Painting and Decorating

There are 1001 different types of paint available on the market, most of the paints are designed for specific tasks. A close inspection of the shelves of your local DIY store will help to reassure you that your choices don't need to be difficult.

Follow our guide to understand the type of paint that you need and the rules and tried and tested techniques will ensure that you get a good finish with your painting and decorating.

First up what are the different types of paint.

Types of Paint

DIY Focus Tip - The type of paint you choose will depend on the finish that you require and the material you are decorating

Solvent Based Paints

Solvent based paints (aka oil paints) are the type used by most professional painters and decorators.

The paint is a mixture of oils and resin, paints made from a natural resin dry slowly. Luckily most modern solvent based paints contain a synthetic resin that makes the paint dry quicker so you won't be stuck watching paint dry.

Water Based Paints

Emulsion paint is probably the most common type of water based paint, again water based paints are produced with a synthetic resin normally vinyl.

Water based paints are intended for finishing interior woodwork and normally dry with a semi matt finish.

Paint Additives

During the manufacture process additives are added to paint in order to give the paint desirable qualities from these additives we get.

• High Gloss Paint
• Faster Drying Paint
• Non Drip Paint
• Non Drip Paint

Paint Thinners

When paint is too thick a paint thinner can be used to thin the paint prior to use this will help with the application of the paint.

Solvent based paints are thinned using white spirit
Water based paints can be thinned using water

Get to the Painting

OK enough about the types of paint you can get let's focus on getting the stuff on the walls. I swear by preparing the walls prior to painting.

I do this by washing the walls with sugar soap to get rid of any dirt, better to paint on clean walls and you will be surprised after using the sugar soap how dirty the walls can get.

Paint Coats

Start with a Primer, Undercoat and finally the Finish.

Primers are designed to seal surfaces, choose your primer depending on the surface. There are paint primers that are designed specially for plaster or wood. Choosing a primer that is designed for the surface will give you a better finish than using a universal primer.

The undercoat layer is to obliterate any underlying colour and to give you a blank canvas to start painting.

Paint Smart

Start with the ceiling - use emulsion on the ceiling first this is simply to avoid worrying about any splashes on the walls as you can cover them later. You may want to consider wearing safety goggles to avoid any paint splashed going in your eyes.

DIY Focus Tip - It is well worth using masking tape to protect doorframes etc

There is a lot more to cover on various areas of painting from choosing the correct equipment to cleaning and protecting painting equipment.

If you have any tips feel free to comment..