5 Steps to Perfect Painting
April 22nd, 2011 | 
Author: 
Anybody can paint a room in a house. It’s a lot easier than you may think, and hiring professionals isn’t necessary. Here are some handy tips to get you started that will guarantee a fantastic finish…
1. Organise Equipment – Make sure you have everything you’re going to need. There’s no use starting a job without the necessary equipment. Generally speaking, you will require: filler, scraper for filler, sandpaper, an array of brushes and rollers, paint tray, masking tape, your paint (both the final colour and your undercoat), and old sheets for the floor. If you find you’re missing anything, get online and make a quick order on a DIY supplies delivery website such as Tool-NET UK. Put a large table in the middle of your room and cover it with one of your old sheets. Arrange everything on here and try to keep it tidy – this way, you won’t misplace anything.
2. Prepare Your Room – Clear everything you can out of the room. All furniture and belongings should be moved. Lay down the old sheets to protect the floor and carpet. Now, you have nothing in your way and you’ll undoubtedly finish the project much quicker. Once you have a clear room, cover skirting, plug sockets, and anything else you don’t want to get paint on, using masking tape. You want your walls to be smooth, so fill in any holes with quick-dry filler. Once dry, sand everywhere: the ceiling, the walls and where you have filled. It may be worth using a dust mask for this. Consider removing the radiators with a Bosch drill so you can get to those hard-to-reach places that look untidy if they’re missed.
3. Undercoat – Use white emulsion paint and mix with some water for an undercoat or miscoat. This will give you a blank surface to work on. If there are any imperfections, the undercoat should cover them up, and everywhere will eventually look exactly the same. An undercoat is especially important if you are painting in a light colour. You needn’t be extremely neat and tidy, though, as you’re going to be painting over it.
4. Fix Paint – As you’re waiting for the undercoat to dry, you can sort your paint out. Mix it first with a stick and turn it upside down a few times (with the lid on). Then, use an old pair of clean tights or something similar to put over the top of the paint pot before you pour it into the tray. This will strain out anything you don’t want going on the walls.
5. Paint – Once the undercoat is dry, your equipment is ready and your paint is mixed, you can start painting. It is worth starting with the corners and making your way along and down with a brush. Once this is complete, fill the rest in with a roller.
And that’s it – your quick and easy 5-step guide to perfect painting.
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