FAQ & Advice
Why Paint?
Painting can do many things for the interior or exterior of any house, building, room or area.
Painting can make the old look new again and will transform a building site into what it was designed to be.
Paint uplifts the mood of a room, will add value to a property, will provide a fresh clean surface and painting can refresh something that was looking drab. After preparation, cracks & holes will be gone. Painting the outside of your home will provide great street appeal. Paint can modernise a house or traditionalise to a period style. Paint can change the mood of a room by adding colour. Painting and decorating a house is a relatively cost-effective way to transform a home without renovation.
Choosing a colour scheme?
We are happy to help provide ideas for your new colour scheme, which we can discuss during your free quote or prior to commencing a painting project.
If you are looking for qualified assistance to help choose a colour scheme for your property, there is the Dulux Colour Design Service available here:
Our tips when choosing a new exterior colour scheme are to consider complimentary colours to existing surfaces, such as roofing/colorbond surfaces, metal flyscreen doors or aluminium windows and taking into consideration landscaping and the colours to match in with the garden.
Our tips when choosing a new interior colour scheme would be to make sure the colour is viewed in the space in natural lighting at different times of the day, as lighting plays an important part in the definition of colours.
Once you have made it to some final decisions, we always recommend using sample pots to get the exact idea of what a colour will look like.
Adding a feature colour to a wall or door is a great way to add a splash of colour, whilst highlighting an area in a room or area without the colour overpowering the space.
How do we paint a house that is being lived in?
If you would like to have your home re-painted whilst you are living in the property, we make it convenient as possible by being clean and tidy each day and as timely as we can be.
To be the least disruptive we would usually split the house into sections to be painted at different times – this is so you still have clear and free areas to live and we will be out of the way. Further information will be available and provided during your free quote.
How long does painting take?
Whilst every project is different, once we have completed your free quote details on the timeframe will be provided to you.
Do you have to be home while we are painting?
You do not need to be home for us to complete your painting projects, however sometimes we require access to areas which need to be painted. Example: even if only exterior painting is being completed, most windows need to be opened to paint all edges – so inside access would be needed.
As we are fully insured and Dulux accredited painters, as well as being a small family business, you can be assured we are trustworthy.
So we will organise access, if any is required, prior to us starting work.
Have you got pets?
We are dog and cat friendly.
If you have a painting job you would like completed, but have pets you are concerned about escaping, we will be very mindful of this and can keep your pets secure and safe as required.
Paint Products and Sheen Levels
There are two main types of decorative (house) paints which are: latex paints used for ceilings, walls and exterior surfaces and enamel paints which have properties to make them harder-wearing for use on woodwork and doors which attract higher traffic so need to be more durable from everyday wear and tear.
These paints are available in solvent-based (oil) or acrylic-based (water).
Paints are available in different sheen levels. The lower the sheen, the less light will be reflected on the surface.
E.g. if you have an old brick wall and use a low sheen paint, the surface will appear more even and smoother. If a gloss paint is used, the imperfections of the surface will be more visible and will accentuate the rough surface.
There are five main types of sheen levels:
Ceiling Flat: The flattest paint used for ceilings but not suitable for walls or other surfaces due to resistance to wear and tear
Matt: A very low sheen level, will resist wear and tear. This sheen will give a modern look. Particularly great for use on older homes and plasterwork.
Low Sheen: Still a low sheen paint, and the most commonly used sheen level for walls.
Semi-Gloss (Satin): Mainly used for enamel paints, the most common sheen over full gloss. Looks great on doors and trim.
Gloss: Again mainly used for enamel paints. Has a high gloss sheen with a smooth finish. Not the best sheen for old or rough surfaces.
Enamel paint can be used for interior and exterior surfaces. Interior paints are designed for use only on interior surfaces and will provide aesthetic value, while exterior paints can protect surfaces from water and are able to take weathering so colours will not fade and are more flexible for movement caused from expanding and contracting of timber due to temperature and weather.
Clear products and finishes for timber
If you desire a wooden timber finish inside the home or out. The products available for wooden/timber surfaces are either an oil or varnish. These products will
enhance the natural woodgrain, if using a stain will add colour and protect surfaces.
