How to Paint Trim and Woodwork

Matt or Satin — choose your preferred appearance.

1. ✨ Satin gives specialist woodwork paint a smooth lustre that suits traditional and contemporary interiors.
2. 🛡️ Use the specialist paint for the surface. Gloss is not in our launch range.
3. 🕯️ Matt gives a soft, restrained look. Both launch woodwork finishes are Class 1 scrubbable.
4. 🎨 Decide the finish before you buy, not after. Sheen changes how light reflects from the colour: Satin has more lustre than Matt.
5. 🏠 Keep one finish running through a whole floor of the house wherever possible — mixed sheens on adjoining skirting and frames are very noticeable in daylight.

Three abrasives cover every job in this guide.

1. 🪵 120 grit — coarse. Use it only for removing old, failing or heavily built-up paint, and for levelling ridges and runs left by previous decorators.
2. ✨ 320 grit — fine. This is your final grit before painting on every surface in this guide. It creates the fine, even key the paint grips onto.
3. 🧽 A sanding sponge — flexible. It follows profiled, moulded and turned surfaces such as architrave detail and staircase spindles where flat paper simply bridges the shape.
4. ➡️ Always sand in the direction of the grain. Cross-grain scratches will telegraph through both coats and cannot be hidden later.
5. 😷 Wear a dust mask and open a window. Old paint layers may be lead-based in properties built before 1970 — if in doubt, do not dry sand.

Every tin needs a thorough stir before it goes anywhere near woodwork.

1. 🌀 Stir for 1–2 minutes with a drill and mixing paddle on a slow speed, or for 2–3 minutes by hand with a stirring stick.
2. ⬇️ Work the paddle right to the bottom of the tin and around the edges — pigment and matting agents settle there and cause patchy sheen if left.
3. 🚫 Never shake a tin of water-based trim paint. Shaking whips in air bubbles that burst on the surface and leave pinholes in the dried film.
4. 🔄 Re-stir between coats and again if the tin has stood for more than an hour while you were preparing.
5. 🫗 Decant what you need into a paint kettle rather than working from the tin, so brush dust and grit never contaminate the main supply.

Only needed where the existing finish is heavily built up or flaking.

1. 🔍 Run your hand and eye along the whole run first and mark the problem areas — flaking edges, crazed patches and thick brush-mark ridges.
2. 🪵 Sand those areas with 120 grit until the failing paint is removed and the surface is level with the sound paint around it.
3. 📏 Feather the edges of each repair so there is no hard step between bare timber and existing paint — a step will show clearly through the finish.
4. 🧹 Vacuum the debris as you go rather than sweeping it, which just redistributes the dust onto surfaces you are about to paint.
5. ⏭️ If the existing paintwork is sound and smooth, skip this step entirely and go straight to keying with 320 grit.

The final sand before any filling or painting.

1. ✨ Sand the entire board with 320 grit in the direction of the grain — the whole face, the top edge and any moulded detail.
2. 🧽 Switch to a sanding sponge on the moulded profile at the top of the board, where flat paper only touches the high points.
3. 👋 You are not removing the old finish, only dulling it. When the surface looks uniformly matt with no shiny patches left, you are done.
4. 🦵 Work in metre-long sections and check each one by eye at a low angle before moving on — glossy patches are missed key and will cause peeling.
5. 🚪 Do not forget the returns at door openings and the short lengths behind radiators, which are the areas most often skipped.

Remove all sanding dust before you fill.

1. 🧽 Wipe the board down with a slightly damp microfibre cloth — always microfibre, as cotton rags and kitchen roll leave lint behind in the finish.
2. 💧 Damp, not wet. The cloth should lift dust without leaving water sitting on the timber or soaking into filler repairs later.
3. ⬇️ Work top to bottom so dust falls onto surfaces you have not yet cleaned, and finish with the very bottom edge where dust collects.
4. ♻️ Rinse and wring the cloth out regularly. A saturated cloth just spreads a grey film of paint dust along the board.
5. ⏳ Let the surface dry completely — around 10 minutes in a ventilated room — before you fill or paint.

