DIY Projects Archives - Rushton & Co - High Quality Decorators in Leeds

A year of decorating tips from Rushton & Co.

Posted on 21st December 20175th July 2018 by Louise Nelhams

As another successful year of decorating your homes draws to a close, it’s time to take a look back at the articles we’ve posted this year. Our goal with our decorating blog is to give you the confidence to take on some of the jobs we think the average DIY or interior design enthusiast can tackle – with our professional advice and decorating tips, of course!

January: Filling and sanding walls ready for painting and wallpaper – We began 2017 by giving you the lowdown on getting a professional finish to your walls in preparation for painting or wallpapering.

February: Everything you need to know about decorator’s varnish – decorator’s varnish is one of the pro’s favourite tricks, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use it too! Learn more here.

March: Sprucing your home up this spring – exterior decorating projects – Make your home look and feel like a new house with these simple but effective exterior spring decorating projects.

April: Spring interior DIY projects – when you’ve finished making the exterior of your house look fantastic, these top tips will make sure that the interior looks fantastic too.

May: Painting a ceiling like a pro – if you shy away from painting your ceilings this is the post for you. Our painting tips will demystify this tricky decorating job.

June: Decorating tips – turning your stairs into a feature – this is one of our favourite ways of transforming your home, and it doesn’t have to be difficult!

July: Repairing a concrete window sill – this may seem like a tough task for a DIYer, but we think you can have a go at all but the most complicated rebuilds if you follow our advice.

August: Interior design inspired by autumn – using the seasons to give you creative ideas for your interior design is a great idea… especially if you’re struggling for inspiration.

September: Our guide to wallpaper for every budget – if you’re thinking about redecorating your home our guide to the best wallpaper available at every price point is exactly what you need.

October: Tips for painting fresh plaster – wait for that plaster to dry or you’ll regret it! Here are our top post-plastering decorating tips.

November: Where to buy your decorating supplies – Ever wondered where the pros buy their supplies? Well, wonder no longer – here are our top picks…

Thanks to all of our customers and blog readers for a brilliant year. We look forward to 2018 where we’ll continue to provide a service with a smile and lots more decorating tips to help you go it alone if you prefer!

Tips for painting fresh plaster

Posted on 29th October 20175th July 2018 by Louise Nelhams

It’s incredibly satisfying to have a room plastered to a high standard, but it needs to be treated carefully in order to get the best finish for your paint – so this month we’re going to give you our top tips for painting fresh plaster like a pro.

Painting fresh plaster

It would seem that painting fresh plaster is a simple task, but if you rush to get the job done you’ll struggle to get the high-quality finish that a well plastered wall deserves. Firstly, it’s absolutely crucial that the wall is dry, but how long do you need to leave it? There’s no definite time frame because every wall, type of plaster, and atmosphere is different, so if you’re not sure it’s best to wait a little longer. Generally, you want the wall to be a uniform light colour with no dark patches – even small dark spots where the wall is still a bit damp could ruin the finish.

Don’t be tempted to speed up the process with hairdryers or fans because that may lead to cracking – instead leave the windows open to allow natural drying to take place.

Once your plaster is dry you may need to lightly sand the surface – although this shouldn’t be necessary if you’re plasterer is a good one! Use a nice fine sandpaper of around 200-400 grit for a smooth finish. After a sanding, it’s time for a mist coat to seal in the plaster…

Mist coat

Essentially, a mist coat is a watered down coat of emulsion that sinks into the plaster to create a surface for the thicker coats of emulsion to stick to. Some decorators recommend a coat of watered down PVA, but it’s much less reliable for the amateur DIYer looking for a simple, quality finish.

The ratio of water to emulsion depends on a number of factors (and which decorator you ask!), but between 50/50 and 70/30 water to paint is a good starting point. As long as the mist coat is watery and has enough paint in to seal the plaster effectively you’re good to go.

Apply the mist coat with a roller and allow to dry for at least 24 hours, but be careful to either remove or cover your floors and furniture because the mist coat paint will splash much more readily than thick emulsion.

Top coat

Once the mist coat is dry you can apply your top coats. As with all painting jobs, it pays to cut in around the edges first with a 2-4 inch brush before applying the paint evenly with a smooth roller. Use the best quality brushes and rollers for a great finish – that’s often the difference between the DIYer and the professional!

Follow these tips and your freshly plastered walls will soon look fantastic – there’s no simpler way to transform a room! Of course, if you’re nervous about undertaking a job like this yourself and you live in the Leeds area, you can call in our professional decorators in to give you a quote!

Repairing a concrete window sill

Posted on 31st July 20175th July 2018 by Louise Nelhams

Repairing a concrete window sill could appear to be a major job that’s far beyond the skills of the average DIYer, but with the proper knowledge, tools, material and preparation, you might find it’s worth considering having a go yourself — unless a complete rebuild is necessary!

Your sill probably isn't this fancy! — Your sill probably isn’t this fancy!

