Painting & decorating guides — HomeGraft

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PAINTING & DECORATING · 10 STEPSPaint MDFSand, fill and seal MDF properly, then apply primer and two topcoats for a smooth, durable finish.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSPaint new plaster with a mist coatSeal new plaster with a diluted mist coat before painting, once it's fully dry, to stop patchy colour later.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 10 STEPSPaint over a damp patch once the cause is fixedCheck the damp is truly gone, treat staining, then fill, prime and repaint the patch to match the wall.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 8 STEPSPaint over a dark colour with a light onePrep, prime and paint in two or three thin coats so a light colour fully hides a dark one underneath.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSPaint over gloss with water-based paintSand, clean and prime old gloss paintwork so water-based paint sticks properly, then apply two even coats.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 10 STEPSPaint over wallpaperCheck, repair and seal your wallpaper properly, then paint it like a normal wall for a quick, fresh finish.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSPaint skirting boardsClean, fill, sand and paint skirting boards in stages so each coat dries properly and edges stay sharp.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 10 STEPSPaint stripes or colour blocks on a wallPlan, mask and paint neat stripes or colour blocks, sealing tape edges so colours stay crisp and bleed-free.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSPaint uPVC window frames or doorsClean, key, prime and paint uPVC window frames or doors for a smooth, durable finish that won't peel.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 10 STEPSPaint wall tilesClean, prime and repaint ceramic wall tiles for a fresh, hard-wearing finish without full retiling.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 12 STEPSPaint walls with an airless sprayerLearn to mask up, choose the right tip, spray evenly, and clean an airless sprayer for a smooth wall finish.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 12 STEPSPaint window frames insidePrep, sand, fill and paint window frames inside for a smooth, durable, professional-looking finish that lasts years.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 8 STEPSPrepare a room for paintingClear, protect, mask, fill and clean the room so walls and ceiling are ready to paint evenly.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 8 STEPSRemove old flaking paintStrip flaking paint back to a sound surface, check for lead if your home is older, then prime bare patches ready to repaint.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 8 STEPSRemove paint drips and runsSand down a dried paint drip, dust off, then touch up with matching paint for a smooth, invisible finish.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSRemove wallpaper paste residue before paintingSoften old wallpaper paste with warm water, scrape it off gently, then wash, dry and prime the wall before painting.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 8 STEPSRepair a torn patch of wallpaperPatch or reglue a torn section of wallpaper so the repair blends in and stays stuck down.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 7 STEPSSand walls and woodwork before paintingSand walls and woodwork to a smooth, dust-free surface so new paint goes on evenly and lasts longer.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSSeal bare plaster before wallpaperingSeal fresh or old plaster with a diluted sealer before wallpapering, so paste doesn't soak in unevenly and paper won't slip or tear later.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 11 STEPSStencil a wall or floorLearn to stencil a repeating pattern neatly on a wall or floor using tape, paint and a steady, patient hand.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSStick down peeling wallpaper seamsFix lifting wallpaper seams with the right adhesive, pressing, rolling and drying properly so they stay flat.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 10 STEPSStrip paint from woodwork with a heat gunStrip old paint from skirting, doors and mouldings safely using a heat gun, scraper and the right PPE.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSStrip painted-over wallpaperScore painted wallpaper, soak it, scrape it off wall by wall, then wash and fill ready for redecorating.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSStrip wallpaperStrip old wallpaper safely from any wall or ceiling, without damaging the surface underneath or wetting your electrics.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSStrip wallpaper with a steamerSteam off old wallpaper safely, working section by section and adjusting your technique to suit the wall underneath.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSTouch up paint without it showingMatch the paint, prep the patch, then feather thin coats so touch-ups blend invisibly into the surrounding wall.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 13 STEPSUpcycle a chest of drawers with paintSand, prime and paint a tired chest of drawers for a fresh new look, all in a weekend.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 11 STEPSVarnish or stain interior woodworkSand, stain if you like, then apply two or three coats of varnish, drying and light sanding between each coat.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 12 STEPSWallpaper a ceilingPrepare the ceiling, then paste and hang paper in lengths across the shorter width, working safely from a platform.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 10 STEPSWallpaper a staircaseLearn to hang wallpaper neatly up a staircase, matching pattern on the sloping wall and trimming tricky angles safely.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 10 STEPSWallpaper around a windowLearn how to wallpaper neatly around a window, matching the pattern and cutting clean lines at the frame and reveal.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 8 STEPSWallpaper around internal and external cornersLearn to wrap wallpaper cleanly around internal and external corners without bubbles, tears or wonky pattern lines.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 10 STEPSWallpaper around light switches and socketsPaper up to each switch and socket safely, with the power off, then trim neatly and refit the faceplate.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 13 STEPSWallpaper behind a radiatorTake the radiator off the wall safely, paper behind it neatly, then reconnect everything without leaks.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 8 STEPSWash walls with sugar soapClean walls thoroughly with sugar soap to remove grease and dirt before painting, working top to bottom and rinsing well.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 9 STEPSWork out how many rolls of wallpaper you needMeasure your walls and work out exactly how many wallpaper rolls to buy, with spare for mistakes and pattern matching.

PAINTING & DECORATING · 7 STEPSWork out how much paint you needMeasure your room, work out wall and ceiling area, then use the tin's coverage rate to calculate how much paint to buy.