Fine surface filler, proud of the surface, then sanded flush.

1. 🩹 Press fine surface filler firmly into each dent, nail hole and split with a filling knife, working it in rather than skimming it over.
2. ⬆️ Leave every repair slightly proud of the surrounding surface — all fillers shrink slightly as they dry, and a sunken repair means a second application.
3. 📐 Scrape the excess off with the edge of the knife so you have less to sand back afterwards.
4. 🕳️ Fill deep holes in two thin passes rather than one thick one. A thick plug dries slowly on the outside and stays soft in the middle.
5. ⏳ Allow the filler to dry fully as directed — typically 30–60 minutes for fine surface filler, longer in cold or damp rooms.

Level the repairs so they disappear under paint.

1. ✨ Sand each filled area back flush with 320 grit, keeping the paper flat so you level the repair rather than dishing it out.
2. 👋 Check every repair by running your fingertips over it with your eyes closed — your hand detects a ridge long before your eye does.
3. 🔁 If a repair has sunk below the surface, apply a second thin skim of filler and sand again once dry rather than accepting a hollow.
4. 🧽 Feather the edge of each repair into the surrounding paint so there is no visible outline once painted.
5. 💧 Wipe away all filler dust with a damp microfibre cloth and let the board dry.

Caulk, not filler — it stays flexible and will not crack.

1. 🔧 Cut the nozzle at 45° with a small opening — you can always enlarge it, but an oversized bead is messy and wastes material.
2. 🩹 Run a thin, continuous bead along the gap where the skirting meets the wall, moving the gun steadily and keeping pressure even.
3. 👆 Smooth the bead immediately with a damp finger or caulking tool, pressing it into the joint rather than dragging it along the surface.
4. 🧽 Wipe the excess away straight away with a damp cloth — cured caulk smeared on the wall face is very difficult to remove and shows under paint.
5. ⏳ Allow the caulk to dry as directed, typically 1–2 hours, before painting over it.

Protect the wall above and the floor below.

1. 🛡️ Run premium painter's tape along the wall just above the top edge of the skirting, in long unbroken lengths rather than short overlapping pieces.
2. 👆 Press the bottom edge of the tape down firmly with a filling knife or your thumbnail so paint cannot creep underneath.
3. 📦 Slide a strip of cardboard or a masking shield under the bottom edge of the board to catch drips and keep paint off carpet and hard floors.
4. 🧺 Lay a dust sheet along the full length of the run, tucked tight to the skirting rather than left loose to shuffle around underfoot.
5. 🔌 Mask or remove socket faceplates and floor vents sitting close to the skirting line.

A thin, even coat worked in the direction of the grain.

1. 🖌️ Load a good quality synthetic brush about a third of the way up the bristles and tap off the excess against the kettle rather than scraping it.
2. 🎨 Cut in the top moulded edge first, then the face, then the bottom edge, always brushing along the length of the board.
3. 🧻 On long flat runs, lay the paint on with a short pile microfibre roller and immediately lay it off with a light brush stroke along the grain for a uniform texture.
4. 📏 Work in sections of roughly one metre and keep a wet edge — join into paint that is still wet, never into paint that has started to set.
5. 👀 Check the bottom edge and any internal corners for pooled paint before moving on, and brush out any runs while they are still wet.

Let the first coat dry properly before the second.

1. ⏱️ Allow a full hour between coats. Touch dry is around 30 minutes, but the film needs the extra time before it will take a second coat cleanly.
2. 👆 Test in an inconspicuous spot with the back of a finger — the surface should feel dry and cool with no tack at all.
3. 🌬️ Keep the room ventilated and reasonably warm. Cold, damp or unventilated rooms can double the recoat time.
4. 🧼 Wrap your brush and roller in cling film or a sealed bag during the wait rather than washing them out and starting again wet.
5. 🔍 Use the hour to inspect the first coat at a low angle and note any thin areas to concentrate on next time round.

The finish coat — even, unhurried and fully loaded.

