Neither acrylic nor latex primers will bond with stained wood; therefore, you must use shellac primer. Once the baseboard has been primed, you can paint it with regular latex paint without worrying about flaking.
Things You Will Need
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Push a small pry bar between the baseboard and the wall, about 4 inches from one end of the baseboard. Hit the pry bar with a hammer to drive it down as far as it will go.
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Pull the pry bar forward to loosen the baseboard. Remove the pry bar and reinsert it about 6 to 8 inches from where you initially inserted it. Hit the pry bar with a hammer to drive it down, then pull it forward. Move another 6 to 8 inches down. Repeat all the way down the baseboard until it is free from the wall.
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Take the baseboard outside and set it face up across two sawhorses. Sand the baseboard with 220-grit sandpaper to remove as much of the stain as possible. Always sand in the same direction as the wood grain. Wipe the dust off the baseboard with a tack cloth.
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Dip a natural-bristled paintbrush into some shellac primer. Apply the primer to the baseboard in a back-and-forth motion. Allow the primer to dry for 30 to 45 minutes.
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Apply a paint color of your choosing over the shellac primer using a paintbrush. Use the same back-and-forth motion that you used with the primer. Wait for the first coat to dry for 30 to 45 minutes, then apply a second coat.
The Drip Cap
- Baseboards are made of wood, which many homeowners stain to maintain the natural wood appearance.
- Pull the pry bar forward to loosen the baseboard.
- Take the baseboard outside and set it face up across two sawhorses.
- Allow the primer to dry for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Apply a paint color of your choosing over the shellac primer using a paintbrush.