Making a good job of decorating
Discussion
Afraid I may be about to bombard the DIY section with a few questions.
My fiance and I are in the throws of giving our place a make over. Having been a bit lazy with our approach to decorating in the past (paint on top of paint and never doing much prep work) we're determined to do things properly this time around. Right now we're stripping all of the wallpaper and sanding back all of the wood work. Plasterer is due to come and skim the walls in a week or so.
So that stuff is all relatively simple but when we come to painting the walls/ceiling and gloss work I'd like to get things right so I have a few questions:
1) Do I need to prep a freshly skimmed wall before painting it? If so, what with, PVA mix? Should I leave some time for skim to dry before I do anything?
2) Do I need to prime the walls with anything? Or more to the point would I get a better finish if I did?
3) There are seemingly a lot of different paint manufacturers with a wide range of prices. I've always used cheapo B&Q stuff in the past but would there be some benefit in going for a premium brand? If so, any recommendations?
4) Brushes and rollers. Again, I've gone for the more or less disposable stuff in the past but would like to invest in some good gear if it'll give better results. Any recommendations? There seems to be an endless choice of roller mediums.
5) Any recommendations for gloss paint? My fiance gets quite nauseous around the solvent based stuff until it dries but if that is the stuff to go for, she'll just have to suffer for a day or two. Again brush recommendations and surface prep ideas would be useful.
6) Best way to paint a radiator? It's off the wall. I was wondering about spray paints.
Any help hugely appreciated.
My fiance and I are in the throws of giving our place a make over. Having been a bit lazy with our approach to decorating in the past (paint on top of paint and never doing much prep work) we're determined to do things properly this time around. Right now we're stripping all of the wallpaper and sanding back all of the wood work. Plasterer is due to come and skim the walls in a week or so.
So that stuff is all relatively simple but when we come to painting the walls/ceiling and gloss work I'd like to get things right so I have a few questions:
1) Do I need to prep a freshly skimmed wall before painting it? If so, what with, PVA mix? Should I leave some time for skim to dry before I do anything?
2) Do I need to prime the walls with anything? Or more to the point would I get a better finish if I did?
3) There are seemingly a lot of different paint manufacturers with a wide range of prices. I've always used cheapo B&Q stuff in the past but would there be some benefit in going for a premium brand? If so, any recommendations?
4) Brushes and rollers. Again, I've gone for the more or less disposable stuff in the past but would like to invest in some good gear if it'll give better results. Any recommendations? There seems to be an endless choice of roller mediums.
5) Any recommendations for gloss paint? My fiance gets quite nauseous around the solvent based stuff until it dries but if that is the stuff to go for, she'll just have to suffer for a day or two. Again brush recommendations and surface prep ideas would be useful.
6) Best way to paint a radiator? It's off the wall. I was wondering about spray paints.
Any help hugely appreciated.
Read the "Paint rollers for thickies" thread a bit further down the forum page for painting new plaster.
As for paint, find a local paint shop instead of a superstore.They'll most likely do Leyland which is decent stuff and about half the price of Dulux. They can also mix colours from other manufacturers colour charts in Leyland paint.
As for paint, find a local paint shop instead of a superstore.They'll most likely do Leyland which is decent stuff and about half the price of Dulux. They can also mix colours from other manufacturers colour charts in Leyland paint.
mgtony said:
Read the "Paint rollers for thickies" thread a bit further down the forum page for painting new plaster.
As for paint, find a local paint shop instead of a superstore.They'll most likely do Leyland which is decent stuff and about half the price of Dulux. They can also mix colours from other manufacturers colour charts in Leyland paint.
Thanks for the tip Tony. Will try a few of the local places. Have read the other thread now too. Useful stuff.As for paint, find a local paint shop instead of a superstore.They'll most likely do Leyland which is decent stuff and about half the price of Dulux. They can also mix colours from other manufacturers colour charts in Leyland paint.
My old man is a Painter & Decorator, i've helped him off and on for almost 20 years so hopefully I can convey some of his time earn't experiences.
Gad-Westy said:
1) Do I need to prep a freshly skimmed wall before painting it? If so, what with, PVA mix? Should I leave some time for skim to dry before I do anything?
Yes, lightly rub it down and paint over it with PVA, don't buy the expensive PVA though, just get builders PVA and thin it with water, it does the same job. If you're lining the walls though you won't need to PVA them.Gad-Westy said:
2) Do I need to prime the walls with anything? Or more to the point would I get a better finish if I did?
You can just paint directly onto them, or line them first with ideally 1000 grade lining paper, it gives a nicer finish and can help even out any dodgy surfaces if the plasterer hasn't done a brilliant job.Gad-Westy said:
3) There are seemingly a lot of different paint manufacturers with a wide range of prices. I've always used cheapo B&Q stuff in the past but would there be some benefit in going for a premium brand? If so, any recommendations?
Dulux is very good in my experience, covers well and is very robust. Don't go for gimmicks like one-coat or fancy applicators, just buy a good quality brush and rollers. with emulsion and eggshell make sure you wash them out straight after using them though. If glossing buy a brush tin and some meths to keep the brushes in and they'll last you years.Gad-Westy said:
4) Brushes and rollers. Again, I've gone for the more or less disposable stuff in the past but would like to invest in some good gear if it'll give better results. Any recommendations? There seems to be an endless choice of roller mediums.
