Sooner or later your kid’s room will require a make-over and repainting the room is the quickest and most effective way of achieving this. Some people enjoy painting and decorating while others are not so enthusiastic. No matter what your level of interest there are basic steps you can take to make the process easier and more efficient.
Make Space – an empty room is a hundred times easier to decorate than one which is filled with furniture and junk. Although this may seem like obvious advice you’ll be surprised how many people attempt to redecorate a bedroom which is currently occupied – it’s no wonder they get disheartened. If at all possible get everything out of the room, including beds and wardrobes. If your child is away with school or maybe staying at a friends this is an ideal opportunity for a make-over. If it’s unavoidable that the room has to remain occupied then move as much as possible before starting work. Aim at least to get all the walls and ceilings done in one visit so you only have to move large items of furniture once.
Take Cover – Generally speaking, in an occupied room, provided you take precautions to cover everything sufficiently, it’s a lot easier to paint the ceiling before moving any furniture. Clear polyethylene sheeting is ideal for these purposes as you can cover everything in one go and your furniture will be completely protected from any paint splashes.
If you need to pull out a large furniture item or move a bed to paint the walls then paint everything at the same time – if there is skirting board behind the furniture then paint that part completely before putting everything back in place. You can paint the remaining skirting when everything else is completed and, provided you are reasonably neat, no one will see the join.
Carpets, if you really must leave them down, should be totally covered with decent quality dust sheets. Bear in mind that paint splashes can permeate their way through conventional dust sheets so be careful of any spillages. If an accident does occur then lift the sheet immediately and check underneath – don’t wait for any spillages to dry, clear them up immediately. The edge of the carpet is best protected with a good quality masking tape – the 2” wide variety is much better than the more common 1”. Make sure it goes completely to edge around the entire perimeter of the room. When painting skirting boards remember that the tapes is a last precaution – not the first and ensure that no paint works its way down the edge.
Get some decent gear – cheap paint brushes and rollers are generally a waste of money. Decent quality stuff doesn’t cost that much more and will usually last for many years.
Brushes should be the best you can afford and the new types with synthetic bristels are excellent. Most useful sizes are 3” for the edges of ceilings and walls; 2” for doors and narrow wall areas; 1½” and 1” are perfect for skirting boards and window frames. A smaller brush, often called a ‘fitch’ can be useful for intricate areas too.
Brushes are usually cheaper if you buy a complete set and many decorators’ merchants have regular offers on brush sets that are worth checking out.
Again, a decent roller should get plenty of use and the types with removable sleeves are best. Opt for a paint bucket rather than a roller-tray as you only need to pour paint into it once and they are a lot simpler to use.
Wash out brushes and rollers after use and make sure that every trace of paint is removed before storing for use at another time. If you are using water based emulsion and want to store rollers and brushes for short periods or overnight then a handy tip is to wrap them completely in a plastic carrier bag. This stops the paint from drying out and saves having to wash-out equipment when you’ll be using it again the next day.
Brushes used in oil-paints like gloss and undercoat can be kept in a container filled with water overnight but make sure you clean them out thoroughly with white spirits or brush cleaner if storing for longer than a couple of days.
Colours – it’s usually a good idea to have a firm idea regarding colour schemes before you start but bear in mind that a selection of colours that looks great in a magazine or from a collection of swatches can look entirely different in an actual room. Not so much of an issue where the colours are fairly neutral but buy small quantities of strong colours and try a few test areas before committing yourself.
Paint – the well known names such as Dulux are best but don’t discount retailer’s own-brands just because they are less expensive. Although there will often be a reduced range of colours the medium range own brand paints are generally very good although it’s best to avoid the really cheap budget paints.
Modern water based alternatives to traditional gloss paints are also worth considering – not only do the have less odour and are easier to clean up, they contain far fewer harmful chemicals which is worth bearing in mind, especially when the room is to be used by a young child.
Keep it ventilated – the build up of paint fumes can soon become overwhelming so make sure the room is well ventilated. Once you’ve finished it’s generally a good idea to leave the room aired and unused for at least a full day before it’s put back to use. If this is unavoidable then ensure that, at the very least, a window is left open overnight to get the most amount of ventilation possible.
Hopefully you’ll find these tips useful and, who knows, you might actually enjoy decorating after all?
Painting Essentials
A few essentials that we recommend:
- Brushes – Hamilton Perfection S-Series Paintbrush Set 3Pc – £19.96 from B&Q
- Rollers – Harris Professional Roller Frame – £2.93 from B&Q
- Roller Sleeves – Hamilton Medium Pile Roller Sleeve – £3.98 from B&Q
- Roller Bucket – Harris 14 litre Paint Scuttle – £3.12 from Screwfix Direct
- Clear Polythene – General Purpose Sheeting – £16.59 from Screwfix Direct
- Dust Sheets – Cotton Twill Dust Sheet – £4.88 from Screwfix Direct