Home Improvement Advice for Decoration

Internal Painting and Wallpapering Do it Yourself Tips for Decoration

Make sure the floor is protected when painting, something more stable than newspaper should be used as it will stick easily to the paint and can not be removed without leaving a mark.

All timber should be properly rubbed down before being painted. If any nails or screws have been put into the timber, make sure all indentations are filled and sanded before it's painted. This will help to make the finish as smooth as possible.

All preparation for painting or papering in one area should be done at one time, there is no point in rubbing down a wall, creating dust next to a freshly painted wall, it will ruin the finish on the already painted wall.

All surfaces must be dust free before being painted/varnished otherwise you will have a grainy surface. Remember behind the radiators, a commonly missed area.

If you are painting directly onto plaster you should make sure your first coat is diluted paint. This will allow the plaster to absorb as much of the liquid as it is going to and not give a patchy finish.

Radiators are easier to paint when free standing, heat proof paint (enamel) is available to stop the paint peeling when the radiators are in use.

Wall Papering

If you are hanging paper directly onto plaster you should give it a coat of paint first, this will stop the paper discolouring and the plaster absorbing the paste and causing the paper to peel.