Pre-painted MDF skirting – i think it needs a proper coat of paint – do you think it will need sanding, priming and then glossing or could I just paint straight onto it with with some of that one-coat gloss stuff?

yup, probably if you want to do a proper job,
but you could just rough it up with sand paper and one coat aswell,
that's what i'd do to be honest 😀

Just paint the bits your going to see.. then get out and ride for the amount of time you just saved yourself… 😉

The one coat stuff is rubbish especially on MDF, the joints and cuts will soak up the paint. You get out what you put in, depends on how fussy you are and if you mind sitting looking at a bodge!

I'm sure that when I was at school (ha ha, years ago) we used to use MDF & there was a sealant that you painted on before sanding. It stiffened all the 'fibre' bits and meant you could sand it really smooth.

Sorry, but can't remember what it was called.

PVA

Ta for the replies folks.

It is in the corner of the kitchen, some of it will be behind the fridge and there is a table in that corner of the room – so its not like it will be blatantly obvious.

erm…it's pre-painted, therefore there's paint on it so it does not need sealed.

My decorator told me any decent paint will not need any preparation if the surface is sound and clean. His work is very good.

Just paint it with some decent paint.