1. 🌀 Re-stir the tin and decant fresh paint into a clean kettle before you begin.
2. 🖌️ Apply the second full coat exactly as the first — top edge, face, bottom edge, always along the grain.
3. 💨 Keep a wet edge and work steadily along the run without stopping halfway down a long board, which leaves a visible join.
4. 👀 Look along the board at a low angle as you go, checking for holidays, thin patches and drips while the paint is still workable.
5. 🚷 Keep pets, children and traffic out of the room until the coat is touch dry — dust and hair settle into wet trim paint immediately.

While the final coat is still wet.

1. 🛡️ Peel the tape back on itself at a shallow angle, slowly and steadily, while the second coat is still wet.
2. ↔️ Pull away from the painted edge rather than straight up, which tears the paint film and leaves a ragged line.
3. 🔪 If any paint has bridged onto the tape and started to skin, score the line lightly with a sharp blade before peeling.
4. 📦 Remove the cardboard from beneath the bottom edge before it sticks to the drying paint.
5. 🖌️ Touch up any small bleeds immediately with a fine brush while everything is still wet.

Only where the existing paint is heavy or failing.

1. 🔍 Inspect the frame closely — the leading edge and the strike plate area take the most knocks and usually carry the thickest build-up.
2. 🪵 Sand those areas back with 120 grit until the failing layers are gone and the surface is level.
3. 🕯️ Pay attention to mouldings that have been clogged by successive repaints; recovering the crisp profile makes an enormous visual difference.
4. 📏 Feather every stripped edge so there is no step between bare and painted areas.
5. ⏭️ Sound, smooth existing paintwork does not need stripping — move straight on to keying.

A fine key across frame and architrave.

1. ✨ Sand the full frame and architrave with 320 grit — both uprights, the head, the door stop and the full architrave surround.
2. 🧽 Use a sanding sponge on the moulded architrave profile so the abrasive follows the shape into the quirks and coves.
3. 🚪 Do not forget the inside faces of the frame and the rebate where the door closes — these are always visible when the door is open.
4. 👋 Work until every surface is uniformly dull with no glossy patches remaining.
5. 🔩 Sand right up to hinges and the strike plate, or unscrew them if you want a truly clean job.

Dust-free before filling.

1. 🧽 Wipe the whole frame and architrave down with a slightly damp microfibre cloth, working from the head downwards.
2. 🕳️ Pay particular attention to the mitre joints and the corners of mouldings, where sanding dust packs in and stays.
3. 💧 Keep the cloth damp rather than wet and rinse it regularly so you are lifting dust rather than smearing it.
4. 🔩 Wipe the hinges and strike plate too — dust sitting on hardware will migrate into your wet paint.
5. ⏳ Allow the frame to dry fully before filling, usually around 10 minutes.

Knocks and screw holes filled proud.

1. 🩹 Press fine surface filler into every dent, screw hole and chip with a filling knife, leaving each repair slightly proud.
2. 📐 Fill open mitre joints at the corners of the architrave — these are the first thing the eye notices on a finished frame.
3. 🕳️ Deep damage around old lock or latch positions is better filled in two thin passes than one thick plug.
4. 🚪 Fill the gaps around the strike plate and hinge recesses if the hardware has moved over time.
5. ⏳ Allow the filler to dry fully as directed before sanding.

Then wipe down again.

1. ✨ Sand each repair flush with 320 grit, keeping the abrasive flat and working along the length of the member.
2. 🧽 Use a folded sheet or sanding sponge in the mitre corners so you do not round off the crisp arris of the moulding.
3. 👋 Run your fingers over every repair — if you can feel it now, you will see it under paint.
4. 🔁 Re-fill and re-sand anything that has sunk rather than leaving a hollow.
5. 💧 Wipe away all dust with a damp microfibre cloth and let the frame dry.

Tape where the architrave meets the wall.

1. 🛡️ Run premium painter's tape along the wall side of the architrave in long continuous lengths up each leg and across the head.
2. 👆 Press the inner edge down firmly with a filling knife so the paint cannot bleed under it.
3. 📐 Butt the tape neatly at the corners rather than overlapping heavily, which creates a thick edge paint can pool against.
4. 🔩 Mask hinges, the strike plate and any door furniture you have not removed.
5. 🧺 Lay a dust sheet across the threshold on both sides of the doorway.

