Help preparing wood for painting

[curium]

Hi

The handrail and skirting alongside my staircase was stained (or varnished, I really don't know) but we want it painted.

I am planning to finish it using Dulux Trade Diamond Satinwood.

To prepare the surfaces I've started sanding off the existing finish to get back to the wood.

The handrail seems like normal wood but the skirting has a slightly furry feel after sanding which I suspect is MDF (I have no expertise which is why I am here).

Can I prepare both surfaces using Dulux Trade Quick-Drying Wood Primer Undercoat or should I purchase an MDF primer/undercoat?

I am trying to steer clear of solvent based paint as I have a baby in the house and know the solvent smell lingers for sometime.

Cheers for any advice!

 

[Deluks]

Mdf is only smooth on the surface, once you sand back a bit you will get the fuzziness you describe. Would probably have been easier to just buy new per-primed skirting and paint before fixing, but as you have already started then the dulux primer will be ok. Might need a second layer of topcoat though, after a very light sand.

 

[curium]

Mdf is only smooth on the surface, once you sand back a bit you will get the fuzziness you describe. Would probably have been easier to just buy new per-primed skirting and paint before fixing, but as you have already started then the dulux primer will be ok. Might need a second layer of topcoat though, after a very light sand.

Cheers!

I would of preferred to fit new skirting but it's along the staircase and it looks as if the skirting was fitted before the stairs. I guess it could just be a very snug fit but either way I'd need a joiner if I wanted to replace whereas I can sand and paint myself.

I am removing the quadrant on top though but now need to find somewhere that sells lengths of quadrant in at least 300cm lengths - B&Q only had 90cm sections.