Exterior timber should and needs to be protected from weathering to avoid discolouring and rotting and interior surfaces require protection from stains.
Things to consider when choosing an oil or varnish is that an oil penetrates while varnish creates a film on the surface – like clear paint. On exterior surfaces varnish does not resist UV light and weathering like paint does, depending on manufacture/product the varnish usually needs to be re-applied yearly to keep the surface fresh and avoid deteriorating of the coating. An oil usually needs to be re-applied on an exterior surface yearly to keep the timber protected.
However, an oil or varnish used internally does not need to be re-applied yearly.
So if a varnished surface is not maintained, it will require more preparation to re-coat than if an oil was used.
It is always best to re-coat with the same product and colour, this is also something to keep in mind.
What is Lead and Asbestos?
Lead was used in paints prior to 1970. So the paintwork in some older homes will contain lead. Exposure to lead can have long-term affects on health, particularly to children.
In sound paintwork, there is no danger and can be re-painted to encapsulate these surfaces.
But because old paint usually needs to be sanded or removed, this is where exposure occurs.
We test surfaces suspected to contain lead during our free quote and will notify you of the outcome.
If the existing paintwork contains lead. The removal or sanding of surfaces will be completed following standard practices to prevent any contamination and will be safely removed from the property.
Asbestos is a building material that was used until 1980. It usually looks like a cement sheet and usually found around eaves or on older extensions. While it is best to have this material professionally removed, sometimes this is not feasible. So if the fibres are not damaged or broken they can be re-painted without danger. However these surfaces cannot not be sanded, nailed or broken in order to avoid exposure.
Are paints dangerous?
When paints evaporate or dry, the fumes released are called volatile organic compounds (VOC).
So while cured paints are not harmful, the fumes from drying paints can cause issues such as headaches when re-decorating, however, in well-ventilated area these issues are not likely to occur.
Most acrylic/water based paints are low VOC, which is why we choose to use these products over solvent/oil-based paints.
Why is preparation so important?
Preparation is the most important step for painting, you will hear many professional painters say this - because it’s true. Proper preparation will simply make the workmanship last as long as possible.
Example: If a glossy door is re-painted without any preparation at all (which would be sanding and if required applying a priming undercoat) the new coating is likely to just scratch off.
Cleaning is another important step in preparation, such as pressure-washing the exterior of a house or cleaning cobwebs from ceilings prior to painting.
Steps in preparation also improve the aesthetic value, such as filling holes and imperfections so the final coat will look flawless.
Preparation will also protect things that you cannot see under painted surfaces, such as metal rusting.
We believe that while the correct preparation cannot be seen on a freshly painted surface, it will definitely be noticed at one point or another if the proper preparation is not completed which will also be a costly result.
How long will paint last?
While it cannot be determined exactly how long a paint job will last, if cleaning and maintenance is kept up we would hope you will not need a re-paint until you desire a colour change.
For both interior and exterior surfaces we would expect the surfaces to stay looking fresh for around 7+ years.
But we can guarantee our work with a 5 Year Workmanship Warranty.
The best time to re-paint is just before the surfaces start deteriorating, this will mean surfaces are protected and will be more cost-effective as less preparation will be required.
Cleaning and maintenance
To prolong any paintwork (just like with your car) cleaning and maintenance is required. This is to keep the surface looking fresh and prevent the surface oxidising (becoming powdery and losing colour).
Both interior and exterior surfaces need to be free from water damage, it is very important to address and fix any issues that have caused water stains on interior surfaces or any wood that is becoming rotten on exterior surfaces. So it’s also important to ensure that roofing is watertight and guttering are clean and leak free.
Interior surfaces can be cleaned using a soft, lint free wet cloth. For exterior surfaces, cleaning with a hose or pressure washer can be done around once a year.
Oiled or Varnished surfaces usually (depending on product used) require cleaning and re-coating once a year.
Can we provide references?
Yes, we can provide references. Contact us for further details or check out our work on Instagram.