Painting
& Decorating

1.1 Essential Tools & Equipment

A decent decorating job depends more on preparation tools than on the brush you finish with. Buy the best you can afford in the items that touch the surface directly (brushes, rollers, filling knives) and the cheapest acceptable option in items you use once a year (dust sheets, masking tape). A poor brush leaves visible marks no amount of skill can fully hide; a poor dust sheet just needs replacing sooner.

Brushes

Natural bristle brushes (China bristle, ox hair) hold more paint and lay it down more smoothly, but they only work well with oil-based and solvent-based paints, the bristle absorbs water and goes limp in emulsion. Synthetic filament brushes (nylon, polyester blends) are the correct choice for nearly all water-based emulsions, and most professional decorators now use a synthetic brush for everything, including oil-based gloss, because modern synthetic filaments have closed the performance gap. A core kit covers a 50mm (2 inch) cutting-in brush for edges and corners, a 25mm (1 inch) brush for trim and fiddly woodwork, and a 12mm (half inch) for glazing bars and very tight detail.

Rollers

The roller sleeve nap length should match the surface texture: a short nap (around 6mm) gives the smoothest finish on flat plaster and is correct for most interior walls and ceilings; a medium nap (10 to 12mm) suits lightly textured surfaces; a long nap (18mm or more) is needed to get paint into deep texture such as artex or pebbledash render. Foam rollers give a very smooth finish but are best reserved for gloss and eggshell on flush doors, since they don't hold enough paint for large wall areas. A 9 inch roller frame with an extension pole covers walls and ceilings far faster than working from a ladder.

Other Essentials

• Stepladder or platform step, plus a proper extension pole for ceilings and stairwells
• Dust sheets: cotton twill for floors and furniture (it grips and doesn't slide), polythene for short-term protection only
• Low-tack masking tape for clean edges against glass, woodwork, and fittings
• 2 inch and 4 inch filling/scraping knives, a sanding block, and a multi-tool with a scraper attachment
• Paint kettle or roller tray with a liner, and a wet edge brush comb for cleaning
• Sugar soap, abrasive sponge, and a stiff dusting brush for prep

1.2 Understanding Paint Types

Almost every domestic paint on the market today is a variation on two chemistries: water-based (emulsion, acrylic) and oil-based (alkyd, solvent-borne). Water-based paints have largely replaced oil-based for walls, ceilings, and increasingly woodwork, because they dry faster, smell far less, clean up with water, and have a lower VOC (volatile organic compound) content. Oil-based paint still has a place where maximum hardness and flow are wanted, such as high-traffic skirting boards, front doors, and metal railings, though "water-based gloss" and "water-based eggshell" formulations have closed most of that gap too.

Matt, Silk, Eggshell, Satin, Gloss

These names describe sheen level rather than chemistry, and sheen affects both look and durability. Lower sheen (matt) hides surface imperfections better but marks more easily and wipes clean less well; higher sheen (gloss, satin) is tougher and easier to wipe down but shows every dent, ripple, and roller mark in the substrate underneath. Section 8.2 covers sheen selection by room in detail.

1.3 Safety, PPE & Hazardous Materials

Decorating is low-risk compared with most trades, but a handful of hazards deserve real respect: lead in old paint, dust from sanding, solvent fumes in poorly ventilated rooms, and falls from ladders and access equipment. None of these are exotic risks, which is exactly why they get overlooked.

• FFP2 or FFP3 dust mask for any sanding, especially of old paintwork
• Safety glasses for scraping, sanding overhead, and any chemical stripper use
• Nitrile gloves for solvents, strippers, and wood treatments
• Knee pads for skirting board work, and a proper stepladder rather than improvised standing on furniture

2.1 Assessing the Substrate

Every surface problem that shows up after painting was almost always present before painting, just invisible under the old finish. Before opening a tin, walk the room and identify what you are actually painting over: new plaster, old emulsion, old oil-based paint, bare wood, wallpaper, or masonry, since each demands a different preparation route.

Identifying Old Paint Type

Rub a small, inconspicuous patch with a cloth dampened in methylated spirit or white spirit. If the cloth picks up colour, the existing coat is most likely water-based emulsion. If nothing transfers, it is more likely an oil-based or solvent-borne paint, and painting a water-based product directly on top without a suitable bonding coat or light abrasion can lead to poor adhesion and early peeling.

