• Strip old wallpaper if there is any, unless of course you are painting over it. A word of caution. Sometimes (especially in older properties) walls were papered to hide a variety of underlying problems so before you remove that wallpaper, think about what may lie beneath and if in doubt get some professional advice.
• Fill holes and larger cracks using filler. We would highly recommend Toupret Quick Dry Filler for most internal jobs. It comes in a powder form which you just mix with water to the desired consistency. Unless you are filling a deep hole it will be dry enough to sand down within about 3 hours. Many other fillers cracks will need 8 hours or more which can hamper your progress.
• When the filler is dry, sand it down to ensure it is flat / level with the surrounding wall.
• Use decorators caulk to fill smaller gaps and cracks such as those that often appear between walls and ceilings or between walls and skirting boards. Do not use silicone sealant for these jobs as you will encounter problems painting over it.
• Rub down old woodwork. It is a good idea to lightly rub down any woodwork that you will be painting to give the new paint a “key”. In other words something to grab onto. If you paint directly onto already glossy woodwork you will get a less desirable and long-lasting result.
• Before painting, wash down the walls and woodwork with warm soapy water. This ensures you remove any dust or dirt which will affect the quality of the finish. It is a good idea to use “sugar soap” which helps to remove greasy marks.

If you think that all this work sounds a bit daunting, and that it may be worth getting the professionals in after all then please give us a call on 01604 926060.