How to Redecorate your home Materials • Surface filler • Undercoat • Mineral turpentine (cleaning up enamel paint) • Sandpaper • Paint • Sugar Soap Tools • • • • Scrapers (preferably a selection of broad, narrow and angled) Paint Brushes or rollers, including accessories such as paint trays Wallpaper steamer and perforator (If applicable) Step Ladder, extension ladder or trestles, aluminium scaffold and planks • • • Belt sander, disc sander, orbital sander, palm orbital sander, triangular sander Electric paint stripper, electric paint remover, concrete renovator, paint sprayer, drop sheets Bucket, sponges and rags Removing Wallpaper and Paint The key to a successful paint job is through surface preparation. If time is limited, rather than rushing the preparation and ruining the final appearance of your new paintwork, use the right equipment to carry out the work much faster. Prior to painting you will need to remove any existing wallpaper, preferably by steaming it off with a wallpaper steamer. This machine minimises any damage to the surface underneath that might be caused by attempting to scrape off or peel away the paper. Even with a steamer, wallpaper removal can be a relatively slow process. Remove any wallpaper paste residue with sugar soap. If the wallpaper has impervious vinyl coating or has been painted, use a perforator roller to form pinholes in the surface through which steam can effectively penetrate. On painted surfaces, check for any peeling or defective paintwork. If you suspect that the paint isn’t adequately bonded to the surface underneath, scratch an “X” in the paintwork and apply a fresh piece of sticky-tape over the mark. Pull the tape up quickly- if the paint comes away with the tape, the area should be stripped back to a stable underlying paint or the substrate (bare material). With the right tools and a little effort, you can redecorate your home yourself, saving money and ensuring you get the look you want. surfaces such as timber, the Metabo Electric Paint Remover is extremely efficient in removing multiple layers of paint, and the Festo Electric Concrete Renovator will quickly remove paint from concrete and cement render. If you suspect that the paintwork is lead-based (i.e. before about 1980) or the substrate has asbestos (ie. before the mid 1970’s), contact your local paint outlet for specific advise before removing any more paintwork. Where it is not necessary to remove all paintwork, sand the edges of any bare patches to a featheredge, i.e. remove any ridge at the edge of the paint layer. Run your fingers over the area- if you can still feel a ridge, it will be visible when the final paint coats are applied. For most surfaces, sanding is an effective form of paint removal. Belt sanders remove a lot of material quickly- orbital sanders are less aggressive and leave a smoother surface. Oscillating triangular sanders are ideal for tight corners and hard-to-get-at-areas, and electric paint strippers work well on awkward areas such as window frames and decorative ironwork. On Practical advice from the professionals at Kennards. Restoring the surface Fill any defects in the surface with an appropriate filler (plaster-based for plasterboard and masonry, woodfiller for timber and metafiller for steel). Slightly overfill the hole and sand back level when the filler has fully cured (overnight or longer for most fillers). Wash thoroughly with sugar soap solution to remove dust or residue wallpaper glue. When the surface to be painted is smooth and level, apply a primer, undercoat and two colour coats. The primer provides a good base for subsequent coats and the undercoat covers up the colour of the underlying paint or substrate so that it doesn’t affect the final colour of the paint work. Two colour coats are usually applied so that any thin patches in the first coat are eliminated with the second coat. With strong colours, it may be necessary to apply a third coat for a truly even appearance. Chalky substrates should be coated with a sealer before the primer is applied. On surfaces in good condition a primer/undercoat which combines both functions in the one coat may be used. Most decorative house paints are enamel or acrylic. Modern acrylic paints are suitable for most applications including bathrooms, kitchens and external surfaces, though they should be kept reasonably dry up to a week to fully cure. They clean up in water, have little smell and can be re-coated in a matter of hours. Enamels usually flow on better, providing a better finish with gloss paints, and they are more resistant to hard knocks, making them well suited to items such as skirting boards, doors and door frames. They clean up with mineral turps and typically have to be left overnight between coats. Most paints out gas (i.e. emit fumes) after application so bedrooms should not be slept in for a day or two after painting. If you are sensitive to paint fumes, either allow the room several days or more to air or use one of the low-odour paints now available. Hire tools that make your job easy Using the right equipment will not only make your painting job easier, it will make it much faster, giving you more time for the other things you want to do. Wallpaper steamer and perforator A wallpaper steamer from Kennards Hire is simple and easy to use. Fill it with water and wait 15-20 minutes for the water to boil. Apply the steam plate to each section of wallpaper in turn and allow it to steam the covering free. Every hour or so it will be necessary to re-fill the unit and re-boil the water, but these breaks are a good time to have a cuppa. A perforator is also available for hire. Ladders and trestles Avoid injury by using the appropriate access equipment to reach ceilings, eaves and the upper areas on high walls. Kennards hire has a large range of stepladders, extension ladders and trestles in a variety of heights. Paint sprayers For large areas Kennards Hire have two airless paint sprayers to choose from, a 3,600psi model and a smaller 2,700-psi model. For difficult surfaces such as fences, ironwork and cane furniture, a HVLP spray unit with minimum overspray is fast and easy to use. Electric paint stripper Vacuum cleaner Most domestic vacuum cleaners are designed to collect dust, not paint chips. Avoid ruining your cleaner by hiring an industrial quality vacuum cleaner from Kennards Hire. When dry vacuuming (the unit is also available for wet use), the cleaner can be fitted with a paper and cloth filter for best results. Sanders For removing paint from different surfaces, Kennards Hire has heavy-duty belt sanders, disc sanders, orbital sanders, palm sanders, Fein oscillating triangular sanders, Metabo electric paint removers and Festo concrete renovators. Discuss your needs with the friendly staff at Kennards Hire to determine the right equipment for your project. Drop sheets & safety gear To prevent unwanted paint spills on finished floors, carpets or furniture that can’t be removed, Kennards Hire have inexpensive disposable plastic drop sheets for sale. They also have safety gear such as dust masks, goggles and ear plugs. The heavy-duty electric paint stripper from Kennards Hire removes paint quickly without the hazard of a naked flame from a gas paint stripper. This information is provided as a guide only. Kennards Hire accepts no liability for any aspect of the work, other than the performance of its hire equipment as stated in the conditions for hire.
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