Checking Soundness

Tap the wall lightly across its surface; a dull, hollow sound suggests the plaster has lost its key to the background and may need re-skimming rather than simply repainting. Run a hand over the surface to feel for chalking (a powdery residue that comes off on your fingers, usually from old, weathered masonry paint) and flaking, both of which need to be removed back to a sound edge before new paint is applied.

New Plaster

Fresh plaster needs to fully dry before painting, typically four to six weeks per coat depending on thickness, ventilation, and time of year, and will lighten in colour and lose its damp sheen as it dries. New plaster is highly porous and must be sealed with a mist coat (see 2.3) before any standard emulsion, or it will absorb paint unevenly and leave a patchy, flat-looking finish known in the trade as "grinning through."

2.2 Cleaning, Sanding & Filling

Washing down with sugar soap solution removes the surface grease, nicotine film, and general grime that paint will not bond to properly. Kitchens and areas near cooking need particular attention, since cooking grease is invisible once dry but will cause new paint to bead and crawl rather than flow out smoothly. Rinse with clean water afterwards and allow the surface to dry fully.

Filling Cracks and Holes

Use a quick-setting powder filler for holes deeper than around 3mm, applied slightly overfull since most fillers shrink a little as they dry, then sand back flush once fully hardened. For fine hairline cracks and the junction between wall and ceiling, a flexible decorator's caulk applied with a caulking gun and smoothed with a wet finger gives a far more durable result than rigid filler, because it can flex slightly with seasonal movement without re-cracking.

Feathering

When sanding a filled or repaired patch, work outward from the centre with progressively lighter pressure so the repair blends gradually into the surrounding surface rather than leaving a hard, visible edge. This "feathering" technique matters most on flat-finish walls under strong window light, where any abrupt transition reads clearly once paint goes on.

2.3 Priming, Sealing & Stain-Blocking

Primer is not optional on certain substrates, it is the difference between paint that bonds permanently and paint that peels within a year.

A mist coat (matt emulsion diluted around 70:30 with water for the first coat, then 90:10 for the second) is the standard way to seal new plaster before full-strength topcoats. Skipping it is the single most common cause of patchy, flat-looking paintwork on a freshly plastered wall.

3.1 Cutting In & Rolling Technique

Work ceilings before walls, and within each surface, cut in the edges with a brush before rolling the open field, so the roller can blend into a still-wet cut line rather than leaving a visible join. Cut a band roughly 50 to 75mm wide along the ceiling line, into corners, and around fittings, using a steady, slightly overlapping stroke rather than a single thin pass.

The "W" Rolling Pattern

Load the roller evenly and apply paint in a loose W or M shape across a roughly one-metre square section, then fill in the gaps without lifting the roller, finishing with light, parallel strokes in one direction to even out the texture. Working in sections this size, rather than trying to cover an entire wall in one pass, keeps a wet edge so each new section blends into the last without a visible seam.

Maintaining a Wet Edge

Always work from a dry area into a wet edge, not the other way round, and try not to stop partway across an open wall, since the join between a section painted ten minutes ago and one painted now will often show once dry, especially in raking light. Two full coats is the standard for emulsion; a single coat rarely gives even coverage or true colour depth, particularly over a different existing colour.

3.2 Textured, Damaged & Problem Walls

Textured coatings, lumpy old paint, and uneven plaster all telegraph through a flat finish, so deciding whether to work with the texture or remove it is the first real decision on a problem wall.

Hairline cracks under 1mm are usually cosmetic and respond well to flexible caulk (see 2.2). Wider cracks, especially diagonal cracks running from the corner of a door or window opening, or cracks that reopen repeatedly after filling, can indicate structural movement and are worth a builder's opinion before redecorating, since filling alone won't address the underlying cause.

Uneven Plaster

Minor undulations are largely invisible in a matt finish under even light but become obvious under raking light from a window or in a higher-sheen paint. Skimming a problem wall with a thin coat of finishing plaster is the only real fix for genuinely uneven plaster; filler alone can patch holes but won't flatten a wavy surface across its full area.

3.3 Ceilings & Cornicing

Ceilings are unforgiving of poor technique because daylight rakes across them at a low angle, showing every roller mark and missed patch. Work in the same one-metre sections as walls, and keep the roller loaded evenly, since a starved roller leaves thin, streaky bands that flash differently to the surrounding paint once dry.

