When you decide to decorate there are some important considerations to take into account. Many people would say that the most important is the preparation of the surface to be painted and whilst that is a very important point the most important and the one that is sadly often overlooked is SAFETY.

That has to be the most important consideration looking after your self and your family has to be the number one priority after all there would be little point in yo having done a great job and you can not enjoy it as you are in hospital with a broken leg.

That said with any decorating or refurbishment project, the five P principle applies namely:- PERFECT PLANNING PREVENTS POOR PERFORMANCE.

As in all things good well thought out planning makes all the difference between success or failure. So before one starts to paint or even think about painting you need to check the various points set out below to make sure you have the all the bases covered. If you take your time and take one move at a time you will complete the job in safely.

You do however need to watch out for any small helpers like children who may get in the way so just keep small children and pets away from the areas that are going to be painted or perhaps even better try to arrange that they may be out for the day perhaps visiting grand parents etc.

Keep your materials, paint and any small tools in a safe place well out of childrens' reach.

Do not allow children to play with any tools or indeed play or hide underneath scaffolding or a ladder..

Also you need to ensure that any dust sheets that you might be using are carefully deployed and do not become a hazard that may trip you up in your work. Using ladders is an area where safety has to be the highest priority.

Firstly you need to consider how your head for heights is?

You have to make sure that you feel confident up a ladder if you do not get somebody else to do these aspects. What ever you do not take any risks.

As I'm sure you can guess you do not have to fall very far to cause real harm.

So always use ladders with extreme care and ensure that they are fit for purpose.

An extension ladder is the most important piece of kit that you will require for exterior painting.

You need to have a an extendable ladder that when in the required position is some 65-95cm higher than the tallest point that you need to paint.

This may seem obvious but you most ensure when using a ladder that it is safely, securely and properly secured.

When positioning the ladder against a wall the recommended distance away from the wall is approx 25cm for each metre of the height of the ladder. . If you are unlucky enough to be working on say a soft or indeed uneven surface you will need to use a board which is strong enough where you place the ladder.

What ever you do safety first is the main priority.

Now you need to consider what paint to use. I am going to briefly mention paint for the exterior.

1. Which paint? Re-painting the outside of ones home will ,of course not only give it a whole new visual look but also protect it from the elements. In order to provide long lasting durability and help the walls stay cleaner for longer it is worth considering those brands which allow the walls to breathe the moisture out but do not allow the damp or rain in. These are a very clever idea and usually add to the life of the painted surface as damp is allowed to pass out through the outer surface rather than bubbling under the surface and causing problems later.

2. How much paint? This type of masonry paint usually cover some where between eight and twelve square metres per litre but of course this does depend on the condition of the surface being painted and relates directly to the preparation of the area to be painted. Preparation is in many ways much more important than painting because any underlying imperfection will be magnified many more times in the final finish.

3. What else do you need?

There is nothing worse than starting a job and then having to stop at a key point for yet another trip to the shopping mall.

So with all kinds of large or small projects it is best practice to ensure you have everything before you commence makes sense.

For the best finish possible, you need to make sure the surface you are painting is properly prepared.

This brief article sets out a few basic steps to follow and is one in a series of articles on painting and decorating.

 

The Author markets premier American Paint Benjamin Moore and Sandtex in Spain for further information his web site is at Paint in Spain

 

I imagine that many people including myself only think about the planned or suggested colour for any decorating project when it is getting near the time that they actually wish to purchase paint. However it is just as important to decide which type of paint should be used and for which surface etc and the final finish that is required needs to be carefully considered.

I will attempt to set out some of the various options that are available and usually work well in most average settings.

Various Types of Paint:

The terms used in paint such as Latex and oil base are often used rather loosely.

When a painter specifies a gallon or 5 Litres of a certain brand of latex, he may in reality often be getting non-latex or an artificial-latex water based paint. The explanation here is that there are continuously new products being developed using synthetic materials that perform more or less identical to latex. Naturally many of these paints still carry "latex" on their label. Where a paint or stain product is referred to "acrylic" or "water based", it usually has the same properties similar as that of latex paint, even if it does not include the term latex pain on the can. Similarly when you ask for an oil-based paint you may get the similar alkyd.

In this article I have used the term "latex" to also include other similar water-based paints, and the term "oil-base" to include alkyd.

Effects of varying degrees of Gloss High gloss, semi gloss, eggshell, satin, low sheen and flat, these are all very general terms, and it can often be noticed that as one moves from one brand of paint to another or perhaps from one type of paint to another the gloss factor will change. A very good example of this is that with many paint companies you will find that their interior oil based semi gloss appears to be quite a lot glossier than their interior latex semi gloss. In addition a satin oil finish from one company may look to have the same shine factor as perhaps semi gloss oil from another paint manufacturer. Obviously it is important to choose the correct gloss and in many ways this is just as important as selecting the right choice of colour.

A shining surface sends out a much different effect than a non-shiny surface and so the degree of gloss will  influence the final outcome of the entire project.

The Author markets premier American Paint Benjamin Moore and Sandtex in Spain for further information his web site is at Paint in Spain

 

Choices of Primers and Sealers

Once you have decided that you need a Primer or a Sealer to get the best results from a painting project, it is important to be able to carefully choose the best type of product for the application.

As with paints, there are two broad classifications of primers and sealers: latex or water-based products, and alkyd or oil-based products. Both types can be used for either interior or exterior use. In addition there are also shellac-based primers that have alcohol as their thinner.

