Painting a room - for dummies
Discussion
I'm going to repaint the kitchen and hallway this weekend and need to know how to do it - how does one get those nice neat lines on the ceiling wall interface? And do you paint the ceiling first or the walls?
Also, have a hole (circular about 10cm diameter) in plaster board (as thin as paper and damages far too easily) errr how does one go and fix that? Its not a load bearing wall - just a crappy internal one.
Do you have to prepare the walls?
There are so many crack in the plaster I might tackle that at the same time. Any tips?
Thanks
Also, have a hole (circular about 10cm diameter) in plaster board (as thin as paper and damages far too easily) errr how does one go and fix that? Its not a load bearing wall - just a crappy internal one.
Do you have to prepare the walls?
There are so many crack in the plaster I might tackle that at the same time. Any tips?
Thanks
I've just been decorating over the Christmas period, well, still am.
Do the ceiling, then walls, and finally woodwork. Yes, you need to prepare the walls and wood. I used polyfilla to fill up any holes and then sand down. I also got a sanding block and went over the whole wall before finally using sugar soap to clean it up - this will be useful in the kitchen to get rid of any grease from cooking.
To mend your hole, you'll might be able to find something online to show you how, this book is very good, lots of pictures!
I'm starting on my woodwork tonight!
Do the ceiling, then walls, and finally woodwork. Yes, you need to prepare the walls and wood. I used polyfilla to fill up any holes and then sand down. I also got a sanding block and went over the whole wall before finally using sugar soap to clean it up - this will be useful in the kitchen to get rid of any grease from cooking.
To mend your hole, you'll might be able to find something online to show you how, this book is very good, lots of pictures!
I'm starting on my woodwork tonight!
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Being serious, to repair such a hole, you need some thin cardboard, a bit of thread and a tub of polyfilla.
Fold the card in to a sort of umbrella assembly with the string through the middle. Push the point through the wall and then pull back with the thread so it expands inside the wall. This will let you pack up the hole with plaster and after it initially dries, you can cut the tread and fill the last of the recess with a touch more plaster. Not that I ever did this when the occasional play fight in a student house ended up with someone's elbow/knee/head through a wall...
Plenty of kits available to fix holes in plasterboard. Usually of the stainless mesh held behind the wall type. Might be worth scouting the charity shops for DIY books, there's usually loads of them and I've found the older books more practical than the new stuff.
As for painting, if you want the best result you next to have the best finish possible at each stage - ie your prep and undercoats need to be as good as possible before moving to the next stage - don't expect a quick lick of paint to cover up a load of sins.
I'd do the ceilings first, and in all cases do the "cutting in" first (painting round the edges with a brush), then roller to fill. Expect to have to do a few coats. Then the walls, again cutting in first, then do the gloss work (skirtings, window sills etc.). There's no real short cuts to a good job. The single coat ("Once") paints are a waste of time IMO, as are the paint filled rollers etc...
As for painting, if you want the best result you next to have the best finish possible at each stage - ie your prep and undercoats need to be as good as possible before moving to the next stage - don't expect a quick lick of paint to cover up a load of sins.
I'd do the ceilings first, and in all cases do the "cutting in" first (painting round the edges with a brush), then roller to fill. Expect to have to do a few coats. Then the walls, again cutting in first, then do the gloss work (skirtings, window sills etc.). There's no real short cuts to a good job. The single coat ("Once") paints are a waste of time IMO, as are the paint filled rollers etc...
Planet Claire said:
I've just been decorating over the Christmas period, well, still am.
Do the ceiling, then walls, and finally woodwork. Yes, you need to prepare the walls and wood. I used polyfilla to fill up any holes and then sand down. I also got a sanding block and went over the whole wall before finally using sugar soap to clean it up - this will be useful in the kitchen to get rid of any grease from cooking.
To mend your hole, you'll might be able to find something online to show you how, this book is very good, lots of pictures!
I'm starting on my woodwork tonight!
