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Contained in this section...
Air Vents (Back to Top)
Generally made of plastic and attached by four small screws. Remove them, wash them, apply a primer such as Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3™ and paint the same colour as the walls. Best not to make a feature out of them! |
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Sliding air-vents (Back to Top)
Can sometimes be awkward to remove and replace. If leaving them in place read the warning below!
In either the open or closed position these vents leave a narrow strip on one side which people often forget about. The vent above was painted in the open position which leaves the narrow strip on the right-hand-side unpainted.
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Cornice (Back to Top)
See ceilings. How to tackle cornice is covered there.
Curtains, Rails and Roller Blinds (Back to Top)
Take them down! Remove the rails as well if at all possible. Fill any holes if not replacing them.
Dado Rail (Back to Top)
Dado rails are decorative timber forms generally placed at the height of a chair back. The idea is that the dado stops the chair-back making unsightly marks on painted walls. It is generally much easier to paint the dado before painting the walls as many of them incorporate an extremely narrow edge into their design which makes painting them difficult. It is far easier to cut in with emulsion on a wall which is facing you than at an angle with oil-based paint |
Dado Rail
If you wish to remove a dado rail...
... in my experience they are usually nailed to the wall and can be easily levered off with a claw hammer or gorilla bar. Naturally enough there will be some damage to the surface of the wall - generally not a lot - but this is easily repaired using spackling. Check Problems and Repairs for advice.
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Fireplaces (Back to Top)
Generally the focal point of a room so extra care needs to be taken with the surround and the hearth.
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Cover with a lightweight plastic dropsheet
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Apply masking tape to the fireplace surround where it meets the wall |
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Carefully position a plastic dropsheet to the top of the fireplace and drape it over the front. It is generally safer to cover the hearth with a cotton or twill dropsheet. It is less likely to slip and provides more protection to delicate surfaces like marble or granite |
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Light Switches, Electrical Sockets, TV Points etc (Back to Top)
Mask them!
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Mirrors (Back to Top)
If possible it is always better to remove mirrors than to try and paint around them since they can be difficult to mask-off properly Many mirrors are attached to the wall using screws covered by chrome caps. Twist off the cap to reveal the screw and remove CAREFULLY with a screwdriver.
Picture Rails (Back to Top)
Difficult to paint as they tend to have a narrow edge where they meet the wall. Like dado rails it may be easier to paint these first and then paint the walls. Depends on the design and how confident you are! Mask off the wall if you are not so confident. |
Pipes (Back to Top)
Some older properties have surface mounted pipework which makes life difficult. If possible use a long-handled mini-roller to get behind the pipes. Fill in any areas that can't be completed by roller with a brush.
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Radiators (Back to Top)
Radiators come in all shapes and sizes and, although there are specialist heat-resistant paints available, are usually painted with gloss or eggshell / satin-finish paint. There are, of course, special heat-resistant radiator paints which may be used in place of normal paints. Check your local decor centre.
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Standard single panel radiator
Apply masking tape
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If for any reason you are not painting the radiator then apply masking tape to the edge nearest the wall. This will prevent unsightly emulsion marks.
Preparation
Radiators generally harbour lots of dust particularly behind them and just above the skirting board. Hoover them thoroughly as far as you can then clean everywhere you can reach with a cloth and sugar-soap. If you don't you will pick up dust and grime on your roller which will transfer to the wall and spoil the appearance!
Behind a radiator is usually quite dirty
Make sure you clean thoroughly!
Firstly - turn off the radiator. Then either lightly sand or apply a primer.
Painting
Usually radiators are painted by brush because of the number of recesses howver a mini gloss-roller can be used quite successfully. Just tilt it at an angle. Much quicker than a brush. Some radiators however are primarily flat surfaced with a groove between each section. Paint the groove with a brush and use a gloss roller to get a really good even finish on the rest.
It is almost very difficult to paint the area in between a two panelled radiator – it is narrow and recessed. A gloss roller can help you get further down where a brush cannot go.
Use a gloss-roller at an angle for the recesses
Alternatively try using a mini paint-pad with a short handle.
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It can be difficult to paint in between radiator panels!
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Radiators have lots of potential areas where drips form. Make sure your dropcloth covers the entire length and breadth, and beyond, of the radiator. Do not remove it until the paint is completely dry otherwise you may come back to find drips on your carpet or expensive wooden floor!
N.B. When the radiator is turned back on you may notice a strong smell of paint. This is normal and will disappear after a short time. |
Lastly!... make sure that you paint the wall underneath the radiator if it can be seen from anywhere in the room. Often forgotten!
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Shelves (Back to Top)
If possible remove any shelving – it makes for an easier job and better finish.
If you cannot remove the shelf, mask around it. |
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Wall Lights (Back to Top)
Since they are electrically wired it is not usually possible to remove them completely. It is sometimes possible to unscrew them just enough to allow you to get behind them with a mini roller. If not, apply masking tape carefully around as much of the exposed surface as possible.
As with all electrical fittings care must be taken in order to avoid accidents.
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Windows (Back to Top)
Windows need to be tackled in two parts – 1. the surrounding wall and 2. the reveals.
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Reveals
The reveals are the recessed part of the wall that the window sits into. They are bordered by the window frame and the window sill. Both of these must be masked off before painting. If masked off properly a mini emulsion roller can be used for both speed and coverage.
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Mini Radiator Roller with short-handled extension pole attached to reach upper window reveal |
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