First-time house renovation

helping_hubby

latecomer wrote: »

Its the putting the silicon back on that I'm not sure about. I know the theory but its getting it to work in practice. Maybe I should create a frame to practice on before doing it for real....

hope you feel better soon! My OH has got the sniffles at the moment but hopefully its just a result of being out in the cold the night before and wont come to anything.

I think it's a confidence thing. I would just do it straight on the window...surely you could peel it off again if it's messy?

Anyone painted a wall a different colour yet and had to do the straight vertical line in the corner? We need to do this either tonight or tomorrow so we can do the second coat on sunday (running out of time until Christmas!)

I was going to use masking tape, but that thread about it peeling off the paint has scared me.

latecomer

dont use masking tape, it will pull the paint off. Even the low tack stuff.

We had it in my OHs flat and when we repainted I struggled with a way to do it well. In the end the best thing I found to do was just practice and take your time. Get the tehnique right and use confident strokes. Any small mistakes will be invisible more than a couple of feet away and keep a cloth handy for any larger ones

WaveyDave_2

Hello

I just wanted to wish all of you renovators good luck. I finally moved into my house in August after a year of renovating. My garden is also finally finished, and I painted the last piece of skirting on Saturday just gone. :T

I found it gets quite difficult to motivate yourself at times, particularly when you get home from work and feel tired, knowing you've got about 3 hours of painting ahead of you, and you're going to spend yet another weekend doing work instead of enjoying :rolleyes:

I have to say though, nothing beats the feeling of seeing the rooms finally come together - then seeing your home take shape.

I'm still finding little things to do, and there are little snags starting to present themselves, but I've resolved not to do anything about them until after Christmas.

BB1984

helping_hubby wrote: »

Anyone painted a wall a different colour yet and had to do the straight vertical line in the corner? We need to do this either tonight or tomorrow so we can do the second coat on sunday (running out of time until Christmas!)

I was going to use masking tape, but that thread about it peeling off the paint has scared me.

Hmmmm yes my OH had a go at this the other day - painting the kitchen alcoves bright blue, adjacent to bright white walls! To be honest, he didn't do a very good job, bless him. I think he rushed it, and so the line isn't very straight. He wants to try masking tape next time but i'm not sure. Has anyone ever tried those paint pads, as opposed to brushes? I think you can get ones that have a little wheel on the side, so you literally wheel down the wall return, and the pad puts the paint on the required wall (if that makes any sense!) However, I've never tried this, and don't really want to go and buy a bit of kit that turns out to be rubbish!

Hello wavey dave - thanks for saying hi! A whole year of renovations?! That's hardcore. Bet you can tell us lot a thing or two - what words of wisdom do you have for us?!

helping_hubby

BB1984 wrote: »

Hmmmm yes my OH had a go at this the other day - painting the kitchen alcoves bright blue, adjacent to bright white walls! To be honest, he didn't do a very good job, bless him. I think he rushed it, and so the line isn't very straight. He wants to try masking tape next time but i'm not sure. Has anyone ever tried those paint pads, as opposed to brushes? I think you can get ones that have a little wheel on the side, so you literally wheel down the wall return, and the pad puts the paint on the required wall (if that makes any sense!) However, I've never tried this, and don't really want to go and buy a bit of kit that turns out to be rubbish!

Hello wavey dave - thanks for saying hi! A whole year of renovations?! That's hardcore. Bet you can tell us lot a thing or two - what words of wisdom do you have for us?!

After lots of googling I'm thinking that time and patience is the only way. Some people have suggested an artists brush or similar for a neat line. The problem is when the corner isn't really straight which ours isn't. So I don't know if I should try to do a straight line, or go right into the corner. Any opinions based on your blue wall? Got photos of that yet?

WaveyDave_2

IMO its almost impossible to get a perfect edge. Even if you had pros in you'd never get a completely straight line, particularly if your corners aren't perfect (despite being re-skimmed, mine aren't). Thankfully I've only got one room where I had this problem (my house is 1930s with picture rails etc).

Best advice I can give is, never lose faith in what you're doing. I've had some times of real sould searching, especially when things go wrong and cost more money. You've got to keep your mind on the goal of what your house will be like when its done!

I'm no expert (by a long stretch), but if I can offer any advice......

BB1984

Haven't got any photos yet of the blue wall, but I hear from OH that he's done the other alcove this morning, with the help of masking tape. He didn't say anything about it pulling paint off the adjacent wall, so I take it it must have worked. I'll try and remember to take some photos tonight and post some on my blog tomorrow (or tonight if we have internet by then!)

We have wonky corners too - so I agree it's hard to know what to base your straight line on! I guess you could get a timber batten, or similar, and place it on the wall at a brush-width from the corner, and then load up your brush and run it down the outside edge of the batten...not sure how you'd keep the batten in one place though - a trusted helper, perhaps?!

Fun and games...

BB

latecomer

When it came to wonky edges I tried to keep the paint going straight as I found with the 2 different colours you can see the line of the colours far more than that of the wall.

latecomer

Quick update, we've spend the last 2 nights sanding the radiator out of the front room (which is going to be the living room) and painting it. The one coat paint we've got needs 2 coats but then its trying to cover pink so it wasn't exactly a surprise. Very nasty vapours from it too - only doing the front, top and sides and by the time thats been done I need some air. Also got the 2nd top coat on the last 2 walls so the walls are done apart from a patch of filler which still isn't dry due to their no heating at the moment. Starting to look good.

Picking up the sander and associated equipment this afternoon to do the floorboards in there and also possibly in the hall if we have enough time. Going to prepare for it today and then get started tomorrow.

Declaring it a day off (of sorts) seeing as its me birthday. Going to the local real ale brewery for a tasting this evening so its probably best I dont go near anything dangerous until tomorrow :beer:

Have a good/productive weekend everyone

WaveyDave_2

latecomer wrote: »

Quick update, we've spend the last 2 nights sanding the radiator out of the front room (which is going to be the living room) and painting it. The one coat paint we've got needs 2 coats but then its trying to cover pink so it wasn't exactly a surprise. Very nasty vapours from it too - only doing the front, top and sides and by the time thats been done I need some air. Also got the 2nd top coat on the last 2 walls so the walls are done apart from a patch of filler which still isn't dry due to their no heating at the moment. Starting to look good.

Picking up the sander and associated equipment this afternoon to do the floorboards in there and also possibly in the hall if we have enough time. Going to prepare for it today and then get started tomorrow.

Declaring it a day off (of sorts) seeing as its me birthday. Going to the local real ale brewery for a tasting this evening so its probably best I dont go near anything dangerous until tomorrow :beer:

Have a good/productive weekend everyone

Good luck with the sanding, did 3 rooms in my house (including the parquet floor) and its a really dirty job. Without meaning to sound condescending, make sure you've got the technique right before you start (assuming its a drum sander), if you gouge the floor when you lower the drum, its a !!!!!! to remove it. Also if your boards are cupped, go diagonally first, to level them out. If you have any questions, I might be able to help! Also, beware of chatter marks!

What are you putting on the floor afterward?