I usually do the glossing first because beibng a bit heavy handed you can easily wipe emulsion off new gloss, but not so east vice versa.Do the ceiling, then walls, and finally woodwork. Yes, you need to prepare the walls and wood. I used polyfilla to fill up any holes and then sand down. I also got a sanding block and went over the whole wall before finally using sugar soap to clean it up - this will be useful in the kitchen to get rid of any grease from cooking.
To mend your hole, you'll might be able to find something online to show you how, this book is very good, lots of pictures!
I'm starting on my woodwork tonight!
I used to do the glossing, then the walls to within about 10mm of the ceiling then do the edge with a small paintbrush to get a neat line.
Thanks chaps.
I'm going to nip into the charity shop near by tomorrow and see what DIY books they have in.
The flat has been shockingly finished and I can't take it anymore. There is gloss on the ceiling (just one patch) and the gloss work on the door frames looks like its been poured on its so thick. Can I sand it down and start again?
Have just found more examples of fantastic finishing - one light in the kitchen hasn't ever been "plumbed" in, but been hidden by a pot plant (wondered why that came with the house..)
I've heard of a putty type thing that you can put around the edges of the walls so the cutting in looks better - is this cheating? And how does one cut in well?
Thanks
I'm going to nip into the charity shop near by tomorrow and see what DIY books they have in.
The flat has been shockingly finished and I can't take it anymore. There is gloss on the ceiling (just one patch) and the gloss work on the door frames looks like its been poured on its so thick. Can I sand it down and start again?
Have just found more examples of fantastic finishing - one light in the kitchen hasn't ever been "plumbed" in, but been hidden by a pot plant (wondered why that came with the house..)
I've heard of a putty type thing that you can put around the edges of the walls so the cutting in looks better - is this cheating? And how does one cut in well?
Thanks
Paint the celling first
If the hole is small enough just fill it with polfilla.
Cut in around the skirting using a small brush and a steady hand. When you are painting the bottom of the skirting just put masking tape along the floor (it wont mark it)to catch any drips and never overload your brush with paint wipe it off on the tin or paint tray.
Get an electrician to plumb the switch back in if dont know what your doing with electrics it wont cost that much.
If the hole is small enough just fill it with polfilla.
Cut in around the skirting using a small brush and a steady hand. When you are painting the bottom of the skirting just put masking tape along the floor (it wont mark it)to catch any drips and never overload your brush with paint wipe it off on the tin or paint tray.
Get an electrician to plumb the switch back in if dont know what your doing with electrics it wont cost that much.
Ceiling first always (paint doesn't drip up).
Use matt emulsion, not only does it look nice (don't like silk personally) but it will hide a multitude of sins in less than perfect plaster.
Next onto the walls, matt emulsion again. If the walls have been painted previously (not wallpapered) they should not need lots of prep. Fill any cracks with Pollyfilla (use the stuff you mix yourself). Let it dry and sand flat with a fine paper on a sanding block.
For your 'hole', cut out the offending section of plasterboard into a nice square hole. Cut a piece of timber 1/2" x 1" or whatever you have knocking about about 2 or 3 inches longer than the hole. Now put the wood inside the hole and screw through the plasterboard into it. For a small hole one lathe will do, bigger holes might need a couple. Now cut a piece of plasterboard the same size as your hole and screw to the lath. Wet the edges of the board and cover in pollyfilla so its slightly proud. Allow to dry and sand.
Any small cracks around architrave and skirting should be filled with decorators caulk - this is slightly flexible and should prevent future cracking.
Cutting in is something you will just have to practice. Don't be tempted to use a small brush. Think about 4". Don't go slow, nice smooth strokes is what you want. If you can't get it to a standard you are happy with, there is always masking tape.
Good luck.
Use matt emulsion, not only does it look nice (don't like silk personally) but it will hide a multitude of sins in less than perfect plaster.
Next onto the walls, matt emulsion again. If the walls have been painted previously (not wallpapered) they should not need lots of prep. Fill any cracks with Pollyfilla (use the stuff you mix yourself). Let it dry and sand flat with a fine paper on a sanding block.
