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Hi experts
I'm sorry to be so thick but how on earth does a novice decorator like moi know how much water to add to thin down emulsion paint.

The thing is I want to do the cutting in first and I'm sure someone on here told me to thin the paint down for cutting in as it it easier then to blend the roller in and you dont get thick paint lines around the edges and light switches.

If I pour some of the paint into a clean pot/container I wont know how much is in there and so wont know how much water to add. I'm sure you guys all do it by eye and experience but I'm not an expert so ay help or tips would be great. Sorry for asking such a dumb question

Cheers

Think thick custard

Right oh, I'm thinking thick custard ....yummy

Now wot about my paint???

OK, opened tin and found that there was a bit of white paint around the edge of the lid. This is a Crown Trade vinyl matt emulsion mixed for us by local DIY sho to match an existing colour we have in the house.

Should I stir the paint to make sure it's all mixed up....I'm never sure about stirring and it doesn't give any instructions on the tin.

Thanks
M.

There is nothing stopping you from stiring it, just as precaution, thinning wise, for normal use, i.e. going over an existing finish, then as a rule of thum, about three quarters to a pint of water to a 5L tin should be enough.

Pour your paint into a container and then divide the height of the container into ten imaginary parts...like a measuring jug...

as an example, if the container is ten inches high and you have it half full of paint add another inch of water...that will give you roughly a 20% ratio

But do as WD says first ...give it a good stir...a lot of paints solidify in the can and turn watery when stirred anyway

it really depends from one paint to another and theyre never the same thickness.
im doing site work at the mo using dulux fast matt that is designed to go straight onto plaster with no thinning. i always add about half a pint to a 10L tub and sometimes more as sometimes the paints thicker, i guess i go by feel. i stir it and thin it till it doesnt feel too heavy.

i would thin dulux supermatt and other super dooper thick paints by about 25% for new walls and not much less for already painted walls. i barely thin dulux vinyl matts, lees than half a pint to a 5L tin.

its really down to experience and each person likes it slightly differently. sorry thats not much help

Thanks for tips & advice - all very much appreciated.

I managed to thin it down - mostly by guess work (I hadn't seen the tip from HBWT at that point) and I'm delighted to say it worked brilliantly.

I got the cutting in done in about half the time as it flowed on really nicely. I finished the remaining walls off with a small roller and you really have to look hard to see where I cut in, it's almost invisible.

I'm just a basic DIY'er who struggles with most jobs and am therefore very grateful for your help. I paid a couple of so called decoraters a lot of money to carry out some very easy decorating for me a couple of years ago and I'm still trying to put it right myself. It was a very expensive lesson to learn and as you all probably know it is so hard to put bad paint work right.

Cheers everyone.

I never noticed your post or I would have put my 2 pence in worth, but you followed the advice given to you, and glad its worked out for you, and thanks maryann for taking the time out to come back and thank us, it really is much appreciated.

I second that...always nice to get some feedback back..(is that bad grammar?)

Geez
Thanks for your thanks for my thanks .....twas the way I woz brung up, don't you know

Anyhoo, I get so cross when I read threads on here and other forums where nice people like yourselves take the time and trouble to post really helpful replies only to get nothing back - no response - nowt.

It costs nothing to be polite, and honestly I am always grateful.

Bye for now.....