In the majority of cases, quality latex primers and sealers perform as well as oil-based products, if not better. However, on severely staining wood and on heavily chalked surfaces, oil-based primers can provide far better adhesion and the ability to block staining.

Exterior Applications:-

The requirement of using a primer or sealer - and the type of product that should be used obviously can and does vary for each and every painting project. Here are some general guidelines for common applications:

For brand new Unpainted Wood.

If the wood is not severely stained then you could use either a quality acrylic latex or an oil-based exterior wood primer. In the case of severely stained an oil-based stain-blocking primer would be a better choice. It is always a good idea to prime and paint bare wood within say 10 to 14 days in order to keep the wood fibres from deteriorating and reducing adhesion to the primer.

Weathered and Unpainted Wood.

Here you can use either a quality latex or oil-based primer. It is very important that you clean and sand the wood thoroughly before priming because any deteriorated wood fibres must be removed, or adhesion of the primer will not be so effective. It is best practice to apply the primer as soon as is practical after surface preparation.

Previously Painted Wood.

All loose or flaking paint should be scraped off as required and rough edges feather-sanded. Any bare spots should to be sanded thoroughly and dusted off. In addition, as much chalk as possible should be removed before priming. If the old paint is very chalky, and all the chalk cannot be removed, then it might be best to use an oil-based primer. If the old paint is in sound condition and is still adhering well, priming can be beneficial, but is not necessary.

Stucco and Other Masonry.

On new masonry, or older surfaces that are very porous, a good latex masonry sealer or primer would be the order of the day. Where you are repainting use a sealer only where all the old paint has been removed during surface preparation.

Aluminum or Galvanized Iron.

Clean the surface using a non-metallic scouring pad or steel wool (be sure all steel particles are washed off). Then apply a corrosion-inhibitive metal primer to all exposed bare metal.

Ferrous Metals.

Remove any rust by wire brushing. Clean and gently rinse off and allow to dry before applying either a latex or oil-based rust-inhibitive primer. I would suggest two coats of primer will provide added protection against future rusting. Rust can come through at a later stage if not properly treated at day one and ruin an otherwise perfect job.

Interior Applications:-

Usually an interior primer is designed for a very specific application. These can be in both latex and oil-based formulations, so you have a choice of products to choose from. Please however bear in mind that latex products are much lower in smell which is a very large bonus when considering any indoor projects. Particularly if you are living in the property at the time.

Freshly Plastered Walls using English Plaster or Dry Lining.

Here a paint that will breathe would be best something like Dulux Trade Fast Matt springs to mind. Using this paint you can paint fresh plaster quicker. It is suitable for dry lining and is ideal for critical lighting.

Warning

Special consideration should be given to any surface preparation of pre 1960's paint surfaces over wood or metal as they may contain harmful lead.

The Author markets premier American Paint Benjamin Moore and Sandtex in Spain for further information his web site is at Paint in Spain

When painting and in order to be able to get the best results from any painting exercise, it us  a very good idea to consider using a primer or sealer before you apply the paint.

The question which many people find is the most difficult is to be able to decide when to use a primer or sealer ? Then or course to be able to determine the type of product to apply are big mysteries not only to do-it-yourself homeowners but often for the professionals.

The Advantages of Primers are inter-alia:-

Primers are specially formulated coatings that perform several valuable functions:

First, they help the paint adhere better to the surface that's being painted. They do this by making the surface more uniform and acceptable for the application of the top coat, so that when the paint is applied, it can get a better "grip" than it would on a plain simple bare surface.

Second, primers help to supply any finished painting exercise a much more uniform appearance both in terms of colour and sheen, which of course makes it much more attractive. This is especially true when for example the surface being painted is porous or uneven in porosity.

Third, some primers are very good to help prevent stains from appearing through the paint from the underlying surface below ruining the appearance of the finished coat. This is especially important with any latex finish coats, which otherwise can be vulnerable to some stain coming through from the underlying surface. When buying any primer or sealer it is obviously very important to understand whether or not stain blocking is one of its capabilities and, if so, what types of stains will be blocked.

Sealers help to enhance and are closely linked with primers. While primers are often pigmented, sealers usually are not.

The role of a sealer can be to seal a porous surface like weathered concrete or stucco, so that a final finishing coat can develop a uniform sheen or gloss. Sealers also help protect the finish coat on masonry from any efflorescence and alkalinity. Some sealers are used on stone masonry to help to seal out moisture, in which case the masonry is often left unpainted. When to Use a Primer or Sealer

To achieve the best results and a first class result for any use of paint either at Home or at the Office , I would always recommend a primer or sealer in the following circumstances:-

When new unprimed wood, new drywall or any other surface that has never been painted before is to be painted for the first time.

Prior to priming, it is a good idea to seal knots with a specific Primer Sealer for that purpose and also prior to priming, it would also be a good idea to putty any nail holes, cracks and blemishes and these could be spot primed with specific undercoat paint.

When one is repainting a surface that has been stripped or is worn down to the original surface material. Just like paints and other coatings, primers and sealers always perform best when the undersurface is properly prepared.

Regardless of the application, the surface to be primed should always be clean and free of all dust, dirt, grime, flaking or loose paint and indeed any other contaminants before the primer is applied.

The Author markets premier American Paint Benjamin Moore and Sandtex in Spain for further information his web site is at Paint in Spain