painting/wall papering -DIY advice

Norman_Castle

Buy a tube of readymix filler which you get for 99p in £1 shop.

Surely it would be £1 from a £1 shop.

I use dry powder filler, normally you get more for your money. I also prefer foam sanding blocks which can be cheap. Don't forget a filling knife. Gloss brushes can be washed with washing up liquid depending on the paint, read the tin.

pinkteapot

Norman_Castle wrote: »

I use dry powder filler, normally you get more for your money.

Agree with this - I've had a box of Wickes powder filler for about three years. You just make it up with water. Had it so long I've forgotten what it cost but it must have been less than a fiver. Have patched small holes in several rooms in that time and still got about half the box left.

Have to say, I would actually spend some money on better quality paint brushes. The cheap ones tend to lose their bristles (which end up stuck to your wall) and don't give a good finish. I have Harris brushes and a B&Q Fine one (thin for cutting in) and they've been well worth it. If you clean them properly brushes will last you years anyway so worth spending the money.

I've only skimmed the other replies so not sure if this has been mentioned... If you are painting over colours that are different to your new colours, paint 2-3 coats of cheap white paint first. Covering a different colour with a new colour can take 4 coats so it's not worth wasting more expensive coloured paint on it. Paint it all white and then you'll only need 2 coats of your coloured paint to finish. Just did this to change our kitchen from blue to yellow.

motherofstudents

I'm no expert at decorating but have had to do our own because of costs. I would say take your time. We have spoiled things in the past by trying to do it in a hurry. I usually write a list of what I want to do each day. Day 1 empty room and clean everywhere, maybe also use filler. Day 2 sand filler, emulsions ceiling - 2 coats. Day 3 depends on if you are papering or painting walls; put up lining paper. Day 4 do gloss paint. Day 5 wallpaper ! This works for me as I easily run out of patience but I have found that if you have just a short time to do a few things the finished result seems to come out much better. I got some Laura Ashley wallpaper which was marked as slightly imperfect and was on sale for £4.95 a roll. It was £28 normally. We put it up last week and I honestly can't see what is not perfect, there is nothing obvious. I also look out at B & Q as they sell off paint cheap sometimes. We had a decorator in to do one of our bedrooms last month and it looks great, but our bedroom that we did last week is pretty close. We did not have to paper around any windows though !

vasseur

motherofstudents wrote: »

I would say take your time.

This is excellent advice. It will notice afterwards if you have rushed.

Also be prepared for it to look worse while you are doing it. I have always found this but afterwards when you have tidied away etc and the paint has dried properly it looks so much better.

And one last thing - a tip from my Dad - it's all in the preparation!

Have fun - I love decorating

themull1

If your walls are really bad (like mine!) i like using 1400 grade lining paper, paste, then leave for 15 minutes, then hang and you won't get any bubbles. You can paste three lengths at a time, then when you've pasted the third one, hang the first one on the wall.

Wipe the table after each length is pasted.

u_r

Thank u all who have responded!!!!!!!

thought its only fair that i keep u updated on the business!!!!!!!!!!it has taken me nearly a week to completlty strip, paint ceiling and paper walls. After i took vinyl paper off.there were a further 2/3 layers of backing paper.underneath is paint and then underneath paper and then the original plaster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! since the vinyls backing paper was in good condition, thought i will paper on top of it.BUT, as i did that the backing paper lifted underneath new wallpaper!so stripped taht backing paper and the one underneath.then completed th wall papering job!!!!!!!

in the process of painting around the window, slipped off my tall stall and now have two huge bruises on my b***side!!!!!!!!!!!will be careful next time!!

just bought satin paint for skirting boards-2.5 ltr for around £13-14.is taht price OK?

Also, thought someone may be interested.paint tester pots are now half price at think 53pence(or maybe 57p), if someone needs em for stenciling or creating own paint by mixing it in a big pot of white!!!!!!!!!!!!i am really considering that for at least one of the rooms!

Oh-and one more thing the smalll room makeover has come under £10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!thats ceiling paint, wallpaper, and skirting board paint!!!!!!!!is taht way toooo cheap??????

Purple-flower

todolistsocd wrote: »

Homebase do an excellent cheap water based gloss that is non toxic, non smelly and you can actually cheat and use that for the walls and woodwork and looks the nuts when it's done.

This is a really great thread OP, thanks for starting it and thanks for all the great posts everyone

I'm a first time decorator too and looking for tips. Todolistsocd, do you have the name of this paint in homebase?

Also, just wanted a but of advice about painting. There are some areas where the old paint has chipped off either revealing a layer of even older paint below or wood, is it ok for me to just paint over this or do I have to strip the paint off and start from scratch? And would I get an even finish? Thanks everyone

u_r

hey purple flower you are welcome.if ths thread helps than great!!!!!!

my deco went a bit cold after that first room!!been busy otherwise. stripped another bedroom for wall papering.just want to find a cut price wall paper shp in Birmingham to get really cheap paper!!!!

Also, got quotes for the ground floor rooms-too high and cant manage as no more holidays!!!had upto £500 quote on two medium sized rooms. now got £90 per room quote whic I feel shud go for!

Purple flower-wilkinsons had matt/silk (2.5 ltre or was it 5 litr?) white and magnolia for ceilings and or walls, at 2 for £10. single costs about £8!

also a cple of weeks ago, wickes had tester pots quite cheap add that to white and get your colour!!!!!!!!

SallyD

I am ready to paint a ceiling that was skimmed about a month ago. It has dried a light brown. Should I be buying the "special newly plastered ceiling paint" I have seen in Wickes and Homebase? I have 5 ceilings to paint but only the one that has been skimmed.

Window ledges and skirtings are painted with high gloss white and clearly never prepared properly. When I removed the carpets there was residue all along the skirting,dust particles and loose brush hairs painted in. I am guessing the paint is a type of cover all one coat gloss. On the window ledges you can peel the paint off taking a the layer of varnish underneath off as well revealing a dark wood stained window ledge. They have used filler in the window ledges. I am thinking now rather than paint the ledges keep them as they are but what can I do with the white filler. There are 4 lots of filler that look like its filling countersunk screws. Any advice would be gratefully received.

inamegajam

Good luck with all of this I know it looks like a lot to take in, if you do hang wallpaper I found that when you have to go around plugs & switches, or if you end up with a bit of a fold in the paper, it is much easier to make a small tear as it knits together to make a seamless join, unlike cutting which will leave a seam.
Also tester pots as has already been mentioned is a brilliant idea, just make sure you choose the tester darker, as it will lighten when mixed. Some household things are good for tinting paint as well, like tumeric for yellows, cheap permanent hairdyes like henna are good for reds. This might sound daft but I have even used gravy browning for different shades of stone type colours.
Hope you get on OK