Now that you’ve prepared the walls for a smoother finish (read Tommy’s Tips – How To Prep a Wall For Painting) it’s time to get painting!
“This is the interesting part of the job, all the laborious stripping and sanding work is done, now it’s time for the transformation. I have always been a great fan of painted walls and ceilings, because the transformation is achievable by anyone willing to put in a bit of hard work, and its effect is pretty instant!”
Firstly create an extensive decorating kit (our DIY:time range by Tommy Walsh has early everything you require and is available at Dealz, at an affordable price for everybody!).
When painting walls and ceilings, the best method is to use a roller with a decent quality sleeve , fit a broom or extension pole to the roller for the ceiling, allowing you to work from the floor. You will require some decent quality steps, for cutting in the ceiling and walls at high level, or alternatively, a sturdy work platform. If you are stripping walls, making plaster repairs, or big alterations, I would recommend taking up the carpets and underlay, rolling and tying them up, and storing them safely away from the work. If it’s just a couple of coats of emulsion, well fitted dust sheets taped down at the edges, should suffice.
The roller won’t take the paint right to the edges of the ceiling or walls, cutting in with a brush will be required. (Normally a 3 or 4 inch brush is ideal). Overlapping onto the walls a little won’t be a problem, as you can cut in the wall colour over the overlap. Tommy’s Tip: Use the same colour on the walls and ceiling, saves a lot of time! Any cornice or cove should either be picked out as a feature, or incorporated into the ceiling colour, never the wall colour!
When using a roller, work in a steady deliberate manner, too quick and paint spray will go everywhere, keep a damp cloth handy, to wipe off woodwork immediately from any splashes or spray. Cutting into a ceiling takes a steady hand, if you need to take a break, you can wrap the roller and brushes in cling film while you have lunch, keeping them soft and fresh for the restart.
Awkward places to reach like behind radiators can be easily achieved using a long arm mini roller. (Rad-roller to the trade). Which is far handier than taking off the radiator. From a health and safety point of view, it’s very important that any ladders or platforms are safely constructed and positioned. Stairwells are a common problem, but tailor made platforms for these areas are available for hire, or you can build your own. When working off a ladder or platform, always have someone in attendance, just in case of a mishap, and you are left without help!
Tommy’s Tip: When storing opened cans of paint, put the lid back on properly, and spin the can upside down and back, making it airtight, which helps avoid a skin forming on the stored paint.
Tommy’s Tip: Most emulsioned walls with dirty marks can stand a gentle application of warm water, and washing up liquid, rubbing lightly, to remove the marks, if too vigorous however, the paint will be removed, remember it is only water based. If you try to spot out the marks, with the same colour paint it may stand out more than the dirty marks themselves. What we do in the trade, is first spot out any marks, then repaint the offending wall with the same colour into a corner, or to a door architrave, where it is less likely to be noticed!
Tommy’s Tip: Always allow yourself time to clean up, and thoroughly wash out, with hot water and washing up liquid, all roller sleeves and brushes, if the paint is water based. I always lay brushes out flat on top of the boiler to dry, then run them across a wire brush to soften the bristle before storage, and they will all be ready when I next need them!
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