Here are some of the most popular questions used to arrive at DIYPaintingGuide.com

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How can I protect the walls on my stairs and landing? Also "How to make emulsion paint wipeable?"

Most paint manufacturers market their emulsion paints as wipeable, washable and even scrubbable. But if you want extra protection, then use an emulsion glaze-coat or protective decorators varnish. J.H Ratcliffe's Emulsion Glaze Coat and Polyvine Decorators Varnish are two excellent products. You can also use them to protect any item that you have painted with either emulsion (like an attic trap-door or even radiators) or eggshell paint. Both are water-based and available in a variety of finishes - from gloss to dead-flat. Not cheap, but very good!

                                                  

Can I paint IKEA furniture?

Yes of course. Check Paint My IKEA. It also tells you how to adjust doors for best fit!

 

How to paint a hall, landing and stairs?

Check "What Are You Painting" and click on "Hall, Stairs and Landing".

Which direction should I paint a Hall, Stairs and Landing?

Personally, if the staircase is on the left as you walk into the house I prefer to start in the hall, then paint the stair wall followed by the landing walls i.e working my way up. If the staircase is on the right I prefer starting at the landing and working down. Reason being that I prefer the work flow in those orders - but at the end of the day it doesn't actually make a big difference.

 

Order of work when painting Hall, Stairs and Landing?

Personally I do ceilings first, then walls, then woodwork. Remember that you can break down the area into the three distinct sections so you're not all over the place, particularly when tackling a large area.

 

Do I paint walls or skirting first?

Personally I do walls first, then woodwork. However, if you're unsure about being able to "cut-in" accurately you may find it better to paint the woodwork first, wait for it to dry completely, then apply masking tape to the edges you've just painted and proceed to paint the walls. The downside of this approach is a) it takes much longer because you have to wait for the woodwork to dry and b) paint remains soft for a time until it cures completely. Apply ordinary masking tape too soon and you risk pulling off the paint you have just applied. Safe-release masking tape can potentially get around this but it is more expensive and may still not be foolproof.

 

How much paint do I need?

Impossible to answer accurately since every situation is different. In my experience a small room will need 2.5 to 3 litres of paint; a large room at least 5 litres and an average hall, stairs and landing in the region of 5 to 7 litres. If you're not sure, err on the higher side. And remember... if you're using a paint colour which is not off-the shelf and has to be mixed, buying a 10 litre bucket may work out cheaper and be more consistent in colour than buying 5+5 or even 5+3!

Check "Types of Paint" for info.

 

 Mixed Paints

If you are painting the same colour throughout the house you will almost certainly need to use paint from several cans or buckets. Although they are ostensibly the same colour you may find a slight difference in tint or shade. As long as you complete each room or HSL section from the same can or bucket it normally doesn't make a difference BUT if you have to go back and re-touch a damaged area (as often happens when heavy furniture is moved back into tight spots) a difference in shading can ruin all your good work. Label the can and make a note of which areas it was used on and keep the "empty" can until the end just in case. For future touching-up you can pour a little into a lidded container for storage and dispose safely of the initial container.

 

How to "Cut in"?

Check "What Are You Painting" and click on "Woodwork"

 

Tips for painting gloss on varnished stair spindles?

Use Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 or Allcoat Multi-Surface (or any good-quality water-based primer) first then paint on the finish coat in either gloss, eggshell or satin finish.

 

Difference between oil-based and water-based paints?

Check "Types of Paint"

 

Paint is peeling from bathroom ceiling.

Check "Problems & Repairs", click on "Peeling, Cracked or Blistered Paint" and view the ensuite ceiling section.

 

Ideal colour for hall stairs and landing with stairs and landing varnished?

Colour is a matter of personal taste taking into account the amount of light entering the area, the type and colour of the flooring e.g. light wood or dark carpet, and ceiling height. You can get advice on colours and interior design by going to the "Links" page.

 

How to paint over wallpaper?

Check "What Are You Painting" and click on "Over Wallpaper" for a complete guide to how it's done.

 

Can you paint doors using eggshell paint?

Yes of course, eggshell paint is extremely hard-wearing if applied as described within DIYPaintingGuide.com.

 

Can you paint over gloss paint with eggshell paint?

Yes of course. Sand down the item to give a good key. Hoover, then wash down with sugar-soap. Rinse and allow to dry. If necessary you can apply a primer which will give an even better finish - especially if using water-based paint. Depending on the item you might want to consider the different levels of finish.

 

How to use a mini gloss paint roller?

Check "Useful Products & Tips 2" and click on the gloss-roller section.

 

Ladder for painting landing?

Check "Useful Products & Tips 2" and click on Ladders" and also "Useful Products & Tips 3" and click "Stairmate".

 

How do I paint a stair landing - it's so high up?

Check "Useful Products & Tips 2" and click on Ladders" and also "Useful Products & Tips 3" and click "Stairmate".

 

Can you spray wardrobe doors?

Yes of course. Provided you have the room, the equipment and the skill. Spraying paint is easy, spray-painting definitely is not and is best left to a professional. You can achieve an almost sprayed-on fnish if you follow the Level1, 2 and 3 approach. Click here for detailed instructions.

 

How do you remove wallpaper from behind a radiator?

Yes - difficult. Click here for some suggestions.

 

Can I paint over varnish?

Yes of course. Sand roughly to provide good "key" for new varnish. Hoover to remove dust particles. Wash with Sugar Soap. Apply a good water-based primer such as Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 and allow to dry thoroughly. Depending on the type of finish you want apply either eggshell or full-gloss paint. Repeat coats until you achieve the desired level of finish.

