| Surface preparation is vital, and can make or | | | | don't perform as expected. |
| break a paint job. Ensure you fill any holes and | | | | Always look after your quality equipment so you |
| take off any old flaky paint, and then sand back | | | | can use it again. For cleaning acrylic paint from |
| to form a smooth finish. The "she'll be right, the | | | | brushes use water to remove most of the paint |
| paint will fill in the holes" theory is totally incorrect! | | | | residue, and then use a brush cleaning product and |
| Always check the surface before starting to paint | | | | rinse again, then use dish washing liquid and a final |
| with a light to see if there are any blemishes.Make | | | | rinse in water. For Enamel, use mineral turpentine |
| sure the surface you are going to paint is clean!! | | | | to initially clean the brush, and then the brush |
| This is essential, especially in kitchen areas where | | | | cleaner, then the turpentine again. Use a bucket |
| the walls can have oily residue from cooking. Use | | | | for these processes, you use less product and |
| sugar soap for cleaning.Get rid of any problems | | | | can use the side to press the brushes against to |
| before you paint, mould - use household bleach | | | | remove any paint residue.Remove all fittings that |
| diluted 1:5 with water to remove the visible mould | | | | you can, ie door handles, light fixtures, and use |
| and find out why it is happening, and fix it. Stains | | | | painter's masking tape around any that cannot be |
| from nicotine - these are nasty as they bleed | | | | removed ie door hinges, light switches, glass in |
| through the paint. Seal the area with a proprietary | | | | windows. A sloppy paint job is obvious when you |
| stain block, or use a couple of coats of solvent | | | | see paint all over the light switch!Lee Brown is an |
| based paint.Select good quality paint products, if | | | | experienced professional designer and co founder |
| you are unsure of what you are buying, make | | | | of interiordezine.com, a website dedicated to |
| sure you ask and get the experts to specify the | | | | providing free interior design and decorating |
| correct preparation required, product, and | | | | information. Go and look at to see if you can |
| sequence of application.Always use quality branded | | | | answer some of your home decorating questions |
| equipment (brushes & rollers etc), as they usually | | | | now! |
| have a guarantee or come back if they brake or | | | | |