How to Paint with Gloss and Get a Smooth Finish

When it comes to understanding how to paint with gloss, it’s important to know where to use gloss paint before undertaking your project. As gloss is an oil-based paint that does not apply as smoothly as water-based emulsion, it’s essential to understand the many nuances of applying this paint as when dry it forms a very hard layer. Oil-based paint is perfectly suited to narrow areas of trim including skirting boards, wooden window sills, furniture, doors and door frames.

As with any successful DIY project, we always recommend you start by fully preparing the room. Remove any furniture to prevent obstructions, injury or damage to the furniture itself and lay down a Seriously Good Double Protection Dust Sheet. To secure your protection in place, apply some Essentials Masking Tape. Use some Seriously Good UV Masking Tape to protect any areas around the trim you will be working on.

In this vital second step, you will need to ensure that the surface of the wood is smooth, with a matt finish rather than a gloss finish. Depending on the thickness of the paint you can either use some Ultimate Aluminium Oxide Fine Paper and a Seriously Good Cork Block to gently sand away the top layer of gloss. Alternatively, you can use a paint stripping solution, and dab this onto the old paint to successfully remove the gloss. Next, it’s time to use an Ultimate Paint Removing Tool, Ultimate Shave Hook or for the best possible effect; a combination of the two, and remove the paint entirely. You may need to spend additional time using wood filler and caulking to fill any holes or cracks and avoid time-consuming, costly work at a later date.

To give the surface of the wood an even finish and get into the contours of areas with wooden trim, take a Seriously Good Coarse Sanding Block and begin to gently sand the wood.

To achieve a perfectly smooth finish with gloss paints the first time, follow one simple rule; avoid painting directly onto the wood. First, use a quality primer that will block any stains from penetrating the wood. Shake your unopened tin well, open and stir the contents again if necessary to remove any lumps and ensure the paint is consistent and smooth. Pour your primer into a Large Handyhold or paint tray and paint onto the wooden surface following the direction of the grain.

A range of brushes may be required for your project when it comes to achieving a smooth gloss finish. For large flat surfaces, it’s best to opt for the Ultimate Gloss 4 inch Roller Set.  This miraculous set will give you an enviable, even finish in minimal time. For more intricate, detail areas, reach for the Ultimate Gloss Angled Brush or the Ultimate Gloss Paint Brush 1“. For areas of very high detail, you’ll need to select the Ultimate Gloss Precision Paint Brush 15mm to achieve incredibly precise strokes and an immaculate finish.

Once the priming phase is complete, clean the brushes immediately by adding some white spirit into a sealable container such as a mason jar and working the brush bristles into the solution until the paint is removed. Wipe the paint away effortlessly with a Seriously Good Paper Towel. Repeat the cleaning as many times as necessary until your professional brushes are beautifully clean. Although roller sleeves are typically difficult to clean, you can head to our How to Clean Paint Rollers guide to master this step in minutes! Alternatively, you can remove and replace the roller sleeve for this next step to save on time.

To get a desirable smooth finish when understanding how to paint a wall with gloss, wait patiently until the primer is fully dry, then lightly sand the surface to perfection with the Ultimate Aluminium Oxide Fine Paper. This Harris-approved tip will remove any pesky brush marks and give you a stunning matt surface to work with. Be sure to clean as you go and wipe the dust away with a Seriously Good Microfibre Cloth! Now, it’s finally time to add the top coat using the same expert tools previously used for the priming coat.

Here we reveal the secret to getting a smooth gloss finish and creating a home you’re proud to call your own. Use an Ultimate Gloss Paint Brush 2” for the flawless coverage of large areas, or an Ultimate Gloss Precision Paint Brush 15mm to perfect those detail areas. Load the brush with your gloss paint and wipe away any excess, then begin painting very gently and lightly in long strokes to achieve one final coat with the gloss and avoid brush marks. Whilst this step requires some practice, alongside the preparation work, it is guaranteed to give you an incredible gloss coat and professional finish when mastered.

Head to our How To section for more useful tips and tricks to creating a photo-ready home.