Do's & Don'ts on Decorating

Here at Towy Works we are very proud to be a supplier of DULUX paint, the UK’s leading paint brand.

In December, we shared with you that Dulux has announced Sweet Embrace? as Colour of the Year 2024 and also introduced the three unique palettes DULUX has curated to highlight how Sweet Embrace? can be used.

Have you decided what colour scheme you are going for?

If you have, we know how exciting it is to see the finished project.

To achieve that perfect uniform look, DULUX kindly put a number of Do’s and Don’t together, which we have summarised for you today.

Don’t:

????? Skip prepping your walls: We usually can’t see dirt, dust, scratches and cracks, so the temptation is to just start painting. Fact is, they will show through the new paint. So please remember to clean your walls with warm, soapy water. Then, fix any cracks or holes with filler and wait until the surface is totally dry before painting.

????? Paint directly out of the can: Decant paint into a smaller container and mix it before you start painting. This is crucial as colours can vary slightly from can to can. Plus, think about the possibility of accidentally knocking over a 10 litre can of paint ….

????? Overload your brush / roller with paint: This is actually one of the biggest decorating mistakes to avoid. ? ? Too much paint on the brush results in a lumpy finish, so make sure the paint doesn’t come down the bristles further than halfway. Overloading a roller will result in annoying drips. DULUX recommends: Lightly spread paint around the head by rolling it up and down on the tray until it’s saturated, but not dripping.

????? Paint directly over damaged wallpaper: If it’s not in absolute prime condition, painting over wallpaper will cause bigger issues in the future, making it much more time consuming and difficult to sort. Invest the time now to strip it, better safe than sorry !!!

???? Paint in low light: It is always better to paint rooms in bright, natural light to avoid patches and imperfections. However, the weather is not always reliable, or you might only have time for the job later in the day. If you can’t be flexible and paint when the light from the outside is best, many painters use LED lights. They provide white light, which gives better paint colour representation.

Do:

????? ?Choose the right paint finish: For the perfect result, make sure to use the right paint finish for each surface. For example, mid-sheen and gloss finishes reflect light, while ‘Dulux Easycare Bathroom’ and ‘Dulux Easycare Kitchen’ offer moisture and stain resistant qualities.

????? Cut in the edges: Use a one or two-inch brush to cut in the edges, corners, ceiling lines etc. It is crucial to start with that step, as these areas are too tight for rollers.

????? Paint from top to bottom: To avoid drips, start with the ceiling, carry on with wall painting and finish with windows, doors and skirting board paint.

????? Paint for best coverage: Randomly moving your roller around might not achieve the best coverage. Check out this great DULUX TOP TIP ?? Apply your paint in a ‘W’ shape on the wall. Go over the ‘W’ with an ‘M’ shape to fill in the gaps, then reload your roller and move onto the next section in the same way.

????? Seal paint-filled roller heads: If you are painting the same colour over a couple of days seal your paint-filled roller heads in airtight plastic bags overnight. This will save time and paint.

?Well, this might be quite a bit of info to digest. We just had to share these useful tips DULUX provides, as we really want you to achieve your design goals.

Their amazing colour palettes are available as a ready mixed paint or can be colour-matched to a chosen finish.

We are also proud to stock the Axus Decor range of Decorating Tools

Check out these tips and more on Facebook and Instagram on our Trade Tip Tuesday posts

?You are very welcome to drop into our store to have a look at ‘The Quay SA31 3JR Carmarthen’.

?If you already know your colour choice, you can order in-store or request a quote for Direct to Site Ordering, just email [email protected]? or call 01267 236 601.