Preparing walls for redecoration

Yorkie1

Me again, next question in the 'preparing my room for decoration' saga (well, it feels like one to me!).

I read you should clean walls and ceilings with sugar soap or detergent before painting them. I've started to do this above the fireplace (open gas fire) where the previous owner's mirror had left a mark. I'm just moving lots of dirt (dust? soot?) around, probably wiping the top bit of the emulsion off too. It looks absolutely awful and the walls / ceiling are getting rather wet.

Is there a best way to do this (or even avoid it)? Would rather not fall off the ladder with a washing up bowl of water everywhere if possible. :cool:

Thanks again.

Leif

If your ceilings are normal height, get a trestle, they are safer than ladders. One mini ladder I bought from Focus is positively dangerous. I gave my ceiling a wipe with a damp sponge, seemed to do the job, and the two new coats of paint look good, though the ceiling was not very dirty despite probably 20+ years since the last decoration.

Yorkie1

Thanks, both. I've seen a hop-up platform in Wickes but it's only 51cm high - would need something nearer 4 ft given my height / arm length and the ceiling height (it's a 1930s house so slightly higher than today's ceilings I think).

I'll just have to be careful on the stepladder...!

Perhaps also leave doing it until tomorrow, when the weather's not quite as sunny!

Leif

What about one of those squeegie mops on a long pole? That might allow you to not use the ladder, or use a trestle.

Yorkie1

Good thinking batman (aka Leif!)

Yorkie1

Thought I'd resurrect my old thread as the new one would just have the same title!

(Different room from the first enquiry though, I'm not that slow at things, well not always :cool: ).

Anyway, I have two new questions which I hope you can help with.

1. I polyfilla'd some cracks yesterday using the plaster repair powder mixed with water. It says leave 24 hours before sanding etc. What would happen if it was nearer 16h?

I finished at about 5 pm yesterday and could either sand first thing this morning or after doing the ceiling coat(s) of paint by about lunchtime.

A couple of the cracks were about 6mm deep, the rest were about 2-3mm deep.

2. More about painting sequence than prep. I have coving which is painted the same colour as the ceiling. In which sequence is it best to paint the ceiling and coving? I guess there are 3 elements: roller the ceiling, brush around edges of ceiling, brush on coving. (My Dad did this last time when I was out at work!)

zenshi

Painting sequence...I always paint coving and cut in ceiling before roller ing the main ceiling

As for the sanding if it's dry, then will be ok to sand the surface, you shouldn't effect the inside filler even if it's not quite dry.

Yorkie1

Ta.

Guess there's no excuse for not getting up and getting on with it, now I have an answer!

keystone

Yorkie1 wrote: »

1. I polyfilla'd some cracks yesterday using the plaster repair powder mixed with water. It says leave 24 hours before sanding etc. What would happen if it was nearer 16h?

Theres only one way for you to find out.

A couple of the cracks were about 6mm deep, the rest were about 2-3mm deep.

The 6mm ones will not be dry right through.

2. More about painting sequence than prep. I have coving which is painted the same colour as the ceiling. In which sequence is it best to paint the ceiling and coving? I guess there are 3 elements: roller the ceiling, brush around edges of ceiling, brush on coving. (My Dad did this last time when I was out at work!)

Whatever you feel most comfortable with but you can be certain that the coving always requires one more coat than the ceiling so if the ceiling takes 2 coats the coving will require three. Its all about how the light falls on it.

Cheers

Yorkie1

Never knew that about the coving, thanks.

Don't suppose anyone wants to tell me whether to have putting green or soft coffee in the kitchen?! That's the main dilemma!! :rotfl:

keystone

I don't like green coffee to be honest.