Cornicing and coving need a steady hand and a small brush (12 to 25mm) to follow the detail of the moulding without bridging the recesses with too much paint, which fills in the crisp shadow lines that give the moulding its definition. Cut in along both the ceiling and wall edges of the cornice before rolling the flat ceiling and wall fields either side.

4.1 Skirting, Architraves & Doors

Woodwork shows brush marks far more readily than walls do, because the higher sheen levels typically used (eggshell, satin, gloss) reflect light directly rather than scattering it the way a matt wall finish does. Sand lightly between coats with a fine abrasive (around 240 grit) and wipe away dust with a tack cloth before recoating.

Masking the Floor Junction

Run a strip of low-tack masking tape along the top edge of the carpet or flooring before painting skirting boards, pressing it down firmly with a filling knife so paint cannot bleed underneath. Remove the tape while the paint is still slightly tacky rather than fully cured, since fully dry paint can tear along with the tape and leave a ragged edge.

Painting a Door

On a panelled door, paint the recessed panels first, then the horizontal rails, then the vertical stiles last, so any overlaps fall along the grain direction rather than across it. On a flush door, work top to bottom in vertical bands, keeping a wet edge across the full width before moving down, to avoid visible lap marks. If a door needs full stripping or heavy sanding, it's usually easier and faster to remove it from its hinges and lay it flat on trestles.

Nail Holes & Joints

Fill nail and screw holes with a fine, flexible decorator's filler rather than a rigid wood filler where the woodwork meets plaster, since timber and plaster move at different rates with temperature and humidity and a rigid filler will crack at that junction over time.

4.2 Staining, Oiling & Varnishing

Stain colours the wood while leaving the grain visible, varnish or lacquer sits on top as a protective film, and oil soaks into the timber and is replenished periodically rather than forming a hard surface film. Choose based on the look wanted and the wear the surface will see: varnish gives the most durable protective layer for floors and high-traffic surfaces, while oil gives the most natural look and is easiest to spot-repair without stripping the whole surface.

Apply stain with a rag or brush in the direction of the grain, wiping off excess after a few minutes for an even tone, since stain left to dry unevenly on the surface will pool in patches and dry darker there. Apply varnish in thin, even coats with a good-quality brush, sanding lightly between coats with fine abrasive to knock back any raised grain or trapped dust, and always work in a dust-free, well-ventilated space since airborne dust is the most common cause of a gritty varnish finish.

4.3 Windows & Glazing Bars

Mask glass with low-tack tape set back about 1 to 2mm from the putty or glazing bead, so a thin line of paint overlaps onto the glass and seals the joint against water ingress; a hard edge that stops exactly at the glass tends to let moisture creep behind the paint film over time. Experienced decorators often cut in freehand with a steady brush instead of masking, which gives a cleaner, slightly overlapped seal, but it takes practice to do neatly.

Paint putty and glazing bars before the surrounding frame, and always paint a window in its closed position so the meeting edges (where the sash closes against the frame) are sealed evenly, then open the window briefly once the paint is touch-dry to stop it sticking shut as it cures fully.

5.1 Measuring, Estimating & Pattern Matching

Measure the total wall perimeter and the height from skirting to ceiling, then check the roll width and pattern repeat printed on the label, since these two figures determine how many usable drops you'll get from each roll once pattern matching and wastage are accounted for.

These figures assume a standard 2.4m ceiling height and add a normal allowance for pattern matching and trimming waste; a large pattern repeat, a higher ceiling, or a room with many windows and doors will need more. Always buy at least one extra roll over the calculated figure and check that every roll shares the same batch number, since dye lots can vary subtly between batches and a mismatch becomes visible once papered.

5.2 Hanging Technique

Modern "paste-the-wall" non-woven papers are pasted directly on the wall rather than soaked, and the dry paper is then applied straight from the roll, which is considerably faster and less messy than traditional "paste-the-paper" methods used for older, more absorbent papers.

The First Drop

Establish a true vertical plumb line near (not necessarily exactly at) the most prominent feature of the wall, such as a chimney breast or the wall facing the door, using a spirit level or plumb bob rather than the corner of the room, since very few room corners are genuinely vertical. Hang the first length against this line, smoothing outward from the centre with a paperhanging brush or smoothing tool to remove air bubbles, working towards the edges.

