Decorating Living Room - Help Please??

Sammy_Girl

Hi all,

In true MSE style, we (or rather I) am decorating the living room to save costs on paying a decorator. Basically, I am relatively new to DIY but am an eager learner

My new sofa are being delivered in September and I have 2 weeks off work after bank hol to decorate, so ideally would like to complete in this time.

I will be painting walls, skirting, window sills etc, replacing rads and laying down laminate or wood flooring.

My living room has a dado rail, that is rather worse for wear so would be looking to replace this. I have already bought the paint for the walls...but that's it!

Please can someone advise on a staged plan that I can follow, and what I need to do? Do I need to sand, primer?? Which item should be done first? Should I leave the dado rail to last? I literally do not know where to start??

Any advice would be very much appreciated

Sammy_Girl

Shameless bump for help please

ormus

ceiling, walls then woodwork. all preparation should be done first.
when doing woodwork undercoat first if required. esp if changing color. glossing is the very last thing you do.

if laying a laminate floor, remove the old skirting and buy new. (or replace the old stuff).
cost is similar to the laminate edge trim, and the job looks far better.

try and arrange the walls painting whilst the rads are off.

Pretani

Remove dado rail
Remove skirting
Remove radiators
Remove wallpaper if already on wall

Fill in holes left with water based putty filler
Sand until level and smooth
sand walls if they are rough

paint walls and window sills
put up new data rail
install new radiators
lay down foam underfelt and laminate floor leaving 1/4 of inch from wall (remember to lay sections lengthways, not perpendicular to the main window)
cut new skirting to size, remove and paint outdoors (or stain if the same as flooring)
lay skirting on top of flooring, this will look better and also hold the flooring down solid (no need for laminate trim, except for around fireplace)

Job done

Gangstabird

Pretani, couldn't have put it better my self.

Bungarm2001

The major job is preparing...don't skimp on this 'cos it will show in the finish. Allow at least 3 quarters of your allotted time for prepping

Sammy_Girl

Many thanks for the help.

I am planning this to the t, as I have 2 weeks off work and want to get it all done and dusted in that time.

Also, have decided against laminate, we are going to have a carpet fitted. The room will be measured this week and the carpet fitter advised cutting a 6 inch gap between the wall and carpet so that we can do the necessary with the skirting, but still have a carpet to live on until the new one arrives.

I will be armed with a list now to take to Homebase!!

Many thanks

Smithills

Absolutely agree with Bungarm- prep is dead boring, but really pays off when you finish. Don't go to Homebase- try Wilkinsons first for your bits & pieces- sandpaper, rollers, brushes etc. Powder filler is the best- cheaper than ready made up, and sands to a better finish too. I recommend you get a 1" angled brush- one for emulsion and one for gloss. Fab for getting neatly into the corners, Mini rollers are also useful for corners too. Tesco have these occasionally on offer also B&Q, so I stock up like mad when you can get 4 for £1. It seems mad not too! Wash the walls down using a weak sugar soap solution after preparing them- it removes dust and any scraps of paper after stripping. Wipe all your prepped woodwork with a barely damp cloth just before glossing too, to remove any dust.

I can endorse Wilkinson's paint too- used it in my bedroom at my old house- nice colours (though a fairly basic range), thick and gloopy- good coverage, and applied well.

Good Luck- hope your finished room looks great. Don't forget to stock up on teabags! My house is being redecorated courtesy of Mr T teabags. And then a celebratory scoop to finish each room :beer: