Painting

Painting is more than just splashing some colour onto a wall. Care is needed in applying the paint, and quality materials should be purchased. It is wise to do some background reading into the materials you will be painting, as different materials will give a different finish, and may need specific techniques in order to get the best finish. It is best to spend as much of your budget as possible on quality paints and brushes, as this really will make a difference.

Colours

If you visit almost any DIY store, you will find an extensive list of colours, with charts showing every single shade and colour combination you can create. This is usually done by mixing certain main colours, as It would be impractical to stock every possible colour. Most DIY stores have a mixing machine which can do this for you. Many will also be able to provide you with a small sample pot, which you should use to test the paint in a discreet location (such as behind furniture) to see if the paint looks good in the room. Obviously, this can’t tell you if the paint scheme will suit the room, however it allows you to see how the paint will blend with the furniture and its surroundings.

When painting a room more than one colour, it is worth bearing in mind that certain colour combinations compliment each other. These colour harmonies are featured in the Audsley List of Colour Harmonies, though most of the harmonies are fairly easy to see, such as violet with orange, blue with brown, red with yellow and crimson with gold.

However, a lot of what your room will looks like depends on personal choice and what you want the rooms to look like, and what colours you think go together.

Exterior Painting

Painting the exterior of a building is much more ‘heavy duty’ than the interior. There are several important factors to consider when painting the exterior:

It may be possible to use a paint sprayer to paint the walls, making the job faster and safer. Again, certain precautions need to be taken. When using a paint sprayer, it is better to work from bottom to top. It is also advisable not to use the sprayer in windy conditions, as the paint may drift onto surrounding buildings and objects, though in any conditions it is still wise to move cars from the vicinity and to cover any unmovable objects in dust sheets. Extensions for the sprayer will be available to spray into hard to reach locations. A shield should also be provided to prevent paint from the sprayer missing the walls. The shield should be held close to the wall, to prevent paint escaping beneath the shield.

Painting Doors

Before starting work, doors should be wedged open at 45 degrees to allow easy access to both sides of the door, as well as access to all four vertical planes. Also, remove all handles and fittings if possible (except the hinges). Once any fittings are removed, blow away any dust in the gaps, as this can mix in with the paint.

For a flat-panel door, paint the top first, working in block sections, moving across first and then down. When each section is painted, lightly brush upwards to remove any excess paint and to prevent runs. A 3" brush is ideal for painting the door, with a 1” brush for painting around the door handles and fittings requiring careful outlining.

Painting a panelled door is much the same, however it is wise to paint the panels before the main body of the door, checking for runs and using a smaller brush to cover any detail in the door.

Painting a Door Frame

There are three parts to a door frame; the door lining (to which the hinges are affixed), the door stops (which are attached to the frame, allowing the door to close against them) and the architrave, which is fitted around the lining, and is usually flush to the wall.

When painting a door frame, it should first be rubbed down using abrasives such as sandpaper, to give a smooth finish. Firstly apply the primer. Most oil-based primers will probably require thinning with white spirit. Acrylic primer can be used straight from the tin. Oil based primer will require up to 24 hours to dry.

When painting the frame, paint the inside of the frame first (the door lining and door stops), and then complete the face of the architrave. Apply undercoat first (two coats for new wood), allowing it to dry for 24 hours, before sanding down the wood and applying a finish of either gloss or satin paint.

Painting a floor

If painting (or varnishing) a wooden floor, you will need to remove all furniture prior to commencing work, and ensure all dust is removed using a vacuum cleaner.

Start applying the covering in the corner furthest from the door, painting in blocks of 2 square feet at a time (or, if painting floorboards, paint a board at a time). Work systematically, a block at a time, moving towards the door. Ensure you do not get yourself trapped, as this could cause you to ruin your new paint to leave the room!

Painting an Interior Wall

Before starting to paint an interior wall, move all furniture into the centre of the room to give space around the edges of the room. It is also wise to cover the furniture with dust sheets as a precaution, as paint can be very difficult to remove, especially once dried.

It is best to use a roller for painting walls, as it allows a better spread of paint, though a small brush should be used for painting around light switches, plug sockets and any light fittings on walls. If the walls are not perfectly smooth, it is best to use matt paint, as silk emulsion shows up every slight imperfection.

For the best finish, it is best to use the ‘backroll’ method. Using paint rollers, paint in areas of one metre squared. After the third block, go back to the first and roll over it again without putting any more paint on the roller. This applies a solid coat to the wall.

Ceiling Painting

Painting a ceiling is a fairly straightforward process. The first thing to do is to cover all carpet and furniture in the room, as paint can easily splash around, or drip down from a ceiling.

Using a stepladder or a form of platform (a strong beer or milk crate will do as long as the roof is not too high), you should be able to reach the ceiling using a roller. Never over-stretch when painting the ceiling.

A roller is the better method for painting a ceiling, as it can cover a much larger area. You can also use a long-handled roller. This has an advantage in that there is no need to stand on a ladder or crate, and the paint tray can be kept out of the way on the floor. If a brush is to be used, a width of 6-8 inches is ideal. A brush of 1-2 inches can be ideal for painting in corners.

Starting from one corner of the room, paint the roof in blocks of about 2ft square, working across the ceiling one strip at a time. Ideally, use the backroll method.

Painting Coving

When the ceiling and the coving are to be painted the same colour, paint the coving first, and then add two coats to the ceiling, before applying the second coat to the coving.

Some more intricate coving designs may require a narrow brush, or even airless spray equipment if the design is intricate.

Painting a Skirting Board

As with all wooden surfaces, ensure the skirting is prepared and dust free. Work from right to left (or vice-versa if you are left handed) to ensure you are not painting across your body. Place some card on the floor next to the skirting board to protect the carpet, but beware of the tendency of paint to creep beneath the card.

Start by painting the top of the skirting board, with a 1" brush. Paint a length of about 9 inches, before painting the bottom of the skirting board, and finally filling in the middle. Then move to the next section, painting 9 inches of the skirting board again. Keep an eye out for runs, particularly on moulded skirting boards.

Painting a Window

Most windows today are made from uPVC, which cannot be painted as easily as wooden frames. It is possible, but requires a special primer and coatings.

Wooden windows will again require preparation, to ensure that there is no dust to mix in with the paint. Also, it is wise to paint windows as early in the day as possible, to allow the paint to dry during the day, rather then the night when the window could stick.

To ensure a tidy finish, stick masking tape over the glass of the window to allow some overlap when painting the frames. The tape should be removed only when the paint is dry, to prevent any running onto the glass.

Painting a Window Sill

The first thing to do is to remove all plaster and dirt from the window sill using sandpaper, paying special attention to the overhang. Use a medium sandpaper, and then dust thoroughly. Next, apply knotting to any knots and resinous areas, using a rag or a small, soft brush. Primer can then be applied as knotting dries instantly. The primer must then be left to dry; for 24 hours in the case of oil based primer, and 3-4 hours in the case of water-based primer.

Once the primer is dry, fill in any holes or gaps in the window sill, either by using Polyfilla or linseed oil putty. A mix of both depending on the type of gap requiring filling can be best. Sealant can also be used on any gaps between the wall and the window sill. Once the filler is dry, sand the window sill down and apply undercoat. Ideally, two layers should be applied to new wood; one coat should be fine for older wood. Leave the undercoat to dry for 24 hours.

Finally, once the undercoat has dried, apply a coat of finish, either gloss or satin.