Corners & Sockets

Internal corners are rarely square; rather than wrapping a full width around a corner, cut and overlap by around 10 to 15mm, since trying to wrap an uncut width invariably leaves a wrinkled, slightly off-vertical join. Trim around light switches and sockets with the power isolated, cutting a cross into the paper over the fitting before trimming back to the edges of the faceplate.

5.3 Specialist Papers & Borders

Lining paper is hung horizontally rather than vertically wherever possible, so its seams don't line up with the seams of the decorative paper that goes over it, and gives a more even, professional base for both paint and patterned paper on walls in poor condition. Vinyl papers are wipeable and well suited to kitchens and bathrooms, but the vinyl layer needs special vinyl-strippable paste and care not to over-soak the backing paper, which can delaminate from the vinyl face if left too wet for too long.

A feature wall using a single bold or expensive paper is usually hung on just one wall (often the one facing the room's entrance, or behind a bed or sofa) with the surrounding walls in a complementary plain colour, which keeps cost down while giving most of the visual impact of papering the whole room.

6.1 Masonry, Render & Pebbledash

Exterior masonry paint needs to be breathable, allowing trapped moisture within the wall to escape as vapour rather than sealing it in, since a non-breathable film over a damp wall traps water that will eventually push the paint off in sheets or cause damage to the substrate beneath. Smooth render takes a standard textured masonry paint well; pebbledash, with its much greater surface area and depth, generally needs a long-nap roller or a stipple brush to get paint into every recess.

Before painting, treat any moss, algae, or lichen with a fungicidal wash and allow it to work for the manufacturer's stated dwell time, then brush off the dead growth before rinsing. Painting directly over live moss or algae traps it under the new coat, and it will usually reappear within a season, lifting the paint film as it regrows.

6.2 Damp, Efflorescence & Spalling

Efflorescence (a white, powdery crystalline deposit) is salt being carried to the surface by moisture moving through masonry and left behind as the water evaporates. It is a symptom of moisture movement, not damage in itself, but painting over it without addressing the underlying moisture will trap salts behind the paint film and lead to early blistering and flaking.

Spalling (where the face of a brick or block has cracked and broken away, usually from repeated freeze-thaw cycling on saturated masonry) needs structural repair, generally re-pointing or brick replacement, rather than being filled and painted over, since the underlying cause of moisture saturation will simply continue and the repair will fail again.

6.3 Weather Windows & Timing

Most exterior paints specify a minimum application temperature, typically 8 to 10°C, and most also specify a maximum, since paint applied in very hot, direct sun can dry too fast on the surface before it has properly bonded, leading to poor adhesion. Avoid painting in direct, strong sunlight on a hot wall; working on the shaded side of the building as the sun moves around through the day gives a more even result and more working time per coat.

Check the forecast for at least the stated drying window after the final coat, since rain on a recently applied but not fully cured coat can wash it, leave water spotting, or cause it to lift in patches. Overnight dew is a frequent, underestimated problem in spring and autumn; a coat applied late in the day with too little drying time before dew falls can develop a hazy, uneven sheen.

7.1 Exterior Woodwork & Metalwork

Exterior timber (fascias, soffits, cladding, garden gates) sees far harsher conditions than interior woodwork, with constant cycles of wetting, drying, and UV exposure, so preparation and product choice matter more, not less. Probe any soft, spongy timber with a screwdriver; rot that gives easily under light pressure needs cutting out and either splicing in new timber or replacing the section entirely, since paint cannot bridge or stop active rot.

Microporous exterior paints and stains allow timber to breathe, letting trapped moisture escape as vapour, which reduces the blistering and peeling common with older, fully sealed gloss systems on timber that isn't perfectly dry. On metal railings and gates, treat any rust back to bare, bright metal with a wire brush or flap disc before applying a rust-inhibiting primer; painting over active rust without treating it first simply seals moisture in and the rust will continue spreading under the new paint film.

7.2 Guttering, Fascias & Soffits

Clean gutters before painting anything beneath them; overflow from a blocked gutter is one of the most common causes of recurring black streaking and algae growth on fascias and render below, and repainting without clearing the cause guarantees the staining returns within a season or two.

uPVC fascias and soffits cannot generally be painted with standard exterior gloss, since uPVC is a flexible plastic that conventional paint doesn't adhere to reliably over time; specialist uPVC paint systems exist for colour changes, but a badly faded or damaged uPVC fascia is often more cost-effective to replace outright than to repaint repeatedly. Timber fascias and soffits, by contrast, take standard exterior wood paint or stain well once properly prepared.

