Painting the walls and ceilings of your home is a big job that needs thinking about before you start. The correct order for painting any room is to start with the ceiling, then the walls and finally the woodwork and metalwork such as radiators and pipes. Always plan your work and work systematically, that way you will not miss bits, which will show up when the paint is dry.
Essential tools and preparation advice
• Before you start applying any paint you need to think about how you are going to reach the surface safely and comfortably, balancing with one foot on a chair is not the way to do it!! You will need to have the room as clear as possible and any remaining furniture pushed to the centre of the room and protected by dustsheets. Carpets will also need protecting with dustsheets. If you do not own a suitable pair of steps then you can hire these from a local hire shop. There are lots of variations available now; some will fold out into a working platform, which is ideal for painting large areas like ceilings.
• You will need to consider the surface that you are painting - is it textured with artex or smooth plastered? This is important as it affects your choice of roller and the level of surface preparation that you will need to do. Textured ceilings can become powdery and dusty when old, particularly if they have never been painted. In this case you will need to seal them with Dulux Plaster Sealer. Smooth plastered ceilings often have cracks in them, which will require filling with appropriate filler.
Painting advice
• Once you have sorted out the access and preparation details, you need to consider the type of paint that you are going to use. Do you want a matt, soft sheen or a silk finish? Matt is the best choice as it helps to defuse surface imperfections, whereas a silk will highlight them.
