Interior Preparation

Before you tackle your paint job, it is important that you make sure you have the right equipment. Taking shortcuts or using low quality equipment can cost more time and expenses in remedial work.
Specific paint rollers, brushes and tools have been developed for every painting application. Choosing the right equipment and using the correct technique will result in a painting job that is faster, cheaper and easier to use than alternative methods.

 Painting equipment checklist:
* Recommended Paint Roller
* Matching roller frame
* Matching paint tray and tray liners
* 3 metre aluminium extension pole
* Synthetic Paint Brush 60mm  (We recommend Selleys brushes)
* Synthetic Paint Edger 38mm
* Drop Cloths
* Masking Tape
* Paint Mixer
* Paint Pads for varnishing
* Correct surface preparation filler
* Filling knife
* Sanding block and or pole sander 

* Synthetic Paint Brush 60mm  (We recommend Selleys Spirit brush range)

Mould

Mould should be treated and removed before redecorating. To remove mould, use a hypochlorite (household bleach) solution, diluted 1 to 3 with water. Wear gloves and goggles to protect your hands and eyes and protective clothing to protect skin from splashes. Apply the solution with a thick scouring pad and highly abrade the surface to ensure physical removal of any stubborn areas of mould growth. Leave the solution on the surface for 15 minutes then wash down thoroughly with clean water. If residual stains are left, spot undercoat with Dulux Preplock Stain Blocker Shellac Based. Mould grows in a particular environment. To discourage the regrowth of mould, try to improve the ventilation in the affected area. Recoat with Dulux Mouldshield Low Sheen or Semi Gloss when redecorating to discourage the regrowth of mould. 

Stripping woodwork

If the paint needs to be stripped back, the most common method is to use a heat gun or a chemical stripper such as Selleys Kwik Strip Smart. For small areas, a manual or drill mounted wire brush or dry scraper may be adequate. 

Removing wallpaper

You may choose to use a remover solution such as Polypaper Peel, or hire a steaming machine. Newer vinyl wall covering can often be peeled off dry by hand. They may leave a backing paper residue, which can be removed by sponging on warm water and peeling it off or scraping it with a broad-bladed scraper. Many types of wallpaper, however, are less cooperative and may require scratching with a very coarse sand paper to help the water or solution to penetrate.
Preparing powdery, chalky and peeling surfaces
Paint that peels, or flakes away, from the surface, and is powdery or poorly bound, should be removed.

The surface should then be cleaned thoroughly and when dry, resealed with an oil based sealer such as Dulux Prepcoat Sealer Binder. When repainting allow sufficient time for the Sealer Binder to dry and cure if coating with an acrylic paint (water based) i.e. 2-3 days. 

Painting over water stains

Firstly ensure that you know the source of the stains e.g. water. Then check the adhesion of the existing paint by doing an adhesion test refer 'Check if your old paint is sound' If the existing coating is sound, you then need to wash the surface down with sugar soap and allow to dry before applying Dulux 1 Step Oil Based Primer Sealer Undercoat to "seal" the stain before applying a topcoat.

Filling and Patching

There are a number of fillers that can be used to fill holes in wood. Two products suitable for use on interior wood are Selleys Plastic Wood and Polyfilla Ready to use Interior Timber. Simply make sure the hole is clean and apply the filler with a spatula or putty knife. Where movement is likely to occur, in places like the joins between architraves and walls, a flexible filler such as Selleys No More Gaps is recommended.

Filling holes in plasterboard or hard plaster is simple. Scrape away any loose paint and plaster, and fill the hole using Selleys Spakfilla Rapid.

If the edges of holes are cracked and unstable, a self-adhesive patch will make the job easier. Larger holes in plasterboard will need a patch inserted such as Polyfilla Patching tape. Cut away the damaged section and use contact adhesive to put in wood or plasterboard backing strips, then fix the patch onto the strips.

A quick wipe with a damp sponge before the filler sets will take out small ridges and save sanding time later. 

Painting plasterboard

Remove all the dust from the surface by wiping down with a damp cloth, apply one coat of Dulux 1 Step Acrylic Primer Sealer Undercoat to the walls & ceilings. For the walls you can use Dulux Wash and Wear 101 Advanced in the gloss level of your choice and Dulux Ceiling White on the ceiling. Note: For a bathroom area we would recommend Dulux Wash and Wear 101 Advanced Semi Gloss or Aquanamel Semi Gloss. If your bathroom has a tendency to form mould on walls or ceilings, then you should consider using Dulux Mouldshield.

Sanding

Surfaces must be sanded smooth before paint is applied. Plaster and patched areas should be sanded smooth with a medium then a fine grade sandpaper. A coat of Dulux 1 Step Acrylic Primer Sealer Undercoat should be applied to prepare the surface for the top coat. New woodwork should be sanded with a medium grade sandpaper in the direction of the grain and primed with one coat of Dulux 1 Step Acrylic Primer Sealer Undercoat or Dulux 1 Step Oil Based Primer Sealer Undercoat to prevent tannin staining and provide excellent adhesion. Previously painted surfaces, especially gloss and semi gloss surfaces need to be sanded thoroughly to roughen the surface so the paint forms a strong key for the new paint to adhere to. 

A final check

Before painting, give your work a final clean and check. Wipe the walls thoroughly with a damp cloth and wipe the woodwork using a cloth soaked in methylated spirits, to remove any remaining grime or dust.