 

Varnish Preparation

Over new wood i.e never varnished before

 

Sand smooth. Hoover to remove dust particles. Wipe with White Spirit to clean wood fibres. Stir varnish thorughly. Spread evenly using brush or gloss roller.

 

Over previously varnished wood.

 

Sand roughly to provide good "key" for new varnish. Hoover to remove dust particles. If floor surface wash with cleaning fluid. Dry thoroughly.Wipe entire surface with White Spirit. Stir varnish thoroughly. Spread evenly using brush or gloss roller.

 

Best way to varnish stair spindles (balusters)

 

As above remembering that you can use a gloss roller as described in the "Hall, Stairs and Landing" section for awkward to reach ones.

 

Paint for a fireplace?

Usually a good quality gloss or eggshell paint (either oil or water based) will give an excellent finish. However certain fireplaces may require that the immediate fire surround and grate be painted. In this case you MUST use a paint that is certified to a certain number of degrees heat resistance. Your local DIY Decor Store will be able to advise you.

 

What's the best paint for bathrooms?

Many manufacturers have special ranges of paint that are more resistant to condensation found in bathrooms, kitchens and shower enclosures. The downside is that can be quite a bit more expensive and the range of colours can be limited. An alternative is a product like Zinsser Perma White which is a) right on the money for damp resistance and b) tintable.

 

How do I paint a ceiling without straining my neck?

Use a roller attached to an extension pole and work from the ground.

 

How do I fill a crack in a ceiling?

Look here - Cracks.

 

How do I strip paint or varnish?

Two methods: - 1. Chemical paint stripper 2. Electric Heat Gun

If using a chemical stripper such as Nitromors or Paramose you need to take appropriate precautions. Chemicals are caustic and may burn eyes and skin; they will also remove the surface of whatever they drip onto. So take precautions: wear gloves and eye protection and place drop-cloths at the base of whatever you're stripping.

 

Heat-guns, while not caustic, punch out somehere between 1600 and 2000 watts of heat. Again, wear gloves and protect your eyes.

 

How do I paint over tiles?

There are proprietary tile primer paints available in most countries. In reality all you need is Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3.

 

What's the best way to strip stair spindles?

Check out the Stripping Paint & Varnish page. This gives and example of a real-life front door but the principle is the same. Presumably the spindles are either painted or varnished - the only difference is that there are parts of them that can be quite hard to reach. Personally I would use either a chemical or water-based stripper and use a bit of ingenuity when it comes to accessing the hard to reach parts - perhaps an old toothbrush, steel-wool etc.

 

Top layer coming away while stripping wallpaper from plasterboard?

Plasterboard aka "Drywall" or "Gypsum Board" is gypsum plaster sandwiched between two thick sheets of paper and is a popular method of internal wall construction. In my experience you cannot remove paper from plasterboard successfully because of the paper sheets. When you steam or strip the top layer of wallpaper it will also pull away the binding sheet, leaving an unsightly and uneven surface which is impossible to paint successfully. Plasterboard is easily identified by tapping the surface; if it sounds hollow and light it's plasterboard so don't even attempt to strip the surface.

 

Instead check out the "Over Wallpaper" page.

 

How do I remove a dado rail and repair the damage to the wall?

Dado rails are usually nailed-on but in certain cases may have been glued on. Examine the surface of the rail for signs of nails - bear in mind that some people use a mitre joint instead of a butt joint for the very purpose of hiding the nails from view. The rails will have been cut at a 45 degree angle instead of 90 degrees so that one section overlaps the next. If this looks like the case then prise away the top join and see if there's a nail underneath. Use a hammer and chisel to carefully prise the rail away from the wall. Any damage can be easily repaired using a lightweight filler such as spackling.

 

 

           Mitre joint

 

Can I use Silicone sealant in place of Acrylic filler (Caulk)?

Certainly wouldn't recommend it. For one, silicone is extremely sticky and cannot be removed from you or the surface with water. It is extremely difficult to apply cleanly unless you are a practitioner of the art and lastly - it cannot be painted over in the same way that caulk can.

 

How do I use my ladder sideways on a staircase?

Use a Stairmate.

 

Will wallpaper come down with just steam?

Almost certainly. Steam is pumped out at 100 degrees celcius; wallpaper really doesn't stand much chance BUT NEITHER DOES PLASTER so be careful not to let the steam-plate sit too long in the same spot!

 

Should I use a brush or a roller to emulsion my ceiling?

These days a roller is almost always used; a brush is simply too time consuming and tiring. HOWEVER... there are certain ceilings e.g those in Victorian properties which may be damaged extensively if you use a standard 9" roller - the suction is too great and will pull off the existing paint. Two alternatives - 1. use a mini-roller carefully 2. use a wide brush!

 

How do I fix wallpaper which is separating?

Use PVA adhesive.

 

What causes paint to run?

Loading the brush with too much paint. Click here for the steps to a pro-finish.

 

What is the best way to strip a varnished table and repaint in eggshell?

The first thing to say is that the table does not need to be stripped. With high-adhesion primers available today there are many instances where stripping is just not necessary. It needs to be lightly sanded to remove any rough areas or cracked varnish, washed down with sugar-soap, primed with a high-quality water-based primer and then painted with eggshell. It is also advisable to fill in any dents or holes which show up when the primer is applied. If you want a really professional finish - click here.

 

 

Is matt or soft-sheen better for hiding bumps? 

Matt!