Assessing the damage

Before you begin, you need to assess the damage to determine the extent of the required repair.

Is it simply a case of chipped and flaky paintwork that needs tidying up?
Do you have deeper cracks that need filling?
Is a more extensive rebuild required?

Once you’ve diagnosed the problem you can get cracking, filling in those cracks!

Freshening up the paintwork

You’ll be pleased to hear that this is a relatively easy job. Use a stiff wire brush to remove all the loose paint and dirt, before rubbing down the existing paint with medium grade sandpaper. Be careful to rub down the edges where any larger flakes of paint came away, so that you have a nice smooth gradient for the new paint.

Brush the sill with a soft brush to remove dust and dirt before applying the first coat of masonry paint – after any of the following work has been done if required of course! Allow to dry completely before applying a second and third coat.

Repairing small cracks

Follow the same initial process as with the above method, but pay extra attention to making sure that any cracks are free from dirt and moss — a clean surface is essential for the filler to adhere correctly.

Using a spatula, apply a ready mixed masonry filler like Sandtex to the cracks, taking care to fill them fully and correctly. Allow to dry before sanding flat with medium sandpaper and painting as above.

Rebuilding the sill

Determining when a sill repair requires professional assistance can be tricky, but if there are large chunks missing or the sill appears to be cracked all the way through, it’s probably time to call the pros.

It is possible to fill in quite sizeable holes with the masonry filler method, but if the edges are crumbling away you’ll need to build moulds to shape the sill correctly – a job that’s probably beyond most DIYers skill level.

As you can see, with anything but the most severely damaged example, repairing a concrete window sill yourself is entirely possible. However, if you still think it’s a job too far for you and you’re in the Leeds or Harrogate area, feel free to give us a call or drop us an email and we’ll happily pop around to give you a quote.

Decorating tips – turning your stairs into a feature

Posted on 25th June 20175th July 2018 by Louise Nelhams

When it comes to designing and decorating your home, it’s natural to want to focus on making each room reflect your character. That doesn’t, however, mean that you should neglect the connecting areas of your house e.g. the hallways, corridors and stairs. In fact, with a little bit of creative thinking, you can turn your stairs into a stunning feature in their own right. Here are some decorating tips to inspire you…

Stripped back to the wood

The trend in interior design is very much towards wood – either stripped and varnished or painted. This gives you lots of scope to be innovative with your stairs, such as:

Mixing dark with light – A deep and rich varnish like dark oak for the stairs works great if you use clear varnish for the risers. This style breaks up the stairs and makes them stand out without looking too showy.
Using paint instead of varnish – There’s nothing worse than spending time and money stripping your floorboards back to the wood to find that they’re in poor condition or look ugly. Wood paint will allow you to play around with the dark/light idea while also covering up all the sins of the natural wood.
Mixing it up – Don’t be afraid to try mixing it up and painting the stairs lighter than the risers! This works well if the staircase doesn’t get much natural light as it tends to lift the area.
Painting or varnishing runners – Runners have come in and out of fashion over the years, but we still like to see the creative use of them on a set of stairs. Paint the outer edges the same colour as your skirting boards and either varnish the centre or paint them a visually interesting colour. Consider adding a narrow stripe on either side in the same colour as the centre section for added interest.

More runners

Don’t discount more traditional carpeted runners – they’re fantastic in high traffic areas and will protect your stairs if the wood is old and worn. You can be creative by using nailed down rugs or off-cuts of carpet instead of dedicated runners.

Best of both worlds

Another option that works well, especially if you have noisy stairs, is to paint or varnish the risers and carpet the stairs. The combinations are endless, but make sure that you deal with the risers first so that you don’t drip on your new carpet.

Going the extra mile

LED lights have opened up a whole new world of interior design possibilities, but we bet that you’ve never considered them for your stairs! Try attaching strips of LEDs underneath the overhang of each stair to light up the risers – this works particularly well if you paint or stencil the risers with interesting features, but can look really classy with a simple black and white stair theme too.

As you can see, it’s possible to make your stairway a real feature and talking point with some basic DIY skills, but if you’re not sure what would work in your house give us a call! We’re always happy to offer some advice and personalised decorating tips, or we can just pop round and give you a quote.

Painting a ceiling like a pro

Posted on 25th May 20175th July 2018 by Louise Nelhams

Summoning up the enthusiasm to do a little home decorating is usually pretty easy, but when it comes to painting a ceiling, most people either call in a professional decorator, or just completely ignore it! If this sounds familiar, don’t worry because our guide on painting a ceiling like a pro will demystify the process and, hopefully, leave your hair paint free too!