Brush the profiles, roll the flats.

1. 🖌️ Start at the top and work down, so any drips fall onto surfaces you have yet to paint.
2. 🎨 Cut in all mouldings, quirks and profiles with a synthetic brush, working the paint into the detail rather than flooding it.
3. 🧻 Lay off the flat faces of the frame and architrave with a short pile microfibre roller for an even, brush-mark-free texture.
4. 🚪 Do not miss the rebate and door stop — they are fully visible whenever the door is open.
5. 👀 Watch for paint building up in the corners of mouldings and brush it out before it sets into a bead.

Do not rush the recoat.

1. ⏱️ Allow a full hour before applying the second coat.
2. 👆 Check the film is dry and completely free of tack before you recoat, especially inside mouldings where paint sits thickest.
3. 🌬️ Keep the doorway ventilated but avoid strong draughts blowing dust and grit onto the wet frame.
4. 🚪 Keep the door open and out of contact with the frame throughout the wait.
5. 🖌️ Bag your brush and roller rather than washing them out between coats.

The finish coat.

1. 🌀 Re-stir the paint and decant fresh into a clean kettle.
2. 🖌️ Apply the second full coat in the same order — top down, profiles first, flat faces laid off last.
3. 💨 Keep the work moving and maintain a wet edge along each leg of the frame so there are no visible joins.
4. 👀 Inspect for thin spots at the arrises and moulding high points, which always cover last.
5. 🛡️ Peel the tape slowly at a shallow angle while the paint is still wet.

Frame first, door second.

1. 🚪 If you are also painting the door, allow the frame at least 24 hours to cure before you start on the door itself.
2. 🪵 Keep the door wedged open and clear of the frame for the whole curing period so the two surfaces cannot touch.
3. 🔒 Do not latch the door shut — freshly cured paint on a rebate will bond to the door edge and tear when opened.
4. 🧽 Give the frame a light wipe with a dry microfibre cloth before painting the door to remove any settled dust.
5. 📅 Remember the full cure is 7 days even though the surface is hard enough for careful use after 24 hours.

Where the existing finish is flaking or heavily built up.

1. 🔍 Check the sill carefully, especially the front edge and the corners against the frame where condensation collects and paint lifts first.
2. 🪵 Sand back with 120 grit until every loose or flaking layer is gone and the surface is sound and level.
3. 💧 Look for soft or blackened timber as you strip — water damage must be dealt with before painting, not covered over.
4. 📏 Feather the edges of the stripped areas so there is no step to show through the finish.
5. 🧹 Vacuum the debris from the sill and the frame runners as you go.

Roughness shows badly on a horizontal surface.

1. ✨ Sand the whole sill firmly with 320 grit in the direction of the grain until it feels completely smooth to the hand.
2. 🖐️ Horizontal surfaces catch raking daylight all day long, so every scratch and ridge shows far more than it would on skirting.
3. 📐 Sand the front nose and the underside return as well — both are highly visible from inside the room.
4. 🧽 Use a sanding sponge on any moulded nosing so the abrasive follows the profile.
5. 👋 Finish by checking the whole surface with your palm; it should feel uniformly silky with no dull patches or shine.

Dust-free and fully dry before you fill.

1. 🧽 Wipe the sill, nosing and underside down with a slightly damp microfibre cloth.
2. 🕳️ Clear dust out of the corners where the sill meets the frame using a folded corner of the cloth.
3. 🪟 Wipe the bottom of the glass and the frame rebate too, so dust does not fall back onto the sill later.
4. ♻️ Rinse the cloth frequently — sills carry more grime and dust than any other trim surface.
5. ⏳ Allow the sill to dry completely before filling; trapped moisture will stop filler bonding.

Sills take knocks and condensation damage.

