Hello World! Welcome Friends! Once you have signed on the dotted line and your home finally belongs to you, your thoughts invariably turn to decor and with the cost of labour being so high, it does kind of make sense to go down the DIY road rather than hire the services of a painting & decorating contractor. All you need are the right tools and equipment and a degree of common sense; the rest you can learn as you go.
Tools
While you are not expected to go out and buy a full set of painting & decorating tools, you will need a few basics, such as:
- Paintbrushes – A wide, medium and narrow brush, one set for gloss and one for emulsion (water based) paint. We recommend you buy quality paintbrushes, which might cost a bit more than others, but they last longer, so it makes sense to acquire quality brushes. A dry soft brush is also needed to clean timber after sanding. If you are painting the bedroom, make sure you cover the quilt and remove ornaments, otherwise they might get paint on them.
- Scrapers – These handy tools can be used for scraping surfaces and for mixing and applying filler. Painters typically own at least 5 scrapers, all of different widths and they can be used for opening tins of paint.
- Paint roller and tray – The best quality paint rollers are made with sheepskin and a broom handle to enable rolling above head height.
- Sandpaper and blocks – Varying grades of sandpaper are used to rub down surfaces, from very coarse to fine glasspaper. This is essential for quality finishing and a painter carries his sandpaper wherever he goes.
- Scissors & cutting blade – The scissors are used to cut wallpaper and after a strip has been set on the wall, the cutter is used to remove excess paper. A dry brush might be used to remove air pockets from wallpaper.
Essential Equipment
You will need a decent pair of aluminum stepladders in order to work at heights, plus a few old bedsheets to put down and protect floors and furniture. Most painters and decorators would have a full set of screwdrivers and a sturdy clawhammer, just in case they need to do a bit of carpentry. You mix the wallpaper adhesive in a bucket with a wide brush to apply the paste onto the back of the wallpaper.
It is important to work carefully when painting or decorating; you should always have a small dry rag to wipe off paint spots; attention to detail ensures that nothing is overlooked and each project should be carefully planned.
The most important aspect of painting is the wall preparation; holes should be filled and bumps removed to leave a smooth finish. If you are unsure about a particular project, watch a few video tutorials on YouTube and that should tell you what you need to know.
If you have the tools and the know-how, you can transform your interior, while saving a bundle at the same time. There’s a great deal of satisfaction to be had from painting & decorating and the more projects under your belt, the more competent you become.
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Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
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Things You Should Be Careful When Going for Hot Water Repair
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Toodles,
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