painting tips

A good finish on your newly glossed work will last alot longer if a few basic steps are followed along the way.Always give your prepping the attention that it needs rather than just go for the one coat gloss everyone seems to be using now adays.A good lasting finish cannot be achieved with these products no matter how much you try.A good quality liquid gloss,such as dulux proffessional,will last for years with a good wipe down now & then.
First you must give your woodwork a thorough rub down making sure that you have removed all the knocks & drips from the previous redecoration.Also ensuring that a good key has been made for your undercoat,or it will chip & peel within no time at all.
Apply painters mate or caulk to the top edge of the woodwork to fill any gaps,& try to remember to do this prior to starting the undercoating.
Two coats of undercoat are needed giving a gentle flat between coats to remove any brush marks & again to make a good key for the following coat.24 hours should be left between each coat of paint,this will avoid stretching the previous coat.
When its time to add your top coat of gloss put a very small amount of white spirits in,approxamitely a small teaspoon,this will make the gloss abit more workable & will give you a very high gloss finish.
Try not to add your gloss finish on a cold day as this will help take the shine away from the paint,so if neccessary put a heater or radiator on a low heat before starting & leave it on for a few hours after the job is finished.
This is a good way to make sure that all the effort,mess & expense of the job will make sure it looks good for years to come
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Before emulsioning your walls go round the room flatting high spots & filling in any holes,i sometimes use a pencil to ring some of the imperfections i notice a couple of days before i start to paint a room so i dont miss anything once i begin going round filling & sanding.
Fill any gaps between doorframes & windows with painters mate at least 12 hours before painting.