Paint
The challenge of painting baseboards is the difficult location and the potential for getting paint on the walls, carpets or wood floors. However, with a little planning, the job can go smoothly.
Mask Off the Wall
Use regular masking tape to block off the wall area along the baseboard, protecting your walls from streaks. Use a good-quality angle sash paintbrush so you'll get fewer streaks and have better control. See Resources for information about brushes.
Cleanup
Because baseboards are along the floor, it's necessary to vacuum and dust the area well before you begin painting. If you have drop cloths, move them far away from your project so they don't bump onto the wet paint.
Blue Painter's Tape
Use blue painter's tape to mask off the floor area. Push it slightly beneath the floorboard to avoid having a piece of it stick to the section you want painted. Apply a coat of primer before painting. See Section 5 for more floor protection techniques.
Putty
Have a can of putty and a putty knife nearby, in case you come across dents, pock marks or gashes in the baseboard as you go along. Often these marks aren't visible until you've run your paintbrush over them, so keep a damp washcloth close by. You can quickly dab up the paint or primer, apply the putty and continue painting.
Extra Protection
If the tape isn't keeping the floor or carpet paint-free, use a wide putty knife or scraper and push it under the baseboard as you go along. Any paint will land on the scraper, and you should keep a wet cloth nearby to wipe it off the scraper as you go along.
Follow Up
Paint may still find its way below the baseboard, so use another putty knife (a thin one) wrapped with a thin, damp cloth; run it under the board before the paint dries.
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