For your 'hole', cut out the offending section of plasterboard into a nice square hole. Cut a piece of timber 1/2" x 1" or whatever you have knocking about about 2 or 3 inches longer than the hole. Now put the wood inside the hole and screw through the plasterboard into it. For a small hole one lathe will do, bigger holes might need a couple. Now cut a piece of plasterboard the same size as your hole and screw to the lath. Wet the edges of the board and cover in pollyfilla so its slightly proud. Allow to dry and sand.
Any small cracks around architrave and skirting should be filled with decorators caulk - this is slightly flexible and should prevent future cracking.
Cutting in is something you will just have to practice. Don't be tempted to use a small brush. Think about 4". Don't go slow, nice smooth strokes is what you want. If you can't get it to a standard you are happy with, there is always masking tape.
Good luck.
Brown and Boris said:
Planet Claire said:
I've just been decorating over the Christmas period, well, still am.
Do the ceiling, then walls, and finally woodwork. Yes, you need to prepare the walls and wood. I used polyfilla to fill up any holes and then sand down. I also got a sanding block and went over the whole wall before finally using sugar soap to clean it up - this will be useful in the kitchen to get rid of any grease from cooking.
To mend your hole, you'll might be able to find something online to show you how, this book is very good, lots of pictures!
I'm starting on my woodwork tonight!
I usually do the glossing first because beibng a bit heavy handed you can easily wipe emulsion off new gloss, but not so east vice versa.Do the ceiling, then walls, and finally woodwork. Yes, you need to prepare the walls and wood. I used polyfilla to fill up any holes and then sand down. I also got a sanding block and went over the whole wall before finally using sugar soap to clean it up - this will be useful in the kitchen to get rid of any grease from cooking.
To mend your hole, you'll might be able to find something online to show you how, this book is very good, lots of pictures!
I'm starting on my woodwork tonight!
I used to do the glossing, then the walls to within about 10mm of the ceiling then do the edge with a small paintbrush to get a neat line.
for exactly that reason tooGot the Dulux "Paint Pod" last year, the only really good clean way to paint ceilings and walls, only down side, you have to use the paint they supply for it, can be a tad pricey if the room is smallish.
On the plus side, absolutely no mess, it even cleans the roller it self when it has finished.
On the plus side, absolutely no mess, it even cleans the roller it self when it has finished.
don't paint around wall switches and sockets. Remove the two screws and pull slightly out so that you can paint right up to the cavity. Screw back when dry. A few years ago I had some newly platered walls. Electrician istalled the switches/sockets. Painter then came and painted/filled around all of these. I said to him "hang on, why don't you just undscrew the fittings and paint behind them?", he replied "that's the way we always do it and anyway, I would need the electrician to do that anyway". I replied but waht if I want to change the fittings for some nice brass ones or whatever?", he replied "why would you want to do that?".
Anyway, a year later I did replace all of the ugly "default" white fitments. Sure enough when I removed each one, plaster and paint came away from the wall.
I will never use a British builder/decorator again as long as I live. They haven't got a clue. I ended up gutting a complete shower room myself and installing the new one - electrics, plumbing (behind tiles), tiling (including lots or mosaics), flooring, coving, shower fitments/cubicle, toilet, sink unit. None of it was very difficult and needed no particular "expert" skills. I had quotes of £3000 just to fit
. I did it in 10 days myself, so next time round I'm confident in doing it in 7 days. At £3000, that's £450 a day - no real skills required.
I learnt my lesson - do it all yourself
Anyway, a year later I did replace all of the ugly "default" white fitments. Sure enough when I removed each one, plaster and paint came away from the wall.
I will never use a British builder/decorator again as long as I live. They haven't got a clue. I ended up gutting a complete shower room myself and installing the new one - electrics, plumbing (behind tiles), tiling (including lots or mosaics), flooring, coving, shower fitments/cubicle, toilet, sink unit. None of it was very difficult and needed no particular "expert" skills. I had quotes of £3000 just to fit
. I did it in 10 days myself, so next time round I'm confident in doing it in 7 days. At £3000, that's £450 a day - no real skills required.I learnt my lesson - do it all yourself
Edited by Silver993tt on Wednesday 31st December 12:28
Edited by Silver993tt on Wednesday 31st December 12:28
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff