Can You Paint Matt over Silk, Eggshell, Mid Sheen, Satin, Soft Sheen or Gloss Paint?

The good news is YES!! you can paint Matt emulsion over the following surfaces

• Silk

• Eggshell

• Mid Sheen

• Satin

• Soft Sheen

• Gloss Paint

However as with all good decorating projects the secret is in the Prep!!! If the walls are not prepared properly this can lead to the appearance of fine hairline cracks all over the walls

To begin with you need to provide a key for the new paint to stick too.

You do this by sanding the areas you want to paint with 80 or 120 grade sandpaper.

Ideally you need to remove any sheen or shine from the wall surface. The best way to do this is with the use of an electric sander. Bear in mind this can be a dusty process so it would be advisable to wear protective clothing and a dust mask. You may also want to tape up any doors and open windows to help the dust escape.

Another option would be to seek out local a local Painter and Decorator who uses a Dustless Sanding System. When you call just ask the Decorator if they use a Mirka sander for their prep work.

This would reduce the dust in your home dramatically. Once all the sanding has been completed, it is good practice to wipe down the walls with a damp cloth to remove any dust or contaminates that could effect the paint sticking to the wall.

Now you have completed the dusty business of sanding, you now need to prime the wall area. We have found the best product for this is Zinsser Gardz avaiable from most good Decorators Merchants.

A 5 litre tin costs about £40.00 and covers around 50m2 of wall.

To calculate how much Gardz you need use this Paint Calculator

Allow the Zinseer Gardz to fully dry and now you can apply the matt emulsion without any problems.

Painting the Outside of Your House - 7 Signs That The Exterior of Your Property Needs Attention

A question we get asked every year from about Easter until October is - I’m not sure if the oustide of my house needs painting, I was hoping you could help me?

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Hopfully this short guide will help answer a few of those questions and concerns?

Masonry Blistering / Bubbling

If the previously applied masonry paint on the exterior of your home is starting to blister and bubble, then this is a sure sign that moisture is getting behind the paint and pushing away from the wall area.

There are reasons for the moisture getting behind the paint. 

• It could be moisture coming from within the property,

• it could be coming in via cracks in the masonry,

• Rising damp due to an ineffective damp proof course.

• Even rainwater penetrating through the aging paintwork.

Dealing with these blisters / bubbles early is important because when they begin to burst and peel off, it will leave the surface exposed and will eventually make the problem worse.

Chalking

Chalking is very easy to identify, if you rub your hand over the surface of any previously painted wall area, and there is a chalky powder on your hand you have Chalking.

Chalking means that the resin in the paint have started breaking down. This is typically caused by UV light from the sun.

Essentially resin is the glue that holds all the other paint ingredients together.

Once the resin breaks down, the powders and pigments are no longer bonded together. So, they simply turn back to a fine powder.

Some paints are more resistant to UV breakdown than others but over time this will happen to all paints.

When a paint starts chalking it is at the end of its life cycle and needs to be re-painted. If left untreated the paint will start to come off and leaves the surface underneath exposed to the elemnts.

It is common to see this sort of thing on garage doors that have been neglected, as well as masonry surfaces.

Cracked or Blown Render

Cracked and blown render are typically caused by rainwater penetrating a wall, then expanding through freezing and thawing.

This is why it is essential that you keep your guttering and downpipes in good condition and free from leaks

You can easliy identify blown render by running a ring spanner across your masonry is a quick and easy way to identify blown areas.

Any areas that sound hollow have ‘blown’. Which essentially means the render has come away from the surface underneath.

Repairing cracks and blown render is essential to maintaining your property and should be done before any painting takes place. Most good Plasterers should be able to repair any damaged render for you.

If the blown render is not dealt with, water will still be able to get in behind the paint and cause further issues.

Peeling / Flaking Paintwork

If your paintwork is peeling and flaking this means there is an issue with the adhesion. (The paint has not stuck to the surface properly).

This can be caused by several things. Including incorrect products being used or the surface being damp, dirty or dusty before the paint was applied.

Dealing with this promptly will ensure your property does not remain exposed to further weather damage causing the timber underneath to rot.

Rotten Windows and Doors

When moisture does get into wooden doors and window frames it can cause a lot expense and damage. Including making them rotten. Regular maintenance is the best way to stop this happening and avoid having to replace windows and doors unnecessarily.

It can also mean windows and doors swell, making it impossible to close and secure them properly!

Mould / Dirt Pick Up

You can easily identify mould or dirt pick up on a painted surface, Areas or patches of green on a wall is mould and dirt pick up is usually more uniform and just looks grubby and well dirty.

Organic growth, such as mould, algae and lichen need moisture to survive and grow. If you have this on your walls then it means the surface has become porous and is holding moisture.

This is a good sign that the paint is coming towards the end of its life and needs to be re-painted soon.

Faded Colour

Another issue caused by UV light from the Sun is colour fading. Certain pigments in paint can fade over time and depending on which areas of your home get more sunlight than others you can start to see areas becoming patchy.

Investing in higher quality paints can reduce this issue.

What other benefits are there to painting the exterior of your home?

Painting the exterior of your home doesn’t just protect against these issues, it can also transform the look giving your home ‘kerb appeal’

This can be brilliant for the value of your property…plus it’ll make the neighbours jealous!

Final Thought

More often than not, prevention is way cheaper than cure.

Regular maintenance to the exterior of your home is essential.  

Not only to improve the look but also save you money in the long run.

If you need further help or advice please feel free to contact Trevor TJ Painitng and Decorating 01420 88910 or trevor@tjdecor.co.uk

Our most asked question this year

End of 2021 Review

 Our most asked question this year, as most years is

How much would you charge to paint……..?