1. 🩹 Press fine surface filler into every crack, dent and area of open grain, leaving each repair slightly proud.
2. 📐 Pay attention to the front edge, which takes the most knocks, and to any splits running with the grain.
3. 🕳️ Fill deeper defects in two thin passes rather than one thick application.
4. 🔩 Fill old screw holes from previous fittings or window locks if you are not reusing them.
5. ⏳ Allow the filler to dry fully — a horizontal surface holds moisture longer, so give it extra time.

Then wipe down again.

1. ✨ Sand every repair flush with 320 grit, keeping the paper flat so the sill stays perfectly level.
2. 👋 Test with your fingertips across the whole surface — horizontal surfaces betray the smallest ridge in daylight.
3. 🔁 Skim and re-sand any repair that has shrunk below the surface.
4. 📐 Re-establish the crisp front arris of the sill rather than rounding it off with the abrasive.
5. 💧 Remove all dust with a damp microfibre cloth and let it dry.

Where the sill meets the wall and window frame.

1. 🔧 Cut the caulk nozzle small at 45° so you can lay a fine, controlled bead.
2. 🩹 Run a bead along the join between the sill and the wall, and along the join between the sill and the window frame.
3. 👆 Smooth each bead immediately with a damp finger, pressing it into the joint rather than smearing it across the faces.
4. 🧽 Wipe away all excess with a damp cloth before it starts to skin.
5. ⏳ Allow the caulk to dry as directed before painting, typically 1–2 hours.

Always mask before the first coat goes on.

1. 🛡️ Apply premium painter's tape along the very edge of the glass in long, unbroken lengths.
2. 👆 Press the inner edge down firmly with a filling knife so the line is sealed and cannot bleed.
3. 📐 Leave a hairline of the putty line or rebate exposed so the paint seals onto the glass edge, which keeps water out.
4. 🧺 Mask or cover any window furniture, handles and stays you are not removing.
5. 📦 Protect the floor or radiator beneath the sill with a dust sheet.

Thin and even across the whole sill.

1. 🖌️ Apply a thin first coat with a synthetic brush, working along the length of the sill in the direction of the grain.
2. 🧻 On wide, flat sills lay the paint on with a short pile microfibre roller, then lay off lightly with the brush for an even texture.
3. 📐 Paint the front nose and the underside return as well as the top face.
4. 👀 Watch for paint pooling in the corners against the frame and brush it out immediately.
5. 💨 Work steadily from one end to the other, keeping a wet edge throughout.

Let the first coat dry.

1. ⏱️ Allow a full hour before the second coat.
2. 👆 Confirm the film is dry and free of tack before recoating — horizontal surfaces hold solvent slightly longer.
3. 🪟 Keep the window open a little for ventilation, but not so wide that the sill collects airborne dust and pollen.
4. 🚫 Do not close and latch the window against a freshly painted sill during the wait.
5. 🖌️ Wrap your brush and roller rather than washing them out mid-job.

The finish coat, then remove the tape.

1. 🌀 Re-stir the paint and decant fresh before starting.
2. 🖌️ Apply the second full coat the same way — top face, front nose and underside return.
3. 💨 Keep a wet edge and work along the sill in one pass rather than stopping and restarting in the middle.
4. 👀 Check the finish in raking daylight for thin patches before the paint sets.
5. 🛡️ Peel the masking tape from the glass slowly, at a shallow angle, while the paint is still wet.

The most touched surface in the home — and the most demanding to paint.

1. 🧺 Lay a drop cloth over the treads and any carpet, working it into the back of each tread rather than leaving it loose.
2. 📦 Line the gap between the cloth and the string board with cardboard so drips cannot run down into the carpet edge.
3. 🛡️ Tape everything down firmly — a shifting dust sheet on a staircase is a genuine trip hazard as well as a mess risk.
4. 💡 Set up good lighting. Staircases are usually the worst-lit space in the house and you cannot paint what you cannot see.
5. 🚷 Plan your access and route so you are never painting yourself into a corner or reaching across wet spindles.

Hand oils and grease sit in every profile.

