Painting

Q. What preparation needs to be carried out when repainting existing paintwork?
A. All surfaces to be painted should be washed down with sugar soap or a mild detergent solution, starting at the top and working down to the bottom. Rinse thoroughly and ensure the surface is fully dry before painting.

Q. What preparation is required before decorating walls which have cracks and small holes?
A. If the cracks are small, use a fine surface filler. However, if there are larger cracks and holes, these should be raked out to remove any loose material. Fill with an appropriate interior filler, leaving it slightly proud of the surface. When thoroughly dry, sand smooth with sandpaper.

Q. How can I prevent a water stain from showing through new paint?
A. Water stains need to be sealed in order to stop them bleeding through the paint surface. Ensure that the source of the damp has been addressed , and that the area is completely dry before priming with a suitable damp seal product.

Q. Which paints are suitable for use on a radiator?
A. Any oil based product, such as Non Drip or Liquid Gloss, or Satin can be used. Ensure that the radiators are switched off and cool before commencing painting.

Q. Can I use a roller with gloss paint?
A. Yes, provided you use a roller specifically for use with gloss products.

Q. Which products are suitable for use on bathroom walls?
A. Mid-sheen emulsions will offer more superior steam resistance than a standard matt emulsion paint.

Q. Can Matt Vinyl be applied over Silk Vinyl emulsion?
A. Yes, provided that thorough preparation is carried out. It is essential to thoroughly sand down surfaces previously coated with silk emulsion, ensuring that as much of the sheen level as possible is removed.

Q. What preparation is needed prior to painting new, dry plaster?
A. It is not necessary to use a separate primer, however, the first coat of emulsion should be diluted by approximately 20% water, followed by one or two coats, as necessary.

Wallpapering

Q. What is a design repeat?
A. This indicates the depth of the wallpaper illustration (in centimetres or inches) . Wallpapers are printed using cylindrical rollers, so the design repeat on the final printed wallpaper is dependent on the size of the cylindrical roller used to print the pattern. The biggest rollers - 64cm or 25" will give us the largest design repeat depth. Some designs repeat several times on the roller so create a much shorter design repeat, for example from as little as 2cm or 1". 

Q. What does the pattern match on my wallpaper mean?
A. It’s important that where two sheets of wallpaper join the pattern on the roll matches. The pattern match can come in different forms: straight match, offset match and free match. 

• A straight match means that the left and right edges of the wallpaper strip match in a straight horizontal line with the left and right edges of the next strip of wallpaper.
• Offset match means that the right hand edge of the first wallpaper strip only matches with the left hand side of the next strip, when the second strip is dropped by a specified distance. For example a label might state a 56/23cm offset match. This means the design repeats every 56cm and the point at which they match from left to right is every 23cm.
• Free match means there is no matching required. It is fairly easy to hang, as no matter how the strips of wallpaper are hung, no visible join or seams need to be worried about. This also reduces the amount of wastage. 

Q. What type of wallpaper can I use in a kitchen or a bathroom? 
A. Vinyl wallpapers are moisture and splash resistant, making them suitable for use in kitchens and bathrooms. No wallpaper is recommended for use in direct contact with water, such as to line a shower. 

Q. What paste should I use?
A. Most commercially available pastes are suitable for the wallpaper ranges we stock, however there are exceptions, so please read manufacturers instructions carefully before use. 

Q. Can I hang new wallpaper over existing wallpaper?
A. It is possible but we do not recommend it - It can be done if you are hanging over a flat wallpaper but it is not possible to hang over textured or vinyl products, as the new paper will not adhere. It is always better to strip off any existing paper, as this will almost always give a better finished result. 

Q. When should I use lining paper?
A. Lining paper gives a perfect base on which to hang wallpaper, therefore we would always recommend it. 

Q. What is cross lining?
A. This means hanging lining paper horizontally to give an even finish when the top wallpaper is hung over it. 

Q. What is 'Paste-the-wall' wallpaper and how much quicker is it to hang?
'A. Paste the wall' papers allow you to apply your paste to the wall before hanging, rather than to the back of the wallpaper. Dry wallpaper weighs less which means there's less chance of it tearing. We believe that papering straight from the roll cuts decorating time by about a half and it's a lot cleaner too. You don’t need a pasting table, unless you find a flat surface helps when you're measuring out your lengths prior to hanging. 

Q. Why can't the 'Paste-the-wall' method be used for traditional wallpapers?
A. Most traditional wallpapers expand when wet, which means they must be left to soak before hanging. 'Paste the wall' papers have a special backing which does not expand, allowing it to be hung straight from the roll. 

Q. How quickly do I need to hang the wallpaper, when hanging 'Paste-the-wall' wallpapers - will the paste dry too fast?
A. It is best to paste as you need to hang, don’t paste a whole wall at once, however you will have plenty of time to hang the roll. 

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