Any painting tips?

justaquestion

Hi folks,

I haven't really done a lot of painting but a few rooms need doing now so any tips regarding the following very much appreciated.

1 painters tape or masking tape around doors or skirting? I have also seen a plastic triangle thing that one can hold on skirting etc, that much good?

2 any tips on doing hard to reach places going up stairs (stairwell) Should I just be careful and put a step ladder on stairs step, or maybe get a long handle and tie a brush to the end?

Thanks for any ideas.

glasgowdan

Use a roller for the bulk of the walls, it's way quicker. And stick the roller on a pole for hallway and high areas. A small roller on a pole will likely reach right into inside corners.

Masking tape... Don't leave it on more than a day, even if this means removing it and putting fresh stuff on again for the next coat.

Quick dry paint is very handy.

Annie1960

Also use a good quality small angled brush for cutting in next to ceiling skirtings, windows etc.

London50

NEVER put a step ladder on stairs step unless you want to risk breaking bones or worse. If those area need painting use a roller on a long pole or handle.

FreeBear

London50 wrote: »

NEVER put a step ladder on stairs step unless you want to risk breaking bones or worse. If those area need painting use a roller on a long pole or handle.

If there are areas that need cutting in, either hire or buy a scaffold tower - Much safer than risking serious injury when falling off a ladder.

glasgowdan

If anything I would use a straight ladder on stairs and make sure the foot is butted up against the back of a stair. And nobody else is likely to be running up and down the stairs!

London50

FreeBear wrote: »

If there are areas that need cutting in, either hire or buy a scaffold tower - Much safer than risking serious injury when falling off a ladder.

I agree with a scaffold tower for that type of job but it seems with a lot of people they do not want to spend the extra cash hiring or buying then and as I said risk serious injury by not doing so. Therefore the cheaper/easier and safer option is a roller or brush on a pole, OK the finish will not be as good but how many people look at that area anyway?

London50

glasgowdan wrote: »

If anything I would use a straight ladder on stairs and make sure the foot is butted up against the back of a stair. And nobody else is likely to be running up and down the stairs!

Depending on the width of the staircase there COULD be a risk of a straight ladder moving side to side even if it is hard against a step and as {I would think} there would be now way to fix at the top of the ladder it could be a shock if while on it it suddenly moved.

Sicard

I always did the cutting in first before the bulk. I also used the plastic triangle (old salts called it a George) but you'll need a large rag soaked in white spirit to constantly wipe it.

Cordie

I painted my stairway using a Harris extending pole roller. I bought mine in Wilko it cost £5 and was worth every penny. I taped a brush to the end of the pole to paint near the ceiling not ideal but it worked ok.

If you have a radiator to paint it's worth buying proper radiator paint, I used it for the first time last year and was impressed with the finish.

justaquestion

Cordie wrote: »

I painted my stairway using a Harris extending pole roller. I bought mine in Wilko it cost £5 and was worth every penny. I taped a brush to the end of the pole to paint near the ceiling not ideal but it worked ok.

If you have a radiator to paint it's worth buying proper radiator paint, I used it for the first time last year and was impressed with the finish.

Thanks a lot for all your very helpful replies, really appreciate it.

as regards radiator paint in the past I have just put a white gloss straight onto the radiator and it looked fine was tough and has lasted for many years. The annoying thing is though if you put the gloss on the radiators, there is a smell of the paint which can last for up to a month, I take it the paint has to bake in or something like that. Would it be better to put on some sort of a primer paint before hand so as to get rid of the smell of the gloss baking in?

I have noticed on the Dulux brochure they do a white satin radiator paint. Has anyone used that or something similar.

Thanks once again for replies.