1. 🧴 Dilute sugar soap according to the label, typically one part to five parts warm water.
2. 🧼 Wash the handrail first and most thoroughly — years of hand oils are concentrated there and will stop paint adhering.
3. 🧽 Work the solution into the turned profiles of the spindles with a cloth or flat scouring pad, not just over the high points.
4. 🏛️ Clean the newel posts and caps as well, including the underside of the handrail where hands wrap around it.
5. 🔄 Work in sections and keep the surface wet with solution rather than letting it dry on.

Sugar soap residue must be removed.

1. 🧽 Rinse every surface with a clean wet microfibre cloth, changing the water regularly.
2. 🔁 Go over the handrail twice — residue left there will show as patchy adhesion later.
3. 💧 Wring the cloth well so you are not soaking the timber, particularly at joints and end grain.
4. 🌬️ Allow the staircase to dry fully before sanding; sanding damp timber clogs the abrasive and raises the grain.
5. 👋 Check by hand — the surface should feel completely dry and slightly squeaky, not slick.

Only where the old finish is flaking or built up.

1. 🔍 Check the handrail and the base of each spindle first — these are where old finishes fail soonest.
2. 🪵 Sand back with 120 grit until the surface is sound and the failing layers are gone.
3. 📏 Feather the edges of every stripped area so the repair does not telegraph through the finish.
4. 🕯️ Recover clogged detail on turned spindles where thick paint has filled the beads and coves.
5. 🧹 Vacuum thoroughly — staircase dust falls through to the treads below and gets walked through the house.

A sanding sponge is essential on turned spindles.

1. 🧽 Sand the handrail, every spindle and both newel posts with 320 grit until all surfaces are uniformly dull.
2. 🌀 Use a sanding sponge on turned and profiled sections so the abrasive follows the shape into the beads and hollows.
3. 📄 Fold a piece of paper into a narrow strip for tight areas where the spindle meets the handrail and the string board.
4. 🤲 The handrail deserves the most attention — it is gripped constantly and any missed sheen there will fail first.
5. 🔍 Work spindle by spindle and check each one all the way round before moving on; it is very easy to miss the back face.

Remove every trace of sanding dust.

1. 🧽 Wipe every surface down with a slightly damp microfibre cloth, working from the top of the staircase downwards.
2. 🌀 Wrap the cloth around each spindle and draw it down the full length to catch dust sitting in the profiles.
3. 🏛️ Clean the newel caps and the underside of the handrail, both of which collect dust and are easy to forget.
4. ♻️ Rinse the cloth frequently so you lift dust rather than smear it into a grey film.
5. 🧹 Vacuum the treads and drop cloth afterwards, then allow everything to dry.

Water-based paint will not hold on a solvent-based finish.

1. 🔬 Establish what the existing finish is. Rub a hidden area with methylated spirit on a cloth — if colour lifts, it is water-based; if nothing moves, assume solvent-based varnish or lacquer.
2. 🛢️ If the finish is varnish, lacquer or oil-based paint, apply an isolating primer across every surface you intend to paint.
3. 🖌️ Brush the primer into the profiles with a small brush and lay off the handrail evenly — primer runs just as readily as topcoat.
4. ⏳ Allow the primer to dry fully as directed before any topcoat goes on.
5. ✨ Give the primer the lightest possible key with 320 grit if the label calls for it, then wipe down again.

Single colour: top down. Two colours: spindles first.

1. ⬇️ For a single colour, work handrail first, spindles second and newel posts last, so any drips fall onto surfaces still to be painted.
2. 🎨 For a two-tone staircase, paint the spindles first and let them cure fully before masking and painting the handrail.
3. 🚶 Plan your route so you finish at the bottom of the stairs and are never trapped above wet paintwork.
4. 🔢 Count your spindles and work in runs of five or six, completing each run fully before moving on.
5. 🕐 Decide when the staircase can realistically be out of use and work backwards from there.

A small brush is essential for profiles and crevices.

