Home Sweet Home

Give the lid of the paint tin a good wipe before opening it to avoid getting dust and dirt in the paint. Mix the paint thoroughly and pour some paint into the tray. (Cover the tray with clingwrap or tinfoil beforehand to make cleaning afterwards easier.) Before using a new brush the first time, work its bristles back and forth over your hand to get rid of loose bristles and dust.

Don’t dip the entire bristle area into the paint; you’ll have major job cleaning it and get paint clogging at the base, eventually turning your paint job into a mess. No more than half the length of the bristles should be covered in paint.

The basic rule is work top down and outside in. This means you’ll start with the smaller brushes, do all the corners and edges and cover for roughly 5 cm into the larger areas so that you leave enough space when working with the roller.

When you change to the roller, dip it into the paint, then roll it up and down the ribbed end of the tray a few times to get the paint evenly distributed before rolling it onto the wall. When working with the roller, ignore what you’ve seen in the movies. Doing criss-crosses all over the wall is messy, unpractical and will most certainly leave a patchy finish.

Be careful of having too much paint on the roller when starting, as you will end- up with a Dalmatian-themed room. Rather be modest and dip more frequently, not squeezing the life out of the roller. Work top to bottom and let each pass overlap the previous one.

If the original colour on the wall is still showing, do one coat all over and leave to dry. Do not be over anxious and paint furiously over and over the same area while the paint is still wet as it will cause lines and dripping. Patience is indeed a virtue, so rent a movie or read a good book (or paint another room!). As tempting as it may be to watch the paint dry, it doesn’t make it happen any quicker. In most instances two coats of paint are necessary for good coverage.

Cleaning your left Paint Marks

BRUSHES: brush over an old newspaper to get rid of excess paint. Have a number of layers of newspaper handy, as the more paint you remove this way, the easier the next step becomes.

Wash out emulsion paints with hot water and dishwashing liquid. Don’t be too rough, as you will damage the bristles, rendering the brush useless for future conquests. Rinse thoroughly, shake to remove excess water and brush over a thick wad of paper towel. Leave to dry completely and store flat, wrapped in a soft cloth to protect the bristles.

If you have used an oil-based paint, get lots of turpentine and clean it immediately. Don’t be lazy and leave the brush lying in the turpentine for a day or two, as this will certainly turn into weeks until one day you will stumble upon a sawn off plastic bottle with the most interesting content … and a useless paint brush! Wash in hot, soapy water after the turpentine treatment and continue as for brushes used for emulsion paint.

ROLLERS: remove excess paint by rolling over some newspaper. Detach the actual roller from the handle. For emulsion paints follow the same method as with brushes, then re-attach it to the handle and spin it a few times to make sure that all the paint has been rinsed out. If you’ve used your roller to apply an oil-based paint, you have two choices — spend a few hours cursing and screaming all the while spilling turpentine all over the place, or chuck the roller and get a new one next time. Use it, don’t use it.

Fix Wall Surface Cracks

Tiny cracks in walls can make your home look neglected. We will deal only with repairing superficial cracks in plaster. If one of the walls seems to be detaching itself from the adjacent wall we recommend that you get a professional in to have a look, sooner rather than later…

You WILL NEED

Powdered cellulose filler

Brush

Filling knife

Sandpaper (coarse and fine)

DOING THE JOB

Tap gently around the crack with a filling knife to see if there is any loose plaster. If it sounds hollow, chisel away very carefully from the outside in so that you won’t remove any plaster unnecessarily. Blow or brush away any residue dust and bits. Moisten the area around the crack so that the filler will bond. Mix some filler in a small container (that will in future be used for household maintenance exclusively) according to the manufacturers’ instructions. Using the filling knife, press the filler into the cracks in upward movements. Do this in layers, as it will ensure that there are no cavities in the filler. Leave the filler proud (bulging over the original surface) as it usually shrinks when set. When the filler has turned white it’s practically dry and can be sanded. Use course sandpaper first to make the surface flush and then fine sandpaper to smooth over the surface, As soon as you are satisfied that it is completely dry you can paint immediately.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Household Improvement, Painting do it yourself, Fun, Save Money continue…

• Household Improvement, Painting do it yourself, Fun, Save Money
• (Carpets, Walls, Floor Candle wax and Paint) Home Improvement Made Easy
• How to Care Sisal and Mats
• The Cleaning Cupboard
• First Things First Part 1
• Sleeping Spaces
• Camping Beds and Mattresses, I love the comfortable and convenient one!
• Painting to Furniture Surface, Painted Finishes and special effects
• The prefect Companion: Home Flooring part 1
• Care for Rugs and Carpets