TOP TIPS! What are your top tips that you CAN share?

[Tom d'Angler]

Yes, definitely

He's got his own website.

Do people think we are stupid?

[Puma]

Watch out for mav polystyrene liner, used solvite instead of recommended paste, and it shrunk about 4 - 5 mm at the joins - which are extremely difficult to fill successfully. Always quote to line the liner with this product.

Ideally when papering a ceiling you would have a plank that runs the entire length of the room beneath the paper at a good height - as this is usually impractical I would highly recommend a papering brush on a pole to hold the paper up whilst you go up and down the steps. I found a really lightweight crappy broom from a pound store which was excellent for this - actually using it to lay the whole length, just using the steps afterwards to firm up the wet side edge on the pasted ceiling.

[Have Brush Will Travel]

You could call it the 'stopped using pit stop stop off'...kinda rolls off the tongue doesnt it! lo

Hi Jason..nice to see you made it here..

[Tom d'Angler]

You could call it the 'stopped using pit stop stop off'...kinda rolls off the tongue doesnt it! lo

[paintycait]

I was asked to pop in a few tips that I have given for painting with acrylics although I have to say that I have learnt a few myself coming into this thread...never been in here since Chez changed the format...and one of the best was the process of painting a door in acrylics...I'll pull it up after I have passed on this stuff.
Tips for painting with acrylics:
One of the main problems with acrylic paints is that they dry too quickly in certain conditions and they become ridgy and brush marky if overworked. Floetrol...paint conditioner will help the paint to lay down and give you a longer open time. Extending the open time gives you more time to work and the paint more time to settle without getting ridgy.
Paint dries because the solvent evaporates, the solvent in water based paint is water so if you fill the room with moisture, there is less room for the water to evaporate => the paint stays wet longer. First increase the humidity in the room. Close the windows and mist spray the air. You can dampen clean dust sheets too or lay bowls of water on a radiator overnight sealing off the doors and windows. If that's not possible a tiny...and I mean TINY drop of washing up liquid in the paint.
Put the paint onto larger areas with a foam roller if you have one. You can get the area evenly covered quickly and then lay off either with the brush or the roller. Laying off with acrylics has to be feather light. You need to have just the right amount of material on the surface and then there is a sweet spot just as the paint starts to go off when laying off works like a dream, if acrylic paint is new to you you maybe won't get that first time round but look for it.
Don't get tooooo much on the surface, if the paint is sliming (tech term ) around then there is too much on there.
Best of luck...and take another look at Jaeger_S2K's diagram of how to paint a door (using acrylics)

-- Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:19 pm --

One of the best tips I picked up from a Pro Dec was the order to paint a 6 panel door.
Sounds easy doesn't it, well this will save you time and won't pull your wrist, brush and paint to bits.

Thanks mate for a great visual

[Tom d'Angler]

If you need to size newly plastered walls before hanging paper... do it the night before (see my post on the Sizing Walls thread).

[bagshot]

Some very dodgy tips on here. People need to be very wary about following some of these.

Why? They sound good to me... and I already use some of them!

Here's one for a start.

Put a good dollop of pva in with your wallpaper paste mix..about half a litre for every 5

Putting PVA in your paste, makes it very hard when you come to strip it off. You'll get little bits of white PVA stuck onto the wall and they're a nightmare to wash off. Also, it's completely pointless.

I completely dissagree,pva in paste stops joints on papyrus paper from springing open.

[Tom d'Angler]

Sometimes a patchy ceiling can be caused by not being able to see if you have painted every bit.

One tip I learned that helps to ensure you get a good even coat is to start above the window and work backwards. The light coming in the window reflects from the wet paint so you can see more easily where you have been and where you haven't. This is especially effective for the second coat when it is really hard to tell the difference.

Of course, this doesn't work in the dark.

[Puma]

I find it easier to work towards the window, principle the same as above, keep facing the light. Nice regular square blocks of paint.

[Have Brush Will Travel]

I find it easier to work towards the window, principle the same as above, keep facing the light. Nice regular square blocks of paint.

Plus you dont get a face full of overspray from the roller

[Puma]

Or stepping into a bucket

[Tom d'Angler]

Or stepping into a bucket

Done that... twice.

Also stepped in a kettle of paint stripper. Had to go home wearing just one shoe.

[royaloakcarpentry]

Oh ello its Mr Bean pmsl

[Tom d'Angler]

Oh ello its Mr Bean pmsl

Funny enough, he lives near me. Must be catching!

[Have Brush Will Travel]

Apparently he isnt a nice bloke...a distant family relation was in a show with him..and he insisted that all the oyunger cast called him 'sir' or Mr...