Crap tools give a crap finish. Good quality brushes last a long time and give a good finish, although they won't paint at their best until they've been broken in a little. Cheap brushes and rollers tend to leave hairs or foam on the surfaces you're painting onto after a while as they fall to pieces. Buy the best you can afford once and if looked after this stuff should last you a long time.Gad-Westy said:
5) Any recommendations for gloss paint? My fiance gets quite nauseous around the solvent based stuff until it dries but if that is the stuff to go for, she'll just have to suffer for a day or two. Again brush recommendations and surface prep ideas would be useful.
Again, Dulux is good, the old man swears by it and uses it on all of his jobs, I can't comment on the smell as I don't notice it anymore. Prep is key, rub the woodwork down, fill any holes and caulk up any cracks and then rub it down again. The better the prep work the better the end result, you don't need bare wood just a key for the new paint.Gad-Westy said:
6) Best way to paint a radiator? It's off the wall. I was wondering about spray paints.
If you're good with a rattle can go for it, but consider your paint choice, a thick gloss paint won't spray very well i'm assuming so you may not get the level or coating or finish you're after unless using a brush.WildCards said:
My old man is a Painter & Decorator, i've helped him off and on for almost 20 years so hopefully I can convey some of his time earn't experiences.
hmmmmmm, I posted something similar about this on here as well as did some research in relation to painting freshly skimmed walls. Gad-Westy said:
1) Do I need to prep a freshly skimmed wall before painting it? If so, what with, PVA mix? Should I leave some time for skim to dry before I do anything?
Yes, lightly rub it down and paint over it with PVA, don't buy the expensive PVA though, just get builders PVA and thin it with water, it does the same job. If you're lining the walls though you won't need to PVA them.The consensus stated that PVA should not be used as it will created a surface where paint is unable to adhere to the surface.
The suggestion was to use a 50/50 matt emulsion / water mix and a second coat of emulsion. Then the top coat of the colour of your choice.
I took the advice above and it appears to be satisfactory.
We've just done our whole house with Dulux - great coverage, dense and consistent colours.
Mist coat first (white matt, thinned with 30%-50% water), then top coat. Get a decent natural bristle brush for edging, and a good roller.
You could consider using lining paper, but to be frank unless you're an experienced decorator, you're as likely to make a mess putting up the lining paper as painting directly onto a decent skim coat. At least with bare plaster you can do a little sanding and patching once the mist coat shows up the imperfections.
Mist coat first (white matt, thinned with 30%-50% water), then top coat. Get a decent natural bristle brush for edging, and a good roller.
You could consider using lining paper, but to be frank unless you're an experienced decorator, you're as likely to make a mess putting up the lining paper as painting directly onto a decent skim coat. At least with bare plaster you can do a little sanding and patching once the mist coat shows up the imperfections.
Rags said:
The consensus stated that PVA should not be used as it will created a surface where paint is unable to adhere to the surface.
The suggestion was to use a 50/50 matt emulsion / water mix and a second coat of emulsion. Then the top coat of the colour of your choice.
I took the advice above and it appears to be satisfactory.
Never had PVA create a surface where the paint is unable to adhere to it, quite the opposite infact as PVA is good for sizing the wall and creating a better surface for the finish products. Not that the 50/50 mix method isn't sufficient, just my dad believes PVA gives better, longer lasting results.The suggestion was to use a 50/50 matt emulsion / water mix and a second coat of emulsion. Then the top coat of the colour of your choice.
I took the advice above and it appears to be satisfactory.
DO NOT PVA bare plaster prior to painting.
For wallpapering by all means size the walls but I'd use paste for that.
Bare plaster, mist coat first 50/50 emulsion/water - cheap and cheerful matt paint - you want it to soak in a bit and get a key, not sit on top like a vinyl. Follow this by 2 coats of undiluted emulsion of your choice. I don't like silk but it's a personal thing. Matt will hide a multitude of sins on less than perfect walls.
Vinyl matt or silk will be more wipedownable. Dulux IS cracking paint, loads of pigment. I've done drastic colour changes with Dulux trade (think light pink to dark chocolate) and been so close to getting away with one coat it's untrue. I'd always give two but you get the idea.
I favour a rollered finish personally. Cut in your corners with a quality brush and then roller over whilst still wet to keep the surface finish consistent.
Oh, and lining paper? If you're even considering it after getting a spread in. You picked the wrong spread.
For wallpapering by all means size the walls but I'd use paste for that.
Bare plaster, mist coat first 50/50 emulsion/water - cheap and cheerful matt paint - you want it to soak in a bit and get a key, not sit on top like a vinyl. Follow this by 2 coats of undiluted emulsion of your choice. I don't like silk but it's a personal thing. Matt will hide a multitude of sins on less than perfect walls.
Vinyl matt or silk will be more wipedownable. Dulux IS cracking paint, loads of pigment. I've done drastic colour changes with Dulux trade (think light pink to dark chocolate) and been so close to getting away with one coat it's untrue. I'd always give two but you get the idea.
I favour a rollered finish personally. Cut in your corners with a quality brush and then roller over whilst still wet to keep the surface finish consistent.
Oh, and lining paper? If you're even considering it after getting a spread in. You picked the wrong spread.
Edited by B17NNS on Wednesday 22 September 22:40
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