TOP TIPS! What are your top tips that you CAN share?

[dynamod]

If you want to remove old dried paint from metal handles, don't waste money of Nitromors. Instead put the handles in a bucket and pour boiling water onto them. Add a wee drop of Fairy and leave till the water cools off. Then the paint just comes off with a kitchen sponge.

[dynamod]

Best tip any decorator ever gave me, and has saved my skin a few times is - "Measure twice, cut once" for papering. It's amazing how a measurement can go out of your head between the wall and the table.

[Have Brush Will Travel]

Best tip any decorator ever gave me, and has saved my skin a few times is - "Measure twice, cut once" for papering. It's amazing how a measurement can go out of your head between the wall and the table.

moving the table nearer the wall can help...

[dynamod]

There's always one

[Have Brush Will Travel]

There's always one

Im the 1

[Colour Genius]

A quick method of painting exterior PVC fascias/window frames/doors : Rub down with medium wet&dry and apply exterior flexible microporous gloss straight on (no U/coat) ... Works a treat!

[bradley]

I got excited about the idea of washing rollers in the washing machine inside a pillow case, but the first time I tried it they came out of the pillow case and more importantly they were deformed at the ends and wouldn't fit on the rollers any more. A zip-up cushion cover would keep them under control, but it seems even warm water will melt the plastic.(Well I'm assuming it was the heat that did it).

Can they only be washed in cold water, then?

Or am I being dim?

[Puma]

If you are colour matching take a sample from the wall in a clean place such as behind a picture, and always go outside into a shady area to match them up. Sunlight has almost every single waveband of visible light - where as any electric light misses large chunks out which alters the perceived colour.

Ronseal, despite their neanderthal orientated adverts, do make some good products:

Diamond acrylic - gloss and eggshell
Diamond floor varnish
Metal paint

have all been recommended.

[bradley]

My tip : always clean (or ask customer to clean) light/power sockets and switches (of grime, old paint, etc) before you unscrew them to decorate behind them. That way you won't clart up your beautiful new paint/paper work trying to do it afterwards. (It's inefficient and possibly dangerous trying to clean them when unscrewed).

Sorry if it seems obvious, but I've been caught out a few times when enthusiastically zapping round preparing the room - only to discover the switches need scrubbing afterwards. DIY decorators always seem to leave paint round the edges of fittings.

[Have Brush Will Travel]

On the back of that Id also suggest that you get the customer to get a plumber in to take the rads off...I used to do it but id say id have grief 50% of the time with annoying drops ..and one occasion I wrecked the ceiling below the room I was working in...all because I was trying to save the customer a few quid but taking a rad off

You may also find your public liability insurance doesn't cover you..leaving you wide open to forking out a lot of money

And...if you refill a system and it develops an air lock you could be there half a day sorting it...

Not worth the hassle IMO

[dynamod]

You may also find your public liability insurance doesn't cover you..leaving you wide open to forking out a lot of money

And...if you refill a system and it develops an air lock you could be there half a day sorting it...

Not worth the hassle IMO

Good advice, and following on from that, it's worth mentioning that a decorator doing any of these other trade jobs may not be insured (depending on what you're covered for obviously)

I wouldn't do anything plumbing/electrical/joiner etc related for the simple reason that I'm a decorator, and the insurance would just walk away in the event of an accident. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions - so if they need another trade in, let them get that trade in, and don't end up with your arse in a sling.

[moderator6]

My top tip (kind of obvious, but still useful):

IF repairing a hole that's too large for wall surfacing compound alone (but too small for the typical plaster patch) try filling the hole with an old newspaper before applying the surfacing compound.

Moved from the plumbing forum

Mod 6

[Puma]

Bradley yes you can wash the rollers in a pillow case a low temperatures, but I would get rid of 90% of the paint first. The slurry did build up in my machine washing loaded rollers and blocked the drainage pipe - but just by blowing back down it the blockage was cleared.

[fitch]

When doing high spec work its a good idea to seal the floors wth a weak PVA coating. This should be done just before the undercoat stage. It will seal in all the dust and together with clean whites will greatly reduce dust transfer to doors and woodwork

[kellys_eye]

Cover the back of sandpaper with brown packing tape (sellotape or fabric tape etc) before using it. Lasts MUCH longer.