Painting tips please

[Bazzinga]

Hi. Newly single Mum, slowly getting my house in order. Both DC will be in nursery from next week leaving me three hours a day. The whole house needs painting, all woodwork,radiators the lot. Any tips will be appreciated.

[Blackgrouse]

When I decorate I do woodwork first, then ceilings, then walls, and use water based paints. They dry much more quickly and it is a lot easier to clean the brushes and get paint off carpets etc if you spill any.

I would do all woodwork in a gloss finish (but water based). I had all our woodwork done in a satin finish, I thought it looked better than gloss and assumed it would be as hardwearing but 2 years on I want it all changed to gloss. It just looks scruffy all the time from my dd's and the dog.

[Bazzinga]

Ooh thank you! I thought wood work had to be Gloss gloss.
And woodwork before walls. I'm glad I asked!

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I do walls first, then woodwork. I wish I'd seen this before doing my hall today, with plans to do woodwork next week!

I've used satinwood and quick dry gloss, but personally don't think you can beat the really thick white gloss that takes an age to dry. Unfortunately that doesn't work well with little dc around but I find the finish is much much better. I'm sending my dc away for two days next week so I can do our gloss paint.

[Bazzinga]

Yes! No chance if mine going away, except to nursery I think... yeah will be short slots, may even have to be a one wall at a time kind of system...

[thenewaveragebear1983]

The walls not so bad, they dry in an hour or so. The woodwork takes ages to dry and will really suffer from being bumped or knocked while drying. Quick drying satin might be better for you in that instance. It sounds silly but it pays to make sure you use the same brand throughout as well especially if you're doing it in stages (rAther than buying what's on offer for example, at the time) because they age differently and will look different over time.

I'd recommend buying the very best brushes you can afford too- I've always been a bit of a bargain hunter, but in this new house I treated myself to some beautiful brushes and better quality rollers and they really do make a difference to the finish.

[Blackgrouse]

I think you're supposed to do the glossing last but I'm not a very neat decorator so when I glossed after painting the walls I used to have to use masking tape above the skirting or I'd end up with gloss on the walls. If I've glossed first I can just wipe the emulsion off the skirting after I've finished the walls.

You can use satin, eggshell or gloss on woodwork, oil or water based. I've found water based gloss (as long as you get a decent one) to be ok and it is dry within an hour so much easier when trying to get it done between school/nursery time.