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Cleaning, Hoovering, Covering, Masking, Sanding, Filling |
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Cleaning Woodwork
The biggest obstacle to a professional finish is a poorly prepared surface. Paint will not stick to a greasy or dirty surface. Sugar Soap is a very effective surface cleaner which removes dirt, grease and stains leaving the surface ready for painting. You can buy it ready-made in a bottle – just dilute it - or as a ready diluted mix in a spray bottle. It also comes in powder form – just mix with water.
I find it useful to spray the sugar-soap either onto the surface directly or onto the cloth. Rinse off with a damp cloth. |
Hoovering
Dust, hairs and cobwebs are a major obstacle to a professional finish. Hoover your room thoroughly to remove them before starting to paint. And don’t forget to look up - cobwebs tend to go unseen at ceiling level!
Don't forget to hoover the ceiling!
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Covering
Cover everything likely to get any paint on it. Floors, furniture, wooden window-sills, tables, chairs etc. If you don’t cover something, it will get paint on it. Guaranteed!
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Cover clothes with lightweight plastic
masking film if not removing them!
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Sanding
A flexible sanding block is a really useful tool. They come in varying grades from coarse to fine and give a nice, smooth finish to filled surfaces. A 100 grade block is probably the most versatile since it is rough enough to sand coarse fillers but fine enough to sand a lightweight filler such as spackling to a smooth surface.
For very-fine sanding use 240 grade sandpaper or higher.
For larger surface areas e.g. doors, a power-sander is really useful. You’ll get through the job quickly and evenly with the added benefit that most sanders come with a dust-bag attachment minimising cleanup.
If you are painting a surface that requires a really fine finish you should use ‘wet and dry’ sandpaper. The problem with dry sanding is that it puts fine particles into the air which in turn land back on the surface to be painted. Sanding ‘wet’ avoids this. You must use a paper branded as ‘wet and dry’; if you try to wet ordinary sandpaper the backing sheet tends to go soggy and eventually disintegrates.
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Nails, Screws and Picture Hooks
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Masking
Masking tape is one of the best means to getting a professional finish. But there is no point in masking off things if it is done carelessly or loosely! Time spent masking-off will more than pay for itself in reduced painting time later and a much better finished-product.
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Masking across top edge of skirting-board Masking-off a picture rail
due to dark emulsion on walls
Remove the door (give or take only 6 screws!
Put masking-tape along this edge to prevent unsightly
overpainting onto the wardrobe edge
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Filling
· Small Deep Holes
Deep holes can be successfully plugged using tinfoil and a lightweight filler such as spackling. Tear the tinfoil and scrunch it into a sausage shape. Pack it into the hole, Use more tinfoil as necessary. Leave about a quarter to half an inch at the opening and fill this with lightweight filler. Leave to set. Fill again until the filler is slightly protruding, Sand and paint! |
Deep holes left in plaster after radiator The finished look!
was removed
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· Larger Damage
Sometimes walls have larger areas of damage which need to be repaired before a finish coat can be applied e.g. when using a steam stripper to take off wallpaper it can dislodge the plaster if left in one place too long. Don’t panic! Most damage can be fixed almost invisibly quite easily.
Method:
1. Clean out the area and remove any loose material
2. Apply a ready mixed plaster to the area. You can use a plasterers trowel or the
spreader which either comes with, or can be bought separately to, skim plaster.
3. Unless the damage is shallow don’t try and get a finished surface in one go; fill the
area roughly first, score the surface with criss-cross lines to give a good bond to
the next fill. Leave to set thoroughly.
4. It helps a lot if the spreader you use is longer than the areas longest measurement.
This means you can get an even spread across the whole area without having to
remove “tram lines”.
5. Let each fill dry thoroughly. Fill any imperfections with lightweight spackling. Lightly
sand if necessary.
6. Prime the damaged area with a suitable primer
7. Paint as normal.
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Sometimes previously "repaired" surfaces can be so badly done that there is nothing to do but major surgery! In the example below the wall surface above the door had been unbelievably poorly done...
Rough and rock-hard filler meant sanding was not an option
There was nothing else for it but to chisel out the old filler, fill with Spackling, smooth and sand to a fine finish then paint as normal. With a little bit of effort you can achieve an invisible repair.
Chiselled out
Filled
The finished look
