls painted and painting skirting boards fit into one visit. If wallpaper or plasterwork is involved too, you can combine wallpapering, plastering and painting in one schedule.

Can you paint skirting boards with wall paint?

It is possible, but not a good idea. Wall paint is made for walls and ceilings. For Sigmatex Superlatex Matt, a wall paint from Sigma, the product page lists substrates such as concrete, plasterwork, plasterboard, brickwork, glass fleece and glass fabric. Wood is not among them.

A skirting board takes knocks from the vacuum cleaner, shoes and chair legs, and is cleaned more often than a wall. For woodwork, painters therefore use paint that is meant for wood. It is the same distinction as between emulsion and paint.

If you want the skirting board not to stand out, you can have it painted in the colour of the wall, but with paint for wood. The wall then visually continues down to the floor.

Aren’t white MDF skirting boards already finished?

Usually not. Many skirting boards in new builds and from DIY stores are white, and that looks finished. If that white layer is a primer, it is precisely meant to be painted over.

After fitting a pre-lacquered skirting board, there are also nail or screw holes, joints in the corners and sometimes a bead of sealant along the wall. A coat of paint over it makes it one whole. Without that coat, the holes and joints stay visible.

If an MDF skirting board has a smooth finish, it must be lightly sanded before paint goes on, otherwise the new coat sticks poorly. That sanding is included in the price of the first coat.

When do skirting boards need a second coat?

One coat is enough if the skirting board is already white and in good condition, and you are freshening it up in the same colour.

A second coat is wise for a colour change, for dark or bare wood and for skirting boards that take a lot of wear, such as in an entrance hall or kitchen.

If you keep your skirting boards and interior wooden window frames on the same schedule, the painter only has to come once.

The second coat costs from €4.99 per metre, half of the first coat.

Who paints your skirting boards?

One of our 25 painters, such as Argi or Chris, from our team of 97 in-house tradespeople on permanent contracts. We often include skirting boards in a bigger job: painting the walls, or having window frames and doors painted in the same round.

With your request, roughly count the metres of skirting board and say whether they are white pre-lacquered, already painted or bare wood. The number of coats and any surcharge will then already be in the free quote you receive within 24 hours. At the site survey we measure the metres of skirting board exactly. The site survey and wall inspection is the moment when price and schedule become final.

Interior painting carries a 1-year guarantee. Is your staircase on the list too? We also include painting the staircase in the same job.