Do's and Don'ts of Renovating

PAINTING

DO make light work of painting timber panelling. Cut down the number of coats you’ll need, by tinting the primer. Ask your paint supplier to adjust the primer to about half the colour density of the final shade.

DO prepare walls in kitchens and bathrooms by using a low-sheen acrylic with a fungicidal additive. Special anti-mould paints are also available.

DO take stair painting in your stride! Paint every second tread and let the paint dry before painting the others, so you’ll be able to use the stairs while work proceeds.

DO keep things neat when painting skirtings next to carpet by running strips of 50mm duct tape on the carpet. Put it along the skirting, with one edge of the tape extending 10mm up onto the skirting. Tuck the extended edge down between the carpet and the skirting with a putty knife. Pull the tape away when the paint’s dry.

DO keep it clean! Cover odd-shaped bits you want to keep paint splatter-free (the phone, doorknobs, lights) with kitchen plastic wrap.

DO always use low-tack masking tape to avoid damaging the finish when the tape is removed

DON’T be drippy! When painting a ceiling, wrap a few thicknesses of an old towel or cloth around the brush and secure with a rubber band. There’ll be no more paint running down the handle.

DON’T neglect the bottom of doors. If you don’t paint the top and bottom edges, they can swell in damp weather. But it’s a drag having to take them off their hinges for painting, right? Well, think laterally. Why not use a scrap of carpet as a paintbrush?

DON’T ignore the textured-wall formula. If you’re painting walls with deep depressions, such as old panelling or textured walls, roll the paint on in an ‘N’ or ‘W’ pattern, then spread it and work it into the depressions by holding the roller at a 15-30° angle while pushing or pulling in a straight line. You’ll find this action will force the paint into the depressions.

DON’T be slapdash when painting doors. The fastest way is with a 6mm-nap roller. Flatten the stipple left by the roller with a paint-moistened 75mm synthetic brush. Take long, light strokes starting from the top of the door and from the bottom, gently lifting the bristles off the surface at the middle. Also follow this order for painting panelled doors; begin with the edges, then do the rails (horizontals) and then the stiles (verticals).