Generally, I get asked this question while I am holding the phone in one hand and a paintbrush in the other.

This is not the best way to price any decorating work to be honest.

I spent a few days thinking about a way to help homeowners get an idea of a budget for their decorating projects.

In the past I have recorded a video our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/mOdwDjTO6hU discussing Painters and Decorators work around the UK, that has been very popular.

The video is helpful if you want to us a Painter in Scotland, but what if you wanted to use us you’re your decorating?

With this in mind I have looked at all the projects we have completed in 2021 for our customers.

Below are the average prices for the most popular rooms in our customers homes.

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What we did in 2021

Our most popular rooms and average prices.

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Hopefully this will help give you a “ballpark figure” if you are considering any painting project.

I hope you have found this useful? If you need any help or advice please get in touch trevor@tjdecor.co.uk

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What Are The Ten Most Worrying Home Renovation Projects?

Although Halloween has passed, it appears that people doing home improvement projects, particularly house extentions, will continue to experience nightmares with kitchens, bathrooms follow close behind.

According to a survey conducted by Rated People, more than half of the homeowners polled (58 percent) said that house extensions were the most frightening renovation job they had ever undertaken.

Loft conversions (50 percent)

Kitchen Refurbs (45 percent)

Bathroom Installations (45 percent) were the next most likely to give them goosebumps (40 percent ).

Garage conversions (29 percent)

Solar Panel installations (29 percent)

Fireplace Installations (25 percent)

Boiler Servicing or installation (22 percent)

Landscape design (13 percent)

Painting and Decorating (13 percent) rounded out the top five most terrifying projects (12 percent ).

Additionally, homeowners stated their greatest concerns when it comes to having such maintenance completed.

These included

Spiralling expenses (58 percent))

The mess created by construction work (41%)

Interruption to everyday routines (36 percent ).

Because some homeowners were concerned about how frightening these tasks could become, nearly three-quarters (72 percent) postponed remodelling more than once.

In addition, the study of 2,000 people found that, as a result of the surge in home renovation projects over the previous year, 50 percent of respondents admitted to picking up the tools and conducting the work themselves.

"It is encouraging to see that so many homeowners are continuing to spend in home upgrades," said Adrienne Minster, chief executive of Rated People, in response to the poll results. DIY has been popular in recent years, and homeowners are posting 40 percent more trade tasks on Rated People now than they were at this time last year, before the pandemic. However, it is vital to recognise that many people still find home improvement projects intimidating, particularly larger projects such as an addition or a kitchen remodel.

"Of course, there will be some disruption while construction is underway, but by identifying competent and professional tradesmen who can not only carry out the work, but also provide expert advise and assistance with planning and design, there is no reason why projects cannot run smoothly." By being aware of the frequent remodelling concerns and working to alleviate them as part of their usual planning process, tradespeople may assist these customers and win more business."

GOOD REASONS WHY TO CHOOSE A PROFESSIONAL PAINTER AND DECORATOR

Decorating and painting can be a lot of fun.

Any job, whether it's a small paint job or decorating an entire house, can quickly turn into an entire project.

It is simple to excel at something you have done many times... However, when painting and decorating without prior experience, it is easy to overlook something.

So here are some reasons why you should consider hiring professional painters and decorators to assist you:

They have a great deal of experience.

Painters and decorators know which details to keep in mind when it comes to the task of painting and decorating. They understand how to prepare walls for painting, how to choose colours and finishes, and how to test them. They know where to go to get the best products for each need, so even if you want to buy paint and materials yourself, they can advise you. Operating in your neighbourhood also allowed them to gain experience on likely requirements such as strict timeframes and a high level of customer satisfaction.

We get the work completed quicker.

Even though painting and decorating take time, professional painters and decorators are used to working in tight deadlines to complete the job and thoroughly clean so you don't have to. You can even live in your own house while the painting and decorating is being done, as it can be done while you're at work and in stages. To learn more about how this works, check out this article about a family home we decorated.

we are insured.

Professional painters and decorators usually have health and safety insurance, so you won't have to worry about paying any bills if something goes wrong in your home. This can provide you with some peace of mind because events can happen to even the best of us, and it helps you avoid risks for yourself. Our painters and decorators also offer a 6-month warranty because we believe in taking care of our customers even after the job is finished to ensure complete customer satisfaction.

WE HANDLE ALL THE PLANNING FOR YOU.

The exciting part is deciding on a colour scheme for painting and decorating. However, the walls and materials must first be prepared. Professional painters and decorators will prepare the walls for you by scraping old paint and gently smoothing the surface with sand paper for best application. They will use primer for the best long-lasting results and will cover furniture with clean dust sheets to keep it clean and safe during the painting process. Typically, after assisting you in selecting the colours, the painter and decorator will go and provide the materials before the job begins.

WE work TO deadlines.

With a lot of experience in this field, painters and decorators can more accurately predict how long it will take to complete a job, what to do to fit into those time frames, and how to respond if there are any unexpected events. If it is discovered that additional services are required, they are most likely to know where you can obtain these.

WE already have the necessary equipment.

Even though this may seem like an obvious reason, hiring a professional painter and decorator will most likely save you money because it is a safe investment because they know what they are doing, and you will not have to buy the tools if you did the job yourself. Even if you buy the tools, you will need some knowledge, and if you only intend to use them for one job, it is worth hiring someone.

WE will complete the task.

If you've ever done your own painting and decorating, you're probably familiar with the feeling of joy gradually fading into frustration at the prospect of having so much to do. Hiring professionals is a good alternative to doing things on your own and knowing the results will be satisfying if you have the urge to quit midway or avoid the rush to avoid rushed results.