Tools for painting a ceiling

As with every DIY job, it’s essential to be prepared and have the right gear. Fortunately, you can paint a ceiling without investing in expensive specialist equipment – although there are a couple of things that’ll make this task easier. Let’s take a look at what you need:

A decent roller set
A paint bucket
Easi-fill filler and filling knife
A good quality 2” brush
An extension pole (or old broom handle)
Lots of dust sheets!
Maybe a sanding pole
Sugar soap and sponges
Step ladders

When it comes to buying paint for the ceiling, it pays to spend a little more and get specialised ceiling paint because it’s designed to be almost splatter-free – something your hair will thank you for! We also recommend using good quality stain block paint if there are any water leak patches on the ceiling.

Preparation

Before you start make sure everything is covered with good quality dust sheets because it’s much harder to contain the mess from a ceiling paint job than almost anywhere else. Use Easi-fill to deal with any holes – it’s so easy to use, dries quickly and sands effortlessly.

If the ceiling is flat painted, a quick rub over with 100 grit drywall sandpaper will help to cut through years of dirt and neglect – after all, who washes their ceiling? Follow that with a wash down with sugar soap and water and you’re ready to go.

Painting

As previously mentioned, you’ll need to go over any areas of water damage with a stain-blocking primer first. A couple of coats should do it, but some stubborn stains may need more.

The devil is always in the details, so take the time to cut in – time spent here will make or break your finish so give it your best attention. Using a quality brush and a paint bucket means that you can focus on the job in hand – you only need a little bit of paint at any one time, and a paint bucket helps prevent major spillage accidents.

After cutting in you can get down to the fun part: using the roller! Investing in the best quality lambswool roller will help keep the splatters to a minimum and ensure a really good coverage in the least possible time – that’s the combination a pro looks for. Work the ceiling in small areas, around 5’ square, first rolling one way and then back across the area at 90° to the first coat. Try to keep one edge wet for the next section to avoid overlapping marks, and feather the paint out on the areas you’re not painting next.

Textured ceilings

With a previously painted textured ceiling, it’s quite tough to get the same level of finish, but if you work slightly slower you should be able to get a good coverage. Be careful not to overwork the paint because you risk pulling the old layers from the ceiling – another job for your high-quality lambswool roller.

As with every DIY and decorating job, if you’re careful and prepare properly there’s very little that can go wrong, but we’re always here for friendly advice or a quote if you’d prefer to let the experts take over. Painting a ceiling isn’t the most fun decorating job, but neglect it and you’ll regret it!

Spring interior DIY projects

Posted on 27th April 20175th July 2018 by Louise Nelhams

Last month we gave you our top tips for sprucing up the exterior of your property this spring, but now you’ve made your house sparkle from the outside the inside might be letting it down – don’t worry, though, because this month we’re going to share our top ten interior DIY projects that’ll soon have your house shipshape.

Make your grout sparkle – Nothing ruins a tiled surface like dirty grout. Use a toothbrush or a steam cleaner with a small attachment to give the grout and tiles in your bathroom a really good clean. If the dirt is stubborn, run a hot shower with the doors and windows closed to soften it up before scraping with a grout rake. Finish the job by going over the grout with a grout pen to make it white and fresh again.

Revitalise your skirting boards – Over time gloss paint starts to yellow, so consider rubbing down, priming and repainting your skirting boards. You’ll be surprised at the difference this makes!

Windowsills and wood frames –The same goes for your windowsills and wooden frames: a rub down with sandpaper followed by primer and a lick of gloss or eggshell paint will make them come to life.
First impressions count! – Giving the kick boards by your front and back door a rub down and coat or two of paint will mean the work you did on your exterior to create a great first impression isn’t wasted.
Touch up the walls – Give your walls a scan with a critical eye to see if they need a little TLC. You may not want to paint them all, but check for areas of high traffic to see if they need a fresh coat to bring them back up to scratch.
Decorator’s varnish to the rescue! – Once you’ve painted those high traffic walls, add a coat of matt decorator’s varnish so they’re easy to wipe down – it’ll save you time and money in the long run.
Decals can make a difference – You might like to change things up a little with your interior design without redecorating completely. Decals can add a little interest and freshen things up quickly and effectively.
Paint your radiators – Scuffed and scratched radiators can be a bit of an eyesore, so use radiator paint to bring them back to their former glory. You could also consider investing in some radiator covers for a faster alternative solution.
Patch up peeling wallpaper – Look for edges that have peeled away: if it’s patterned wallpaper use paste to stick them back down; if it’s lining paper you can cut the loose parts out with a sharp blade, mix up some Gyproc Easy-fill and fill in the gaps. This can then be rubbed down and over-painted for a perfect finish.
Deal with mould! – Use mould cleaner to remove mould patches from walls in the bathroom and repaint the affected area. Use mould-resistant paint if it’s a recurring problem. If your silicone around the bath is black the only real solution is to cut it away and start again. Tape up along the line of the wall and bath to create a smooth line, run the silicone along the gap and smooth down with a wet finger before removing the tape.

Get to grips with some or all of these jobs and your home will look much brighter ready for the summer. Of course if you’d prefer to get some professional help with your interior DIY projects and you live in the Leeds area, we’ll be happy to pop along and provide a free quote!