Steve Kaye Decorating Services

Painting a wall

First of all, Prepare the room by removing every bit of furniture that you can, or pile it all in the middle so you have room to move and make a few mistakes. Cover it with good dust sheeting. Then cover the carpet or flooring with dust sheeting. Cover everything that isn't going to be painted. Then, remove, with a good flat scraper, any bits sticking off the walls. (Lumps, bumps, sellotape, bluetack). Then, get all nails out. Fill in any holes with a GOOD filler and when dry, sand flush.

CUTTING IN will take you the most time. Cutting in means using a brush to get to all the areas where your roller won't go. It's the bit where you go around all the top corners (ceiling) first, and paint a line at the top of the walls. Make it thick enough so that you don't have to do another coat, because it's not fun.

Do try not to get any of your wall paint on the ceiling. If you do, let it dry and then paint over it with your ceiling paint later. When you've done all the ceiling corners, use the same technique to do all the other corners, and along the top of the skirting. To avoid getting paint on the skirting, it is often a good idea to run masking tape along the top surface of the skirting. If you're going to sand and paint the skirting later, this is not so important of course.

Do the same with light switches, window cills and wall sockets. Again, use masking tape if you like.

Pour your paint into the container and load your big fluffy roller on a pole with paint. Start at one end of one wall, and using smooth strokes, going up and down gently but firmly, work to the other end. Apply the same for the other walls.

Depending on the colour you are using and the quality of the paint, you may need only one coat. Or two. Maybe three.

Use a matt paint unless you're really good. Gloss and semi gloss or silk finishes will show up all your sins and every inconsistency on the surface.

Let it all dry off before washing your roller. you may have missed a few bits or may need to do another coat.

The masking tape can be removed prior to the paint fully drying, but make sure you won't need another coat first.

Sort the roller out as described in my 'Ceiling painting' article.

Painting a ceiling

Having fully covered everything below ceiling level which you do not wish to have painted ... Make sure first of all that you have removed any loose pieces of paper from the ceiling, removed any blue tack, sellotape, chewing gum, dead flies and spiders, cobwebs, etc. etc; filled any holes, and given the ceiling a good wipe down with Sugar Soap. (This will remove grease and any residual chemicals such as cigarette smoke stuff).

Get a good, strong, large container or proper paint scuttle and pour your paint into it. I would suggest that it is not a good idea to use a silk or semi-gloss on a ceiling, because such finishes really do show up all your brush marks and any inconsistencies on the surface. So don't use this finish unless you really are a good painter.

Using a large, fluffy roller on a pole, which should first of all be rinsed with warm water and allowed to more-or-less dry out (it will absorb your paint better this way), first of all load the roller so that it is good and 'full' of paint, then apply it to the ceiling, starting at one corner and working from one end of the room to the other. Employ a steady consistent action to move the roller back and forth.

Use more paint than you think is necessary and don't let the roller dry out. If it starts to become hard work, you probably aren't using enough paint.

(Use a matt finish emulsion - the best quality you can afford)

Go around the light fittings using a brush. If your roller won't get right into the corners, use a brush here also. You can do this before you roller or after. Really it doesn't matter. Many light fittings will unscrew from the base on the ceiling.

Don't lose track of where you get to if you stop for coffee. White on clean white can be difficult. Then again, if you're painting it, your ceiling probably isn't too clean, so forget that bit.

Stand back when you think you're done to make certain that you have covered it all. If you're using an emulsion matt paint, you can go over bits you've missed, and it won't show up when it's dry.

Repeat the entire procedure if you purchased cheap rubbishy paint. (Save time - buy the good stuff in the first place!)

Clean up the roller by endless washing under a running tap, or if you're rich, throw it away. Cleaning up rollers is a pain in the neck (so is painting ceilings - literally) but it can be done if you're patient. Alternatively, wrap the painty roller in a couple of plastic bags if you need it later on for another area with the same colour paint. Properly wrapped up it should keep fine for a few days.

Have a break and congratulate yourself.

Decorate a room

OK, here's what you do to decorate your front room.

First of all, you start by removing all the stuff that is removeable. Whatever is left should be very well covered with good dust sheeting. That includes the carpet too.

Prepare all the walls, the ceiling, the woodwork, and anything else you want to paint.

Paint the ceiling. Start at one end and work towards the other. Use a big, fluffy roller. You will get paint in your face but you should have washing facilities available such as a good shower for when you finish. Oh, and wear some OLD clothing. If you roll slowly, the spray will be less.

Then paint the walls. Cut in neatly along the ceiling line so that you have a nice clean line. Walls usually need at least two coats of paint, so allow for giving the walls two coats. Remember that red is the hardest colour to cover so if this is the case, allow for three to four coats!

Assuming you have already given the door frames, skirting and window frames a light sanding (and cleared up the dust), you can now apply one coat of a good acrylic primer undercoat (dries faster than spirit-based). When it's dry, give the same treatment with the top coat.

When all the paint is dry, clean up fully and put everything back.

In the meantime, don't let your brushes dry out!