7.3 Working at Height & Access Equipment

A leaning ladder should follow the 1-in-4 rule: for every 4 units of height, the foot of the ladder should be 1 unit out from the wall, giving a stable working angle of roughly 75 degrees. Always have the ladder on firm, level ground, footed or secured at the top where possible, and never overreach sideways; move the ladder rather than stretching, since most ladder falls happen from overreaching rather than the ladder itself failing.

A mobile tower scaffold gives a stable, flat working platform and is considerably safer than a ladder for any sustained painting work above a single storey, since it removes the constant need to climb up and down to reposition. Roof ladders, designed to hook over a ridge and distribute weight across roof tiles, are a specialist tool and not a substitute for a tower when working on walls below roofline.

8.1 Colour Theory & Testing

Colour shifts noticeably under different light, so always test a sample directly on the wall it will be used on, not on a card held up against it, and view it at different times of day. A north-facing room receives cooler, more even light all day, which tends to make colours read slightly cooler and flatter than they do in a swatch under shop lighting; a south-facing room gets warm, direct sun for part of the day, which can intensify a colour considerably at certain hours.

Paint a sample patch at least 30 by 30cm in two or three candidate colours, on different walls of the room if possible, and look at them again after 24 hours once they've reached their true dried colour, since most paints dry slightly different from their wet appearance. Pay attention to undertone as well as the headline colour; many "white" and "grey" paints lean subtly warm or cool, and that undertone interacts strongly with the room's existing flooring, woodwork, and fixed fittings.

Darker colours make a room feel more enclosed and cosy but can also make a small space feel smaller if used without enough contrast or natural light; lighter colours bounce light around and tend to make a space read as larger and airier, though a pale colour with no contrasting trim can also feel flat and characterless.

8.2 Sheen Levels & Where to Use Them

Higher-sheen finishes are easier to keep clean but show every imperfection in the surface beneath them, since a glossy surface reflects light directly rather than scattering it; a wall with patchy filler repairs will look considerably worse in satin or silk than it would in matt. When in doubt on a wall with known surface imperfections, choose the lowest sheen that still meets the room's practical wipeability needs.

8.3 Specialist & Decorative Finishes

Limewash

A traditional, highly breathable finish made from lime putty and pigment, well suited to old solid-walled and lime-rendered buildings where a modern, impermeable acrylic paint would trap moisture. Limewash carbonates and bonds chemically with a lime-based substrate, but won't adhere properly to modern cement render or to a wall previously painted in a standard acrylic masonry paint.

Chalk & Mineral Paints

Chalk-style paints give an ultra-matt, slightly textured finish and are popular for furniture and feature pieces, generally needing little to no sanding of the original surface and often finished with a protective wax or sealer once dry. Mineral (silicate) paints bond chemically into a mineral substrate and are highly breathable, commonly used on render and natural stone where long-term durability and vapour permeability both matter.

Polished & Venetian Plaster

A specialist, multi-coat decorative plaster finish, burnished with a steel trowel between coats to build up a smooth, subtly reflective surface that reads almost like polished stone. It is a skilled, time-intensive technique generally best left to an experienced plasterer or decorator for anything beyond a small feature area, since the burnishing technique has a real learning curve and mistakes are difficult to disguise once the final coat is on.

Colourwashing & Glazing

A translucent, tinted glaze applied over a base coat and worked with a brush, sponge, or rag while wet to create a soft, broken-colour effect with visible depth and movement. Working in small sections and keeping a consistent technique across the whole wall is essential, since any change in rag or brush technique partway through becomes visible once the glaze has dried.

9.1 Surface & Adhesion Problems

9.2 Wall & Ceiling Defects

9.3 Woodwork & Trim Problems

9.4 Wallpaper Problems

9.5 Exterior Problems

9.6 Tool & Application Problems

Interior Repaint (Per Room)

Exterior Repaint (Per Elevation)

Wallpapering (Per Room)

Approximate Coverage Rates

Drying & Recoat Times at 20°C, Good Ventilation

Ladder Angle Quick Check (1-in-4 Rule)