How to prepare a room for decorating
When it comes to achieving a perfect paint finish, when you want your wallpaper to look wonderful – unfortunately it’s true when they say that it’s all in the preparation. The good news is that it’s not as tiresome as it used to be – there’s a whole load of help at hand to make the job easy. Prepare, paint, paper and be proud!
Stripping Paint
Step 1
Paint stripping can be a messy job. Clear furniture, pictures and rugs out of the way, and cover anything that you can’t easily move. It can also be smelly, so make sure you open the windows before you get started. Ensure you have the necessary personal protection equipment.
Step 2
Move the hot air jet steadily over the surface, concentrating on a small area at a time. Keep it moving to avoid burning the paint and the wood below.
Step 3
Hold the paint stripper’s nozzle 100-150mm (4-6 inches) from the surface until the paint just starts to bubble and is soft enough to be scraped away.
Step 4
Once all the paint has been stripped, whizz over the area with a sander to ensure a smooth, even finish – then wipe with white spirit before you paint or varnish.
Stripping Wallpaper
Step 1
If you need to remove wallpaper, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s a lot easier than it used to be. Forget the sweat, tears and all that scraping – get hold of a wallpaper stripper.
Step 2
Remove furniture and clutter from your working area and cover the floor and anything you can’t move with a dust sheet. Ensure the room is well ventilated and that you have the necessary personal protection equipment.
Step 3
Before trying to strip vinyl or painted wall coverings, use a wallpaper perforator to pierce the surface. This makes it easier for the steam to get through to the adhesive.
Step 4
Make sure the steam supply hose is fully uncoiled and then place the stripper plate against the paper.
Step 5
Apply light pressure against the surface, concentrating on a few square metres at a time. As the adhesive softens, lift the paper off with a scraper. For stubborn areas, repeat the steam treatment until the wallpaper scrapes off easily.
Preparing Walls for Re-decorating
Step 1
Once you’ve got rid of the old wall covering, spend a bit of time preparing the wall surface to ensure you’ll get a good, smooth finish.
Step 2
Wipe down walls with a warm damp cloth. Give skirting boards and door frames a once-over, too.
Step 3
Smooth and flatten any lumps and bumps using a drywall sanding kit or small sander.
Step 4
Fill any cracks or small holes, allow to dry and then sand smooth.
