Most people feel that they have the skills to tackle a bit of home decorating. After all, how difficult can it be the throw up some wallpaper or splash a bit of paint over the walls and woodwork? There’s a difference, however, between doing a job and doing a great job! This week we’re going to share some top tips for finishing off your decorating like a pro. But first you need to be prepared…
Preparation is half the battle
Prepare properly by planning exactly how you’ll approach the task. Invest in the best quality paint, wallpaper and tools you can afford, because these will make it so much easier to work. Professional decorators don’t make do with inferior gear so you shouldn’t either – let’s face it, it’s almost impossible to paint well with an old brush you found in the garden shed!
Spend as much time as possible preparing your walls by filling in any imperfections, sanding and washing down with sugar soap. This task can seem tedious, but it’s worth the effort – especially if you’re painting rather than wallpapering.
Masking off
It’s the finishing and detail that separates a pro’s work from the average amateur, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be sloppy. Mask off your light and plug fittings with neat straight lines of masking tape, and do the same with your walls or ceilings, but with decorator’s tape instead, which isn’t as tacky and will not pull paint from the wall or paper.
Prevent paint from bleeding under the tape by making sure that you press it down firmly at the edges. Paint away from the tape rather than towards it, and use a fairly dry brush for the first coat to create a seal along the tape – another great way to prevent bleeding.
It’s also worth taping down drop cloths to protect your carpets and floors from paint. You’ll be amazed (but not in a good way!) at how much mess a single drop of paint spread around the room on your shoes can make.
We also suggest wrapping a black bin liner around your light fittings and covering any furniture that isn’t being removed from the room.
Work from the top down
There’s little point painting or wallpapering your walls and skirting boards and then doing the ceiling and alcoves! Always start at the top and work down to prevent ruining your work.
Touching up
Okay, so we know that you’re exhausted and you want to put your feet up and forget about the decorating, but it’s well worth going around the room and checking for imperfections. In our experience, DIYers who don’t touch up the little imperfections straight away tend to leave them forever – something a pro would never do!