My passion for all thing interiors stems from a childhood of watching paint dry. My dad was (and still is) a Painter and Decorator and I was always fascinated by the act of watching him paint. Over the years my dad has shared a million and one tips with me on how to achieve a superior finish and I wanted to share with you too.

  1. Preparation is key. Even though I’ve heard it many times and I still feel tempted to skip this step as let’s face it we all want to get the paint on the walls don’t we? However I’ve known my dad to spend 50% of a job prepping a room. Sanding down, cleaning away debris and dust, masking up and removing fixtures before getting anywhere near a paint brush. If like me, you can be a bit keen, then this bit kills you but trust me, it’ll be worth it in the end.
  2. A leftover plastic milk bottle can be recycled in to a handy paint canister. Simply cut off the bottle neck, leave the side with the handle and cut off the opposite side of the container to about half way down. Fill up with paint and hold the handle in your hand resting the brush against the opposite side. I find this much more manageable than dragging a cumbersome paint pot up and down a ladder.
  3. Use low tack tape and always remove within 24 hours otherwise it’ll bring half your paint job with it. Peel off at a 45 degree angle to minimise the risk.
  4. Preserve your roller tray by adding a layer of cling film or foil on the bottom and pouring your paint on top. This makes the tray last longer and also prevents the mixing of previous colours you’ve painted with.
  5. Use thin coats and don’t overload your brush. The finish will be far superior if you build up the layers rather than slap it all on.
  6. Providing the paint isn’t opened, most DIY stores are great at refunding over purchasers. It’s always best to buy more paint than you think you need to make sure all your paint has the same batch number. My dad says he’s had a couple of instances where clients have ended up buying paint with different batch numbers and there’s a very subtle difference in shade or finish. If you do end up with different batches then try a new batch in a corner to make any change less noticeable.
  7. Don’t just stir paint when you open up. Give it a whirl every time you pour out to prevent colour separation.
  8. A radiator roller is perfect for painting doors, particularly if you’re doing a hall, stairs and landing and have multiple doorways. I’m not a fan of gloss so always use satinwood with a short-pile gloss roller.
  9. If you do prefer to work with gloss then don’t gloss over it! Make sure the surface is sanded and/or primed and is clean and grease-free before you add another coat of gloss. Otherwise you can end up with a streaky finish with visible brush strokes. This may be the look you’re going for, but probably not.
  10. Brushes and rollers need proper care to get the most life of them but when you’re in the middle of a job there’s no need to continually rinse. Leave any emulsion brushes in water overnight and and oil based ones in white spirit. Wrap a roller in a plastic bag or cling film to prevent it drying out.
  11. This is a bonus tip for decoration rather than painting. If you’re hanging wallpaper down the back of a radiator it can become crumpled and a downright pain to work with. Rather than fight with a piece of paper, clip a bulldog clip to the end of the wallpaper to make the sheet taut.

What are your top tips for painting? Any great tricks you’ve learnt along the way?