1. 🖌️ Use a small synthetic brush for spindle profiles and a larger one, or a short pile roller, on the flat runs of handrail.
2. 🌀 Paint each spindle all the way round in one go, following the turned profile rather than brushing straight down the length.
3. 💧 Watch for paint collecting in the coves and at the base of each spindle and brush it out before it sets into a run.
4. 🤲 Lay the handrail off in long, continuous strokes along its length for a smooth, comfortable finish under the hand.
5. 👀 Check the underside of the handrail and the back of every spindle before moving on — both are missed constantly.

Keep the staircase out of use while it dries.

1. ⏱️ Allow a full hour between coats before you start the second.
2. 🚷 Keep the staircase out of use — one hand on a tacky handrail undoes the whole job.
3. 👆 Check the film for tack in the coves of the spindles, where paint sits thickest and dries slowest.
4. 🌬️ Ventilate the hallway to help the coat dry, without creating a dusty draught.
5. 🖌️ Wrap brushes and rollers rather than washing them out mid-job.

The finish coat, in the same order as the first.

1. 🌀 Re-stir the tin and decant fresh paint before you start.
2. 🖌️ Apply the second full coat in exactly the same order as the first — handrail, spindles, newel posts.
3. 🔍 Check underneath the handrail and between the spindles for missed areas from the first coat and cover them properly now.
4. 💨 Keep a wet edge along the handrail and finish each run without stopping halfway.
5. 👀 Do a final walk down the stairs looking up at the underside of everything before the paint sets.

Two-tone staircases only.

1. ⏳ Wait until the spindles are fully dry and hard — at least 24 hours — before taping anything to them.
2. 🛡️ Mask carefully at the top of each spindle where it meets the handrail, pressing the tape edge down firmly all the way round.
3. 📐 Take your time on the mask. On a two-tone staircase the tape line is the detail everyone looks at.
4. 🖌️ Paint the handrail and newel posts in your second colour, working top to bottom in two thin coats an hour apart.
5. 🛡️ Peel the tape back at a shallow angle while the final coat is still wet, then touch up any bleed with a fine brush.

Low angle, natural light, every surface.

1. 🔍 Once both coats are dry, look along each surface at a low angle in good natural daylight rather than under artificial light.
2. 💡 Use a torch held almost parallel to the surface to reveal thin spots, missed areas and nibs of dust in the film.
3. 📐 Check the areas that are always missed: the underside of handrails and sills, the backs of spindles, the frame rebate and skirting returns.
4. 💧 Look for drips and runs at bottom edges and in moulding profiles, which set into hard beads if left.
5. 📝 Note everything that needs attention before you start touching up, so you only go round once.

Small brush, well-stirred tin.

1. 🌀 Stir the tin thoroughly before touching up. Unstirred paint dries a different sheen and every touch-up will show.
2. 🖌️ Use a small synthetic brush and feather each touch-up out into the surrounding paint rather than dabbing a hard-edged patch.
3. ✨ Cut hardened nibs or runs back with 320 grit first, wipe the dust away, then touch up over the levelled area.
4. 📏 Where a whole face is patchy, it is better to recoat the full length than to spot in several repairs.
5. 👀 Check the touch-ups again once dry, in the same raking light you used for the inspection.

The paint is dry but not yet hard.

1. ⏳ Leave all painted woodwork untouched for at least 24 hours before any light use.
2. 🚪 Keep doors wedged open and unlatched so freshly painted frames and door edges cannot bond together.
3. 🤲 Avoid gripping handrails and leaning on newel posts during this period; the film marks very easily.
4. 🪴 Keep objects off sills and away from skirting — anything resting on soft paint will leave a permanent impression.
5. 🌬️ Keep the rooms ventilated and reasonably warm to help the film harden evenly.

Before washing or heavy daily wear.

1. 📅 Allow the full 7 day cure before washing woodwork or subjecting it to everyday wear and tear.
2. 💪 The paint reaches its final hardness and washability at the end of the cure, not when it feels dry to the touch.
3. 🧽 After 7 days, clean with a soft cloth and warm soapy water only — never abrasive creams or scouring pads.
4. 🧴 Avoid solvent cleaners and bleach on painted woodwork, which will dull the sheen permanently.
5. 🔧 Refit any hardware, door furniture or window locks you removed once the cure period is complete.